The Other Belle of the Old West

 

Hi friends,

This is a hard post for me to write. I've been with Heroes, Heroines, and History since the conception stage, but I've decided to step down. I'm not writing much these days, and not sure if I will in the future due to some physical issues. It's been a great run here at HHH. I've learned a lot as I researched my posts, and I made many friends. Before I go, I have a new post for you.

Belle Siddons

Most of us know about the notorious Belle Starr, but have you ever heard of Belle Siddons? In the Old West, Belle Siddons was known by many names: Madam Vestal, Lurline Monteverde, and Montel Holman. She was born around 1842 in Missouri and was raised on a wealthy Southern plantation in a politically powerful St. Louis family. Belle Siddons was the definition of a Southern belle, beautiful, educated, and poised. She attended Seminary School in Lexington, and after graduation, she made her societal debut in Jefferson City, Missouri. Several society columns made mention of her. She was a well-connected young woman with a bright future.

At the beginning of the Civil War, Siddons decided to use her wiles to benefit the rebel cause and became a Confederate spy. She gathered information from numerous love-struck Union soldiers to pass on to the rebels. She made no secret of her duplicitous behavior, and in 1862, a Union general became aware of her activity and issued a warrant for her arrest. Belle wasted no time in fleeing, but it wasn't long before the authorities caught up with her. She had incriminating maps in her possession, and she proudly admitted to being a spy when questioned. Siddons was sentenced to one year in the Gratiot Street Prison in St. Louis. After only four months, they released her under the condition she would serve as a nurse for the remainder of the war.

After the war ended, Belle spent her time lobbying in the capital city, where she met and married Kansas City surgeon Newt Hallet. Belle's new husband taught her to play cards. Finding that she was naturally good at the game, Belle became famous as a dealer of the game 21.

They later moved to Texas. He spent his days patching up patients with Belle as his nurse, and often at night, he'd play cards and gamble. Sadly, the seemingly happy marriage was short-lived, when Newt died from yellow fever in less than two years. Distraught over the loss of her husband and the need to support herself, Belle left Texas and followed the Gold Rush, making her way to the gambling halls of South Dakota.

Soon after arriving in Deadwood, South Dakota, Madam Vestal gained the name "Queen of the Black Hills." She would sit silently at the roulette table, in full costume of velvet gowns and ruby jewelry, shuffling cards, pistol on one side and stacks of money on the other. For those who crossed her path, losing to the beautiful Madam Vestal became a badge of honor. Belle's wealth grew until she was able to purchase her own dance hall, bar, and gambling establishment.

Belle met and fell in love with stagecoach robber and former guerilla raider Archie McLaughlin. Together, they forged a plan, and once again, Belle used her skills and beauty to become a spy to retract information from stagecoach drivers, which she then passed on to her lover. Unfortunately, Siddons overconfidence got the best of her, and one night she let slip that there was going to be a robbery. Bounty Hunters caught McLaughlin and he was tried and hung.

Guilt over Archie's death engulfed Belle. She spent the next few years wandering the West, drinking heavily, and visiting opium dens. She even attempted suicide. Eventually, she stopped in Nevada, where she married Eugene Holman. For a time, life was better, but then Belle reverted to drinking again and Holman left her.

There are two stories regarding Belle Siddon's death. One, that she died from a drug overdose and another that she died in jail. No one seems to know the truth. Though blessed with a good start in life, like so many others, Belle chose a path that led her to drug addiction and much sadness. Still, her colorful legend has become the subject of many tall tales and Wild West stories.

Here's a link to an actual newspaper article about Belle Siddons: https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-black-hills-daily-times-belle-siddon/18794002/

Thanks for reading my many posts over the years. I've enjoyed your comments and getting to know some of you. I especially appreciate those who have read my books and left reviews. If you'd like to keep in touch, you can find me at www.VickieMcDonough.com or on Amazon, Pinterest, and Facebook. Blessings!

Luke Davis flippantly tells his cousins he'd get married if the right woman ever came along, never imagining the mayhem such a remark would make. One month later, three mail-order brides arrive courtesy of his well-meaning, scheming cousins. How will he decide which one is right for him? Widowed boardinghouse owner Rachel Hamilton has loved Luke for years but never worked up the courage to tell him. Now that three brides have shown up, vying for his hand, Rachel is totally unnerved. What will she do if Luke marries someone else? Will he ever realize that sometimes love is right in front of you? Purchase here: https://www.amazon.com/Bride-Texas-Boardinghouse-Brides/dp/0997176733

Vickie McDonough is the CBA, EPCA and Amazon best-selling author of 54 books and novellas. Vickie grew up wanting to marry a rancher, but instead, she married a computer geek who is scared of horses. She now lives out her dreams penning romance stories about ranchers, cowboys, lawmen, and others living in the Old West. Vickie’s books have won numerous awards including the Booksellers Best, OWFI Best Fiction Novel Award, and the Inspirational Readers’ Choice awards. When she’s not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, making cards, gardening, and traveling. To learn more about Vickie’s books or to sign up for her newsletter, visit her website: www.vickiemcdonough.com

The Rose of Cimmaron, Female Outlaw

I'm sure you've heard of Jesse James, Billy the Kid, and Butch Cassidy, but how many female outlaws came you name? Belle Starr might come to mind, but what about Rose Dunn?

Rose Dunn aka the Rose of Cimmaron

Rose Dunn was born in 1879 near Ingalls, in the Oklahoma Territory. Although her family was poor, she received a formal education at a convent in Wichita, Kansas. By the time she was 12, Dunn's two older brothers had become small-time outlaws. They taught her to ride, rope and shoot. Through them, she met George "Bittercreek" Newcomb, when she was just 14 or 15 years of age, and they became romantically involved.

Rose was totally infatuated with Newcomb and began supporting the man's outlaw life. She would make supply runs into town since he couldn't because he was a wanted man. At the time, Newcomb was riding with the Wild Bunch gang led by famous outlaw Bill Doolin.

On September 1, 1893, a posse of U.S. Marshals cornered the Wild Bunch gang in Ingalls in what became known as the Battle of Ingalls, The resulting battle was in an intense shootout. Western legend says that Newcomb was badly wounded, and while he lay in the street, Rose Dunn is alleged to have run from the "Pierce Hotel" to his location with two belts of ammunition and a Winchester rifle. She shot the rifle at the marshals while Newcomb reloaded his revolvers. Newcomb and Rose were lucky to have escaped.

Three deputy marshals were killed during the shootout. Two gang members were wounded but escaped. Another gang member "Arkansas Tom" Jones was wounded and captured by Deputy Marshal Jim Masterson. Rose Dunn hid out with the wounded gang members for at least two months, nursing the men back to health.

By 1895, Newcomb had a $5,000 bounty placed on him, dead or alive. Newcomb and another outlaw began hiding out near Norman, Oklahoma after both had been wounded in another gunbattle with US Marshals. On May 2, 1895, Rose's brothers, now bounty hunters, shot and killed both men as they dismounted in front of the Dunn house to visit Rose. The brothers collected the bounty, believed to have been $5,000 each.

After the killing of "Bittercreek" Newcomb, Rose Dunn was often accused of having set him up by revealing to her brothers the outlaws' whereabouts. She adamantly denied this, and her brothers later defended her, stating that she had no knowledge of their intentions. She was never prosecuted for her involvement with the gang. 

Thanks to her short outlaw life, Rose Dunn rose to western legend status. She later married a local politician named Charles Albert Noble and lived the remainder of her life as a respectable citizen. She died at the age of 76 in Washington.

OUT OF THEIR ELEMENT

Four mismatched couples find unexpected romance

in four full-length novels by four best-selling authors

A Wagonload of Trouble
, included in OUT OF THEIR ELEMENT

(Finalist in Heartsong Presents Favorite Novel Award - previously published in Wyoming Weddings)

by Vickie McDonough


A computer geek is completely out of his element in the wilds of Wyoming. While his sister stays home with her sick son, Evan reluctantly accompanies his niece on a two-week wagon train tour with her history class, despite a pressing business deadline. The pretty gal heading up the tour thinks he's a total greenhorn, but he can't help being attracted to the competent woman who seems to have it all together. When the tour is sabotaged, will Evan's unique skills help solve the mystery?

 

Vickie McDonough is an award-winning author of nearly 50 published books and novellas, with over 1.5 million copies sold. A bestselling author, Vickie grew up wanting to marry a rancher, but instead, she married a computer geek who is scared of horses. She now lives out her dreams penning romance stories about ranchers, cowboys, lawmen, and others living in the Old West. Her novels include End of the Trail, winner of the OWFI 2013 Booksellers Best Fiction Novel Award. Song of the Prairie won the 2015 Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Gabriel’s Atonement, book 1 in the Land Rush Dreams series, placed second in the 2016 Will Rogers Medallion Award.