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Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West.

Lottie Goodrich, a denizen of Hangtown, California who makes her home in a house known as the Palace, attempted to poison herself by taking morphine this morning. About l o’clock this morning as Lottie

Mitchell, who occupies another house of the same character in the vicinity, was going to breakfast, she saw the Goodrich woman wandering about in an aimless sort of way in the streets. Observing that she was in distress she went to her assistance and enquired the

trouble and was informed that the Good – rich woman had taken m orphine with the intent of poisoning herself. Help was summoned, but before it arrived the woman fell in the street. A crowd of soiled doves soon congregated about her and attempted to believe her with the usual antidotes, but failed. Dr. Ward was summoned and the woman was taken into the house. After laboring with her for two hours he

succeeded in restoring her to consciousness. The doctor says if she can be kept awake she will recover. Before taking the morphine the woman wrote a note which she left in her room. It was addressed to Lou Carlton and in substance was as follows: “ Telegraph to my mother in Oregon that I have killed myself. Tell her to come down. What money I have left give to my children. I am tired of life.

Give my love to Mrs. Johnson, of Sacramento. Curl my hair before burial.” Lottie Goodrich is supposed to have money in an Oroville bank. It is said that her husband is in San Quentin. She is the mother of several children.

To learn about wicked women on the wild frontier read

Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West.

National Book Launch on February 21, 2015 from Noon to 2 p.m. at the

Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum in Nevada City, California.

It’s a most wicked giveaway. Enter now to win a copy of the new book

Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West.

What people are saying about Wicked Women.

Carmen Blankenship

What a fascinating look back at some of the most rebellions and independent women in history. Chris Enss does an amazing job of research and presenting these women’s story without judgment. I was so fascinating by these madams, gamblers, and hard living women. How brave to take their destiny in their own hands during a time when there were over little options for women in businesses. At times sad, I couldn’t tear myself away.

Shonda Wilson

This was a fun and engaging book, when at work I will recommend it for someone who is a dabbler in history who likes fast and fun reads, loved the breakdown of the book and how it is accessible.

Diana Belchase

What a great look at the wicked women of the West. Educational and highly entertaining! Why has no one thought of writing this before?

To learn about wicked women on the wild frontier read

Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West.

National Book Launch on February 21, 2015 from Noon to 2 p.m. at the

Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum in Nevada City, California.

It’s a most wicked giveaway. Enter now to win a copy of the new book

Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West.

According to the July 19, 1897 edition of the Woodland Daily Democrat, the soiled doves and wicked women of Hillertown have finally come to the conclusion that the officers mean business in attempting to rid the city of their class, and the afore mentioned doves have agreed to leave at an early date. This morning District Attorney Hopkins and Officers Lee, Hughes, and Dawson went down to Hillertown and told the damsels that if they would leave their cases of vagrancy against them would not be prosecuted. All the landlords and the inmates of their homes said they would go except Annie Goodrich, who became quite dignified and told the officers that she would think about it. The officers agreed to take her to a cool place to meditate over the matter and placed her under arrest. She was taken before Judge Lampton and after thinking the matter over, concluded to plead guilty. She was removed to the county jail to await sentencing. The Judge issued a statement warning all wicked women against visiting Hillertown again.

To learn about wicked women on the wild frontier read

Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West.

National Book Launch on February 21, 2015 from Noon to 2 p.m. at the

Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum in Nevada City, California.

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Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West.

From the front page of the January 27, 1869 edition of the Galveston Flakes Semi-Weekly Bulletin comes an article about a woman who struggled to do right, but fell into an unfortunate business. “A few weeks ago the handsome young wife of a dentist of came to

this city for the avowed purpose of separating from her husband, who it seems, has a fondness for other women than his lawful wife. She had no friends here, but came to earn an honest livelihood if it were possible, and in the event of failure, to have recourse to a life of shame to get sustenance and keep her from the sight of her husband.

She failed in procuring a situation of the kind she desired, and falling in

with a young man of loose habits was induced to enter a house of ill repute in this city. She remained there for a number of days the circumstances that led her to adopt a life of shame became known, when a gentleman kindly gave her money to return to her home and wrote to her husband of the fact. After much persuasion she accepted

the offer, but found she was no longer welcome by her husband because she was now what he referred to as a “wicked woman”.”

To learn about wicked women on the wild frontier read

Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West.

National Book Launch on February 21, 2015 from Noon to 2 p.m. at the

Nevada County Railroad Museum in Nevada City, California.

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Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West.

From the February 4, 1875 edition of the California Alta News comes a warning to men to safeguard themselves from wicked women. The article is referring to women gamblers and soiled doves, several of which are included in the book Wicked Women.  “There have been desperately wicked women in this world of ours, from the days of sacred story to the present moment. They have shown sometimes the cool and calculating villainy of the poisoner and forger, but more often the rabid, eccentric, self-destroying wickedness of the weak. “You men know what an enraged lamb will do,” said a keen, observer. Women are not lambs always, but a certain amount of wickedness appears in the most desperate of them. In the first place, that type of woman “staying power” — but the absence of the inertia of strength, whichever prevents such females from rising to successful eminence, that inability of the muscles to serve the exactions of the brain— is real. Conscience and decency come back in a woman after they‘ve lied and snared their prey; her courage in all scenes of danger is proverbial; and it is pathetic to read of the last hours of the most desperate female criminals, to see the womanly virtues appearing as the crust of an unworthy life is being broken, to hear their prayers, witness their generosity, admire their fortitude, and notice then determination to be well or decently. But it is not real – they are wicked.”

To learn about wicked women on the wild frontier read

Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West.

National Book Launch on February 21, 2015 from Noon to 2 p.m. at the

Nevada County Railroad Museum in Nevada City, California.

Enter now to win a copy of the new book

Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West.

In February 1881, desperate women in a North Dakota town waged war against soiled doves that stood out on the streets enticing their husbands or fiancés inside their businesses. They made signs and marched in front of the “wicked women’s” parlors and gave interviews to the local newspapers expressing their displeasure with the madams and their bawdy establishments. “Pure women cannot understand how wicked women rejoice in mashing hearts they do not care for; in ruining young men’s lives for a petty triumph,” one overwrought wife and mother or three told a reporter for the Bismark Tribune. “We want to see an end to such enticements and maintain a faithful home,” the woman added. “If the wicked women are allowed to stay we are, all of us, doomed.”

To learn about wicked women on the wild frontier read

Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West.

National Book Launch on February 21, 2015 from Noon to 2 p.m. at the

Nevada County Railroad Museum in Nevada City, California.

Don’t wait! Enter now to win a copy of the new book

Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West.

According to the July 9, 1895 edition of a Sacramento newspaper, “wicked women” Cora Rasmussen and Joan Burdette were fined $100 each in the Police Court for conducting gambling games. Cora pleaded guilty. Joan Burdette, arrested for a similar offense, was found guilty. Sentence will be imposed tomorrow. “We must do what we can to rid this city of such action by the female sex, or society as we know it will be lost,” said Officer Horace Matthews who arrested the above mentioned wicked lady gamblers.

To learn more about the wicked women on the wild frontier read

Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West.

National Book Launch on February 21, 2015 from Noon to 2 p.m. at the

Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum in Nevada City, California.