Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-15
FORMER "ouEEN"' OF THE RED
LIGHT DISTRICT DRINKS
POISON.
GLAMOUR OF FAST LIFE
GONE FOR LOU RYAN
Broken in Health, Beauty Gone and
spurned by Former Admirers, Queen
of the Des Moines Demi- Monde Seeks
to End 1t AII-woos Death in Old
Home


ton has overcome Lou Ryan, queen Of
the demi- monde under the old red
light days in Des Moines. Stricken
with poverty, wrecked in health at 35,
this woman who once rivaled any in
physical beauty, is now a victim of tu-
berculosis, and at O'clock yesterday
she attempted to end her life by swal-
lowing quantity Of laudanum. Prompt
medical attendance saved her life, but
the bleak future still looms horrible
before her dimn1ing eyes.
Clinging to the vestige of her past
doubtful notoriety, living in the old
house at 222 West Second street, where
she once reigned, she has been since
the adjustment Of the "line," keeping
boarders and trying to earn an honest
living. There she lost her beautiful dia-
monds, her silken gowns and all the
remnants of her old life of garish dis
play-lost all in her efforts to earn
her daily bread and maintain her aged
father in a modest way.
| Nine, or ten roomers and boarders
occupy the place. The music Of the
electric piano has given way to the
rattle of dishes and the once Brussels
carpeted floors are bare.
| Instead Of the faultlessly groomed
handles and the smiles and caresses
of flattery paying homage to her youth
and beauty, Lou Ryan has grown to
know the hard life of physical toll, to
be content with an occasional kind
word. Men no longer care to look into
that pale, sunken face, they no longer
leer when that emaciated, haunted fig
ure passes. The old Lou Ryan is dead.
| Yesterday her roomers found her
about the time when rivalry was at its
height in the old days. She was cold
and unconscious A doctor was sum-
moned and the police were notified that
the woman had taken poison. An effort
was made to keep it secret. 1t was
thought she would die Relatives were
called about the bedside and they
worked over her for hours, literally
dragging her back from the grave.
| The house is over a saloon facing the
| new postoffce building on the river
! front. The old peep door" and the
spring bell under the rug on the stair
which used to warn the inmates of the
approach of the police and visitors are
still to be seen.
"TweMy- years ago." said a
prominent police officer yesterday, 81
remember Lou Ryan as little girl IL
short dresses playing about the cot
tage of her father on the south side OF
Walnut street between Tenth and Elev.
enth streets. Then a few years late
she began to be known in the bright.
4 lighted dens of vice down town. He
beauty soon made her famous.
But her heart was big with human
kindness Men and women who wer'
broke, sick, down and-out, went to he
for aid She never turned away on
who was helpless. Then her mothe
became i'll, I think, with tuberculosis
Lou went daily in her carriage will
loads of expensive fot-house flowers
dainties everything which would temp
an invalid She never missed day I'm
til her mother died.
Later, her sister. Daisie, died Of tn
same disease. Lou surrounded her will
all the luxury possible and tenderl.
cared for her until she died.
u 81 have known her from time to tim,
all these years and many times formed
a member of raiding parties that over
ran her place and made arrests. I hav'
known of scores of girls Lou Ryan ha
sent home when they We're on the verg
of suicide, scores of them she has in
fiuenced to abandon her kind of life
and go back to seek respectfully.
"Since the line was abolished sh
has tried to make an honest living an
found it hard. Her reputation wa
against her and few boarders liked t
have it known they lived at her place
She has supported her white haire
father who spends much of his time a
her place.
Her life has been bad. She DELHI
erately chose to continue in that kin
of course, and her plight, tho pitifu
enough; is what she must have fore
seen had she been able, or disposed t
look ahead, years ago, and consider tn
possibilities of the life she chose t
!