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Murderess on the Loose: The 1922 Hammer Wrath of Clara Phillips (A Historical True Crime Short)
Murderess on the Loose: The 1922 Hammer Wrath of Clara Phillips (A Historical True Crime Short)
Murderess on the Loose: The 1922 Hammer Wrath of Clara Phillips (A Historical True Crime Short)
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Murderess on the Loose: The 1922 Hammer Wrath of Clara Phillips (A Historical True Crime Short)

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From award-winning criminologist R. Barri Flowers and bestselling author of Murder During the Chicago World’s Fair, Murder of the Doctor’s Wife, Murder at the Pencil Factory, and The Pickaxe Killers, comes the gripping historical true crime short, Murderess on the Loose: The 1922 Hammer Wrath of Clara Phillips.

On the evening of Wednesday, July 12, 1922, Los Angeles, California, was the scene of a shocking and deadly assault. The victim was an attractive twenty-one-year-old widow named Alberta Meadows. Her death came as the result of a vicious hammer and boulder attack on a twisting dirt road at the bottom of a hill in the subdivision of Montecito Heights on the city’s northeast side.

The violent act was perpetrated by a romantic rival named Clara Phillips, who lured the unsuspecting victim to the unlikely crime scene. The twenty-three-year-old murderesses’ actions were spurred by jealous rage as Mrs. Meadows was the mistress of Clara’s husband, Armour Phillips, an oil stock salesman who was three years her senior.

The heinous crime was witnessed by Peggy Caffee, a friend, who was too frightened to lift a finger to stop the attack. Afterward, Clara and Peggy fled the murder scene in the victim’s brand-new Ford automobile. Surprisingly, the killer’s husband Armour came to her aide in ditching the vehicle and fleeing Los Angeles by train, before self-preservation kicked in and he reconsidered his own actions after the fact, alerting authorities as to her whereabouts, leading to an arrest.

Clara Phillips was given the moniker, “Tiger Woman,” by the overzealous L.A. press of the day after a police detective on the case suggested that Alberta Meadows looked like “she had been mauled by a tiger.”

But Clara didn’t go away quietly, proving to be not only a cold-hearted killer, but a fabricator and masterful escape artist before justice for the victim finally had a chance to be served in what proved to be one the 20th century’s most disturbing acts of homicidal violence.

Included are bonus excerpts of R. Barri Flowers’ bestselling historical true crime book, The Dreadful Acts of Jack the Ripper and Other True Tales of Serial Murder and Prostitutes, and historical true crime shorts, The Pickaxe Killers, Murder at the Pencil Factory, Murder of the Doctor’s Wife, and Murder During the Chicago World’s Fair.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateMay 7, 2018
ISBN9780463974070
Murderess on the Loose: The 1922 Hammer Wrath of Clara Phillips (A Historical True Crime Short)
Author

R. Barri Flowers

R. Barri Flowers is an award winning and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of romantic suspense, mystery, thriller and crime novels, with twenty Harlequin titles published to date, such as Honolulu Cold Homicide and Special Agent Witness. Chemistry and conflict between the hero and heroine, attention to detail, and incorporating the very latest advances in criminal investigations, are the cornerstones of his crime thriller fiction.

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    Book preview

    Murderess on the Loose - R. Barri Flowers

    MURDERESS ON THE LOOSE

    The 1922 Hammer Wrath of Clara Phillips

    A Historical True Crime Short

    By R. Barri Flowers

    MURDERESS ON THE LOOSE

    The 1922 Hammer Wrath of Clara Phillips

    A Historical True Crime Short

    Copyright 2018 by R. Barri Flowers

    All rights reserved.

    Cover Image Copyright Simon Gleeson, 2018

    Used under license from Shutterstock.com

    In memory of Mrs. Alberta Tremaine Meadows and other tragic victims of historical as well as present day crime and violence.

    And to Michigan State University’s esteemed College of Social Science and School of Criminal Justice that gave me my start as a young and optimistic student and propelled me to a longtime and successful career as a literary criminologist and bestselling writer of narrative true crime books, criminology titles, and mystery and thriller fiction.

    * * *

    OTHER TRUE CRIME TITLES BY R. BARRI FLOWERS

    Dead at the Saddleworth Moor

    Kids Who Commit Adult Crimes

    Killers of the Lonely Hearts

    Prostitution in the Digital Age

    Mass Murder in the Sky

    Masters of True Crime

    Missing or Murdered

    Murder at the Pencil Factory

    Murder During the Chicago World’s Fair

    Murder of the Banker’s Daughter

    Murder of the Doctor’s Wife

    Murders in the United States

    Murder of a Star Quarterback

    Serial Killer Couples

    The Amityville Massacre

    The Dreadful Acts of Jack the Ripper

    The Dynamics of Murder

    The Gold Special Train Robbery

    The Pickaxe Killers

    The Sex Slave Murders

    The Sex Slave Murders 2

    The Sex Slave Murders 3

    MYSTERY & THRILLER FICTION TITLES BY R. BARRI FLOWERS

    Before He Kills Again: A Veronica Vasquez Thriller

    Dark Streets of Whitechapel: A Jack the Ripper Mystery

    Dead in Pukalani: An Eddie Naku Maui Mystery (Book 1)

    Dead in Kihei: An Eddie Naku Maui Mystery (Book 2)

    Deadly Defense: A Grace Gaynor Christian Mystery

    Justice Served: A Barkley & Parker Mystery

    Killer in The Woods

    Murder in Maui: A Leila Kahana Mystery (Book 1)

    Murder on Kaanapali Beach: A Leila Kahana Mystery (Book 2)

    Murder of the Hula Dancers: A Leila Kahana Mystery (Book 3)

    Persuasive Evidence: A Jordan La Fontaine Legal Thriller

    State’s Evidence: A Beverly Mendoza Legal Thriller

    * * *

    PRAISE FOR TRUE CRIME BOOKS BY R. BARRI FLOWERS

    Must read for all true crime fans. — Amazon reviewer on Serial Killers and Prostitutes

    Selected as one of Suspense Magazine’s Best books. — John Raab, CEO/Publisher on The Sex Slave Murders

    A gripping account of the murders committed by husband-and-wife serial killers Gerald and Charlene Gallego. — Gary C. King, true crime author on The Sex Slave Murders

    Vivid case studies of murder to complement this well researched criminology text. — Scott Bonn, Ph.D., criminology professor on The Dynamics of Murder

    A model of exposition not to be missed by anyone interested in the annals of American criminal behavior. — Jim Ingraham, Ph.D., professor emeritus of American Studies at Bryant University on The Pickaxe Killers

    R. Barri Flowers always relates an engrossing story. — Robert Scott, true crime author on The Sex Slave Murders

    Striking, well-written tales sparkle in this ocean of murder. — Diane Fanning, true crime author on Masters of True Crime

    Exhaustively researched, each storyteller brings their own unique prose to these pages, creating what will soon become a true crime classic. — Kevin M. Sullivan, true crime author on Masters of True Crime

    This book should be a mandatory purchase and read for any true-crime buff. — Steven A. Egger, Ph.D., associate professor on Masters of True Crime

    Incredible cases, psychopathic killers, unwitting victims, along with the very best writers, make for an exciting, no-holds-barred, soon-to-be true-crime classic. — Dan Zupansky, host of True Murder on Masters of True Crime

    An indispensable sourcebook for anyone interested in American homicide, from law-enforcement professionals to armchair criminologists. — Harold Schechter, true crime historian on The Dynamics of Murder

    * * *

    TABLE OF CONTENTS

    Murderess on the Loose: The 1922 Hammer Wrath of Clara Phillips

    The Dreadful Acts of Jack the Ripper – bonus excerpt

    The Pickaxe Killers: Karla Faye Tucker & Daniel Garrett – bonus excerpt

    Murder at the Pencil Factory: The Killing of Mary Phagan – bonus excerpt

    Murder of the Doctor’s Wife: The 1867 Crimes of Bridget Durgan – bonus excerpt

    Murder During the Chicago World’s Fair: The Killing of Little Emma Werner – bonus excerpt

    Notes

    About the Author

    MURDERESS ON THE LOOSE

    The 1922 Hammer Wrath of Clara Phillips

    On the warm evening of Wednesday, July 12, 1922, Los Angeles, California, was the scene of a shocking and lethal assault. The victim was a twenty-one-year-old attractive widow named Alberta Meadows. Her death came as the result of a vicious hammer and boulder attack on a twisting dirt road at

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