The Ghastly Murder of Alberta Meadows
In 1922 a Los Angeles bank teller named Alberta Meadows was mauled to death so savagely, police dubbed her killer “Tiger Woman”
The woman who would become the infamous “Tiger Woman” of Los Angeles was born Clara Anne Weaver on June 23, 1898, in Waco, Texas. She was the fourth of five children born to John Weaver and Anna Jackson. Clara was especially close to her baby sister, Etta.
Throughout her childhood, Clara’s family bounced between numerous small Texas towns. They settled in Houston when Clara was a teenager.
Shortly after moving to Houston, 15-year-old Clara met 22-year-old Armour Phillips, and a passionate romance ensued. Armour was handsome and ambitious. Clara believed every sweet word and promise that dripped from his lips, especially when he promised to build her a better life out west.
The couple married in Houston on November 13, 1913. Armour aspired to become an oilman, and Clara wanted a shot at stardom. The natural compromise was to move to California, where the couple made their home at 703 West 53rd Street, Los Angeles.
