European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 17, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The Chicken ranch is put to Roost by John m. Crewdson new York times Tii hey auctioned off the old Chicken ranch recently in bits and pieces an ignominious end for Texas institution that had been around nearly along As the Alamo and was surely the object of Smuch affection. Although there once were some hens pecking in the front Yard the Chicken ranch was never really a ranch at  gun toting miss Edna its last and most famous proprietor called it her boarding House. Her boarders were All attractive Young women in cocktail dresses sad Belr guests included any Man who Coop scrape together $10. The Chicken ranch was closed live years ago this summer the widely lamented victim of a television newsman from Houston named Marvin Zindler whose expose of what wan generally known to be going on be tween the boarders and the guests eventually forced the Texas governor to order it shut Down. But the last act was written by the  miss Edna locked her doors and sent her Boarden packing an enterprising Houston lawyer bought the place. He moved part of the original building and some of the furniture 250 Miles from la Grange to Dallas wherein was reincarnated As a restaurant. It seemed a great idea but after Only four months the place was out of business. It was done in by a faulty beating system and a somewhat limited menu that included Chicken livers Chicken Spaghetti Spanish Chicken mexican Chicken Swiss Chicken chinese Chicken and Chick in Fried Steak. Did you see the menu it s grim whispered Clyd Cromwell the Man from the Small business administration which had ordered the auction in Hopes of recover ing enough to repay a federally guaranteed loan whose recipients went into default when the restaurant closed. Besides Cromwell about 150 people showed up for the occasion including restaurateurs in search of bargains in pots and pans antique and furniture dealers hoping to find a Saleable piece or two and a scattering of Well to do housewives looking for a Good conversation piece. Also present were a few nostalgic guests who had come for one last look at the surroundings the rather Garish purple drapes and carpets the mirrors and the dressing tables with which they had gained a degree of familiarity. Zindler was there As Well his Silver hair gleaming under the Bright television lights. He watched the proceedings carefully As if to make certain that nobody tried to put the pieces of the Chicken Ranc i Back together , who is portrayed on Broadway As Melvin p. Thorpe a crusading reporter who wears an american Flag Necktie was not  thing was a cancerous growth on la Grange for 129 years he  or not for Young men growing up in Central Texas it was the closest thing around to a rite of  knew the Chicken ranch from the time i was 17," said William Pool who grew up in Austin. The first time1 went there was in 1960, when i was in High  another former guest Steve Cariotis recalled that Asa University of Texas undergraduate a decade ago he and his friends frequently travelled the Well beaten Pat from Austin to la Grange 120 Miles away. A lot of girls at the University used to work there Cariotis said. Woman puts in her bid for one of the distinctive bar stools at Chicken ranch auction. Ranch s boarders were Young women and their guests were any Man who had $10. Edna Milton now has a walk on part in Broadway musical based on her past As Madam of the celebrated Chicken ranch. This was a cancerous growth on la Grange for 129 years he added that he still remembered one coed an old girl named Mabel with fondness. In the course of the auction which lasted three hours Abag of brass tokens bearing the legend Good for All night sold for $30. A velvet rope purpose unspecified went for $5.what auctioneer John Gaston described As a Beautiful Chippendale Dresser its top scarred by innumerable cigarette Butts and stained by countless cocktails was sold for $55.paula o Neill paid s100 for hundreds of leftover bumper stickers imploring authorities to bring Back the Chicken ranch. She said she planned to sell them by mail to new yorkers interested in Texas history. David Grayson paid $65 for the ranch s original out House. He said he planned to re erect it on his South Texas  of the most interesting pieces on the Block was a Chest of drawers with Money slots Cut into its top each with a Boarder s name scrawled below Thelma Velma. Bertha Glenda Sadi. Joni Tina Peggy. Sue Joy. Miss Lilli and so  was purchased for j30 by a woman who said her name was Geneva  of those who still thinks la Grange was a lot better off Whin Thelma Velma and the others were around i Jean Hrbacek who with her husband owns a Motel near where miss Edna s Chicken ranch used to stand. She ran a clean place mrs. Hrbacek said. You did t act vulgar Yon did t cuss. You were going to act like a gentleman otherwise you was going to spend the night in the Fayette county Bas Tille. It took a lot of Revenue out of the town she said of the Chicken ranch s closing. The girls they ate in town they bought All of their clothes there. All the maids employed out there were Laid  knew a lot of people who would go there just to visit. Miss Edna had a Little Coffee bar there. She donated to everything. She never refused anybody. She s still paying off her pledge to the new Hospital. They drained her  she left la Grange she was broke Edna Milton is in new York these Days an adviser for the musical about her boarding House in which she also has a Brief walk on part. At the auction the last lot of the Day no. 309, was made up of some of her miscellaneous junk that had been hauled Here from la Grange including a dozen or so mattresses that looked much the worse for Wear. Maggie Kennedy who bought them All for $5, said she planned to present them to a co worker who had asked her to bring him some inexpensive Little souvenir. Shehad no idea what her Friend would do with them. I m sure no one will Ever sleep on them again said the Man from the Small business administration. Thursday August 17, 1978 the stars and stripes Page 13