The price for a turn of the century "soiled dove" can be gleaned from the death records of these ladies, all of which had their occupation listed as “sporting women.” One of the earliest deaths noted was a 43-year old white prostitute from England by the name of Belle Habberman. She died on November 2, 1899 from chronic diarrhea. Her condition had debilitated her so much that she had been residing at the County Poor Farm, in the vicinity of the present Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Upon her death, she was carried by wagon to the "Potter's Field" adjacent cemetery and buried with little ceremony and only a wooden cross that has long since disappeared. In July 1904, a 30-year old Pearl Spencer died in her madam’s brothel on the "line" at #10 West Zarragossa Street. Her mental condition concerning her life and future as a prostitute had deteriorated to the point that she committed suicide by taking an overdose of laudanum. Although unusual, her remains were shipped back to her home in Anniston, Alabama and buried there. Across the street was Mollie McCoy’s infamous house of ill repute at #15 West Zarragossa Street. There, 30-year old Miss Preston Gordon developed an addiction to morphine. On August 23, 1904, the cumulative effects of the dangerous drug overtook the young dove and brought about her premature death and subsequent burial in St. Joseph’s Cemetery. In their day and time, these girls had no problem getting drugs like laudanum and morphine because they could be purchased over the counter without a prescription. With this in mind, no wonder drug addiction was so high in Pensacola society, but especially among the "ladies of the evening." But regardless of the cause of death, the protocol of the day disallowed prostitutes to be buried next to the more “honorable citizens” of Pensacola. Because of these customs, the soiled doves were usually carried to Potter’s Field at the Poor Farm or to St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery located at today’s intersection of Pace Boulevard and Jackson Street.

Suicide by overdose was an escape for many prostitutes