from complications due to a fall. Very few people attended her funeral. She was buried under the name Martha Ready, beside her longtime lover Cortez Thomson, in block 12-lot 31, of Fairmount Cemetery in Denver. Silks left $4,000 in real estate and $2,500 in jewels. Married Life Mattie Silks arrived in Georgetown, Colorado in 1875. There, she a met a man by the name of George or Casey Silks. Sources are unclear as to whether Mattie married Mr. Silks or lived with him as a common law wife; Collins is of the opinion that at the very least Mattie and Silks lived together as common law husband and wife for a couple of years. Authors, such as Forbes Parkhill said it is likely the two were never married as evidence of a marriage or a divorce has never surfaced. It was alleged that Mattie bore a child with George, but there is no evidence to substantiate the rumor. By the time Silks arrived in Denver, the relationship between her and George was over. Mattie also met Cortez Thompson while residing in Georgetown. Cortez was a well known foot racer. Mattie bet on him at one of his races and won $2,000. Mattie operated one of the five brothels on Brownell Street in Georgetown. Cortez and George both occupied a room in her brothel. When Mattie left Georgetown for Denver she was accompanied by Cortez, who had left his wife and young daughter to be with Mattie Silks and Cortez were lovers for years before they married in Miami County, Indiana, on July 6, 1884, four days after Cortez received news of his wife's passing. Life with Cortez was chaotic. He was described as having less than gentlemanly morals. Katy Ordway, author of Shady Dames of Denver described Cortez as a gambler with propensity towards violence. Mattie financially supported both her and Cortez. He would often use her money to support his gambling and drinking habits. He was known to buy Mattie gifts with her own money. According to several sources, Thompson gave Silks two server beatings during their time together. When Mattie caught him in a compromising position with a rival madam, Lillie Dab she threatened Dab with her pistol. Cortez took the pistol from her and beat her "unmercifully." Mattie filed for divorce giving infidelity and abuse as her reasons. Cortez convinced her to drop the suit which she