The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-10-11
BELLE SIDDONS.
A Woman Whe Reiened Supreme
in St. Louis and jefferson
City.

The San Francisco Examiner, III a r,
cent issue, gives the history of Belle Sid
dons, a woman locked up in that city io
drunkenness. This woman was once, ac
cording to the account, we'll known tO ia
citizens oi Jefferson City during the earl
part of the war. but al that time She move,
/ in lar higher social sphere than she a. I.
IT present. Then she was pure IA any var
gin, but now she is the most degrade,
woman i'm the whole west. Belle SiddCn
was 4 relative of Governor Stewart. VA ;
graduate of Lexington university. ano
previous Ia her arrival in Jefferson CITY
| had reigned Is iclle Ill -. Louis Til,
/ different positions she mas occupied dur
ing her eventiul career are numerous
During her stay nj Mis>Ouris capital IN,
became deeply in love with journalist,
CAPTAIN Parish. lie was killed on a
southern battlefield, fighting for the los,
cause. After this her whole manner "i
life was changed She acted the role 81;
spy until detected and vas imprisoned in
II. Louis. but through her seductive
charms she secured her escape.
Belle, until 1871. acted a. lobbyist nm
der Fletcher and Meetings. admini>tra-
ton, when she suddenly disappeared, an.
when heard from again was living a. the
lawful wife oi Newt Hallett, Kansas City
gambler IIallctt died OF yellow fever IL.
Texas. and Belle carried on the business oi
the green cloth herself. She seemed L. Is,
and calmn,ss. During this fast life Of ex-
which Is attendant 10 the lie Oi
4 gambler. She married one Archie Cum
ming> at leadville, y notorious road agent
who WAS iynchcd BY mob. During hi
lille Bclle acted - queen oi the gang. and
no job was ever performed without her
Her gambling saloon was car
ricd ON i'm the meantime, and il was 4 sort
nj medium by which the rnbber gang
were kept informed of rich travellers
whereabouts. gold transfers. etc. Detect
ives were roped in by cappers, and their
plant were elected from them, Belle put
ting them I'm humor by letting them win
The lynching oil Cummings was I hard
blow Ia her and she cuurted death bv TAX
ing an immense dose of morphine, but
- She was an invcterate opium
eater and smoker, the drug had No effect /.
upon her impregnable system. From
Leadville she d.iiled all over the west
and southwest, losing much money In
gambling and Specializing, although it il
said she has enough To keep her a. long
as her lie of debauchery lasts. The E1-
aminer, in concluding Its account of her. |
saws:
A slave to opium and brandy, this once
bright ornament of ~. Louis society must
soon lind her way To the oblivion oi tn.
grave OF the stranger. There have been
lew women who started out into the world
with brighter prospects or under more
brilliant auspices Beautiful, accomplish
ed, highly connected. well-educaied, she
might have chosen her place in the higher
walks of life. Her career has been event
ful and exciting. She has passed through
the several phases of life, belle oil society,
bride, spy, hospital nurse, lob
byist, gamblers wife, gambler, confederate
Of robbers, saloon keeper, and now. after
all over the frontiers, she finds
herself behind the bars of the female cell
in the city Jail Al San Francisco.