Etta Clark

Etta Clark was petite and five feet tall. She came to El Paso by train, bringing with her a mean temper and a fiery mouth. It was said she had a way with some of El Paso’s better heeled gentlemen.

Located across the street from Etta's sporting house was her competitor, Alice Abbott, known as "Fat Alice". It's unclear why the two women first became bitter rivals, though Alice was quoted as having said, "Etta Clark was a whore to niggers" ... the ultimate insult in that prejudicial time period.

[Photo: This photo of Etta was crossed out, but the fact it was in Alice's album indicates they were friends at an earlier date.]

On 18 April 1886, an argument took place between Alice and one of her girls, Bessie Colvin, who wanted to leave and work for Etta. Bessie sought refuge in Etta’s parlor, with Alice in pursuit. Alice pounded on Etta’s door with her ham-like fists. When Etta finally opened the door, Alice punched her in the face. With great pain and anger, Etta turned and ran to grab a gun. The incident is reported as follows: "The weapon roared its authority, sending a bullet into Alice’s pubic arch. Clutching her groin, Alice screamed: “My God, I’m shot.” She lurched from the hall and staggered down into the street.” Etta shot again but missed. When Alice looked up, she caught Clark with a smile on her face as she went back in her house.

Alice survived the shooting, despite the risk of blood poisoning and chance of dying. Reported by newspapers as the incident as the "Public Arch Shooting", the widely circulated story caused the public to make fun of Alice, adding to her anger and hatred. To add insult to injury, it only took the jury only 15 minutes to find Etta innocent on grounds of self defense. Alice’s humiliation was now complete.

In the early hours of 12 July 1888 Etta Clark’s parlor house caught fire while she and all her girls were asleep. Everyone managed to escape, but the house and everything in it was destroyed. It was later determined that Alice had hired a couple of drunks to start the fire, but gaps in the evidence led to the acquittal of all accused.

Etta and her girls were reduced to the level of street walkers. Her luck changed with the appearance of J.P. Dieter, one of her adoring clients, who built her a new, huge parlor. His wife divorced him and took their children back east. Etta and Dieter lived as husband and wife without ever becoming married.

In 1904, Etta became ill and decided to run her business from the third floor of the Mayar Opera House, which caught fire and burned down in 1905. Etta barely escaped alive and suffered complications from smoke inhalation. In 1908, as a result of those complications, she died during a trip to see her sister in Atlanta.