The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-03-07
HICKS HE'LL HOLE.
The Madam Closed it To-day
and Will 60 to North
Missouri.
Six Frail Boarders Who Will Seek
Homes in the Neighbor-
ing Cities.

Probably no woman in Sedalia ha
achieved as much newspaper notoriety a
has Madam Sallie Hicks, keeper of tn,
bagnio at the railroad, on Massachusetts
street. She came to this city some fou
wears ago as the wife of a printer nance
Francis Marion Hicks, accompanied by
her two little girls, Mamie and Minnie
Hicks was worthless, dissolute fellow
and after hanging around the city for /;
few months, gaining scanty living for hi.
family, he suddenly disappeared, going Il
some point east of here, where he figured
in several crooked transactions. Since
that time he has never set foot i'm Sc
dalia. although he has been heard OF
frequently, and is now said to be
publishing country paper in Arkansas
Left to her own resources, with two little
children to provide for, Mrs. Hicks rented
a house on West Main street, where she en-
deavored to earn livelihood by doing
plain sewing. Whether she had been
crooked prior to that time, history does
not state. Certain it is, however, she was
there but short time when she associated
with her couple of girls whose reputa-
ton was clio udy, and the place soon be-
came known as a house of ill-repute.
1t became too hot for the madam in that
locality, so she rented little shanty
west of the Farmers mill, on
the south side of the railroad track.
During all of this time poverty had pinch
ed her upon more than one occasion, and a
place. At this location she congregated
S-o.l IL
soon money began to pour in upon her.
She did rushing business, as it were, and
but short time had elapsed ere she con-
cluded to rent larger house.
At that time the police were making it
exceedingly interesting for her, so she de-
termined to rent outside of the
city limits, and secured the place known
as "The Farm" mile west of town, where
Lizzie Cook scooped 10 the dollars and
grew rich. Hicks here experienced not
a little difficulty, for the fly young men of
the city would fill themselves with fighting
whisky, and of course the first thing they
would do would be to visit her ranch.
Numerous were the fights which occurred
there, and many the black eyes and bloody
noses, until she determined to "quite the
business
She had been making money like dirt, |
and instead of appearing up town in a
calico dress, sported silks and satins and |
jewelry in profusion. When she announced |
her intention of closing the house, a couple |
of her bOarders would not hear to it, and a |
lively row was the result. But the madam
had her way about it, SO disposed |
of her furniture to secondhand store and
Tor time was lost to view, although, If the
BAZOO man has been informed rightly, she
never left the city.
A year or more ago. however, she again
appeared before the public by opening up
he old Junction house, which was built
specially for a place of ill-shape by
Madam Lizzie Cook. 1t had been lying
die for some time and Mrs. Hicks nego-
lated for its purchase ON what was con-
idered reasonable terms. She could not {
pay for it in full, so placed a mortgage
lpon 1t, and it has never been lifted.
At this place she had ample
DOM for transacting her nefarious bust
ness, and she soon had with her some s
even or eight girls from other cities.
Here she has held forth until the present
ime. Of late she has not been bothered
y the city authorities, as she arranged !
With them to pay monthly fine of $40 5
or herself and $40 for each of her board 1
rs In case the house was not raided. She I
onducted the establishment as we'll, prob. i
lbly, as would any other woman of her G
haracter, but the place was an eyesOre to
hose residing in that locality, and they n
ave long hoped that something would {
ranspire which would cause the madam to n
ave the city or change her location. C
To-day that something" is at hand and y
y tomorrow the hell hole will be thing
the past. On Monday Mrs. Hicks re.
eived telegram saying that her father
as near deaths door at his home in North
llssouri, so she determined to again quit Z
he business, and this time, she says, for
,od.
She has disposed of the most of her
ousehold goods to a secondhand store on a
ain street, and last night informed the n
rls that they would have to seek homes n
sewhere. The denouement was h.
,expected by the frail boarders. ..
1t they have learned to take s.
e as it comes, SO tonight they will scat W
r in various directions. The madam in in
nds leaving Sedalia tomorrow, going at n
ce to the home of her parents, and will n
he her children with her. She saws she a,
with the life she has led in the o
st, and will, in future, give no one q,
use to speak lily of her. While the n
400 has its doubts as regards this, it
n only hope that such will actually be q
2 case. p;