The Grand Dame Of Butte
I’m Susan Allen, welcome to Open Range, I was reminded of Ruby Garrett after I heard about the antics of our secret service, so I thought I’d share the story of the Grand Dame of Butte Montana who died March 17 at the ripe old age of 94, back after the break . The west can still be rough around the edges as evidenced by the recent death of Ruby Garrett famous for running the last brothel in the Western mining town of Butte Montana that once boasted quite anactive red-light district. Like a character out of a western movie Ruby was known for her kindness towards her girls, clean establishment and her handiness with a gun in fact the first time Ruby went to prison, it was for shooting her husband five times in the middle of a card game in 1959. She said she killed him because he abused her repeatedly. No stranger to the county jail she also served time for tax evasion. The sheriff who finally shut down her Dumas hotel and brothel in 1981 said Ruby never held a grudge towards him but did refuse to sell her hotel unless it could be used as a brothel. Today the Dumas Hotel, an icon since 1890 has become a popular tourist attraction. Now over her lifetime Ruby was known for some interesting quips about her profession like saying "If you don't think it's morally wrong, then it's kind of fun," and in regards to today’s young women she once remarked" These little chippies who will do it for a burger and a beer, I say they might as well sell it."
Ruby who died in a local rest home on March 17 received national attention for being one of the last living legends in Butte, a vestige of the old west and as I understand it the Grand Dame of Butte had quite the interesting memorial service.
