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Belle Cora
Belle Cora (1827? – February 18/19, 1862), also known as Arabella Ryan, was a madam of the Barbary Coast of San Francisco during the mid-nineteenth century. She rose to public attention in 1855 when her lover, Charles Cora, killed U.S. Marshal William H. Richardson after they had a conflict at the theater. She died in 1862.
Two portrayals of Belle Cora's childhood exist. The first lists her as the daughter of a minister in Baltimore who became pregnant as a teen. Upon discovering this, Cora's father threw her out of the house, prompting Cora to move to New Orleans. There, her baby died and she met Charles Cora. The alternate version, more prominently upheld, depicts Belle to be the daughter of Irish Catholic parents in Baltimore. In this version, Cora and her sister worked at a dress shop next to a brothel.[citation needed] Intrigued by the house, they became involved with the sex trade.[citation needed] At some point, Cora ventured to Charleston, South Carolina. During her time there, she became the mistress of a man who was later killed. His death prompted Cora to move to New Orleans where in 1849 she met Charles Cora.
In December 1849, the couple moved to Sacramento, California and, while there, Belle helped fund Charles's high-stakes gambling. After some time, the couple moved to Marysville, California, and Belle opened her first brothel, called the New World. gambling parlor and offered games like poker, roulette, faro, and dice.[citation needed] At 23, they moved yet again and she opened a brothel in Sonora, California.
In 1852, Belle set up a parlor house on Washington street, in San Francisco, opposite the house of fellow madam, Ah Toy.[citation needed] Reverend William Taylor recounts the parlor house as being furnished with redwood, velvet, silk, demask, beautiful paintings and playing pianoforte, harp and melodeon. Belle hosted dinner parties with aldermen, judges, the mayor, and even members of the legislature. Even after an expensive legal battle and the lynching of her husband, Belle continued to run her brothel.
Belle Cora held a competing party (which had more guests) the same night as the wife of U.S. Marshal William H. Richardson, which is said to have begun a rivalry between the women. The feud was further provoked one evening at the American Theatre. Richardson's wife complained to the manager that the Coras were seated in the same balcony as she was, as she felt that area should be reserved for more respectable guests. However, the manager refused to remove the couple, saying that they were regular customers of the first balcony. William left swearing vengeance upon Charles.
On November 17, 1855, between 6 and 7 o'clock,[citation needed] Charles Cora shot Marshal Richardson in the breast in front of Fox and O'Connor's store on Clay street between Leidesdorff and Montgomery Street. He died instantaneously from the wound. Charles Cora was arrested, handed over to the city marshal, and later placed in the county jail.
Protests and lynch mobs erupted after the murder, so Mayor James Van Ness placed Charles under a higher security accommodation for his own safety. Local citizens raised fund for a monument for Richardson in the Lone Mountain Cemetery and $15,000 for his children.
Belle funded several attorneys to represent Charles Cora including Edward Dickinson Baker and James A. McDougall. Belle paid Edward Dickinson Baker $15,000 of his $30,000 retainer in gold and sent meals to Charles Cora while he was in jail. In addition, she even went so far as trying to bribe the star witness Maria Knight to change her testimony. Alleging that Richardson had threatened Charles with a knife, the lawyers framed the case as one of self-defense. On 1856 January 17, Charles's trial ended with hung jury.
Belle Cora
Belle Cora (1827? – February 18/19, 1862), also known as Arabella Ryan, was a madam of the Barbary Coast of San Francisco during the mid-nineteenth century. She rose to public attention in 1855 when her lover, Charles Cora, killed U.S. Marshal William H. Richardson after they had a conflict at the theater. She died in 1862.
Two portrayals of Belle Cora's childhood exist. The first lists her as the daughter of a minister in Baltimore who became pregnant as a teen. Upon discovering this, Cora's father threw her out of the house, prompting Cora to move to New Orleans. There, her baby died and she met Charles Cora. The alternate version, more prominently upheld, depicts Belle to be the daughter of Irish Catholic parents in Baltimore. In this version, Cora and her sister worked at a dress shop next to a brothel.[citation needed] Intrigued by the house, they became involved with the sex trade.[citation needed] At some point, Cora ventured to Charleston, South Carolina. During her time there, she became the mistress of a man who was later killed. His death prompted Cora to move to New Orleans where in 1849 she met Charles Cora.
In December 1849, the couple moved to Sacramento, California and, while there, Belle helped fund Charles's high-stakes gambling. After some time, the couple moved to Marysville, California, and Belle opened her first brothel, called the New World. gambling parlor and offered games like poker, roulette, faro, and dice.[citation needed] At 23, they moved yet again and she opened a brothel in Sonora, California.
In 1852, Belle set up a parlor house on Washington street, in San Francisco, opposite the house of fellow madam, Ah Toy.[citation needed] Reverend William Taylor recounts the parlor house as being furnished with redwood, velvet, silk, demask, beautiful paintings and playing pianoforte, harp and melodeon. Belle hosted dinner parties with aldermen, judges, the mayor, and even members of the legislature. Even after an expensive legal battle and the lynching of her husband, Belle continued to run her brothel.
Belle Cora held a competing party (which had more guests) the same night as the wife of U.S. Marshal William H. Richardson, which is said to have begun a rivalry between the women. The feud was further provoked one evening at the American Theatre. Richardson's wife complained to the manager that the Coras were seated in the same balcony as she was, as she felt that area should be reserved for more respectable guests. However, the manager refused to remove the couple, saying that they were regular customers of the first balcony. William left swearing vengeance upon Charles.
On November 17, 1855, between 6 and 7 o'clock,[citation needed] Charles Cora shot Marshal Richardson in the breast in front of Fox and O'Connor's store on Clay street between Leidesdorff and Montgomery Street. He died instantaneously from the wound. Charles Cora was arrested, handed over to the city marshal, and later placed in the county jail.
Protests and lynch mobs erupted after the murder, so Mayor James Van Ness placed Charles under a higher security accommodation for his own safety. Local citizens raised fund for a monument for Richardson in the Lone Mountain Cemetery and $15,000 for his children.
Belle funded several attorneys to represent Charles Cora including Edward Dickinson Baker and James A. McDougall. Belle paid Edward Dickinson Baker $15,000 of his $30,000 retainer in gold and sent meals to Charles Cora while he was in jail. In addition, she even went so far as trying to bribe the star witness Maria Knight to change her testimony. Alleging that Richardson had threatened Charles with a knife, the lawyers framed the case as one of self-defense. On 1856 January 17, Charles's trial ended with hung jury.
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