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The Closure of the Chicken Ranch Brothel in La Grange, Texas

The Closure of the Chicken Ranch Brothel in La Grange, Texas

47 years ago today the infamous Chicken Ranch whorehouse, out in La Grange, Texas shut down. I wrote a piece awhile back on what went on behind the scenes that led to the business being closed.

It had been the longest-running brothel (est. 1844) in the US til Marvin Zindler, a zealous TV newsman from Houston, stuck his nose into the affairs of madam Edna Milton.

Texas state attorney general, John Hill, was Zindler’s governmental mole who supplied the newsman with inside tips on the operation.

Zindler caught a fierce ass-whipping from local Sheriff TJ Flournoy for his troubles. When Mr. Zindler returned to La Grange a year and a half after his TV piece ran, the 71 year old Flournoy saw his chance and pounced, dragging Zindler from his black 1975 Continental Mark IV, and beating him from pillar to post, breaking his ribs and snatching his toupee right off his dome-then stomping it into the rich Fayette County dirt. more

New Orleans Biographies

Chain-Smoking Rebel Playwright Lillian Hellman Was Born In New Orleans

Chain-Smoking Rebel Playwright Lillian Hellman Was Born In New Orleans

Lillian.

Blacklisted as a Communist sympathizer by Hollywood.

Her most famous work banned in Chicago, London, and Boston.

Drunkard.

Headstrong.

Lust-filled, and promiscuous.

A “tough broad … the kind of girl who can take the tops off bottles with her teeth.”

Louche companion of Dashiell Hammet who cracked Hellman in the jaw at a party one night, and refused to marry her in the course of their 30-year affair.

Elia Kazan would call Hellman a “bitch with balls.” But in light of each of their appearances at the McCarthy hearings on Communism in the US it could be said that Lillian had enough balls for the both of them. Continue Reading