12 rare photos of American criminals of the past (14 photos)

A selection of photographs of Americans associated with crime, who lived more than 130 years ago, and small stories from their cases.





Bertillon's photo or mugshot (from the English "mug shot"), as it was later called, made a real revolution in forensics and allowed the police to keep a visual record of all those arrested.

So, starting from the mid-1800s, literally through a few years after the invention of photography, the police of some countries started photographing the faces of the detainees.

These photos are from the State Penitentiary Collection. Nebraska and the Omaha courts will give us a glimpse into the fortunes of some random people who lived more than 130 years ago.

James Whitewater



This man killed two people. While in prison from 1872 to 1889, he suddenly believed in God and converted to Christianity. And lo and behold, In 1889, he was released, as in the state of Nebraska was adopted a law allowing the governor to pardon two prisoners who "had been in prison for more than 10 years or whose conduct in custody merited such clemency."

Albert Johnson





Johnson was sentenced to one year and six months for theft on a large scale. He arrived at the Nebraska State Penitentiary with dashing mustache, beard and hair. Because of the prison policy to reduce number of lice among the prisoners, the authorities shaved his head and face.



George Ray



As you know, the smiling faces in Victorian photographs eras are quite rare, which is why the grinning George in the prison picture most unusual on this mugshot. Especially considering that he served 10 years for manslaughter in the late 1890s.

James Collins



James was arrested on May 12, 1897 for burglary. The picture shows that his head is bandaged. According to protocol, Collins escaped and was re-arrested only almost a year later. Apparently, at the second detention with him was no longer on ceremony, and the 23-year-old tailor from Omaha was sent to prison to serve a five-year sentence.

Goldie Williams



Please note that the lady defiantly crossed her arms on her chest and grimaced. Apparently, the same "thing". According to police records, arrested for vagrancy on January 29, 1898, Williams, also known as Meg Murphy, was only 152 cm tall and weighed 49 kg.

Charles Martin



Three robbers broke into a bank safe on February 15, 1898. They managed to carry out about $2,400. Bank insurance company hired the famous Pinkerton detective agency, otherwise she sent an assistant Superintendent F. Tollotson to track down the robbers.

At the time of his arrest, Martin had a gold watch and 565 dollars in cash, believed to have been his share.

Nora Courier



Burrow Courier was better known as "Red Burrow". March 31 1901 Omaha police arrested a girl for stealing ... a horse. According to protocol, she was 22 years old, she had blue-gray eyes and a scar on forehead. Interestingly, it is not visible in the picture.

Herbert Cochran



Cochran was arrested on November 24, 1899 for the theft of hacking. According to the police description, a tailor from Fairmont, Nebraska, Cochran, had a slightly stooped build, fair face and eyebrows, converged at the base of the nose. The man did not want to be photographed therefore, the hands of an unknown policeman are also visible in the picture.

Frank L. Dinsmore



A double murder shocked the tiny town of Odessa (not wonder) of Buffalo County on the night of December 4, 1899. Lillian Dinsmore was found dead in the kitchen of the house she shared with her handsome husband Frank. Atthis, someone Fred Laue, who rented out this apartment to them, was also shot dead in his bedroom.

According to his wife, Mr. Dinsmore became obsessed with her and seduced her. At the same time, she also claimed that Frank was allegedly plotting kill his young wife and her husband too. After they really were killed, the brothers of the late Lillian accused Frank of ...using hypnotic powers on their sister. After listening accusation, Laue's widow also stated that she was also a victim hypnotic influence. In general, frowned, and nothing more.

As a result, the Dinsmore case became a newspaper sensation. He is vehemently denied all charges even after the verdict was announced, but his sentenced to death by hanging.

Berta Libbeke



Berta has earned a reputation as one of the most famous pickpockets. Midwest. She worked like this. Found in the crowd well-dressed a man, then, as if by chance, stumbled upon the victim, pretending that loses consciousness. While he was trying to help her, Miss Libbeke was delivering gentleman from the wealth in his pocket and, of course, wallet.

Mary Shannon



Mary was sentenced to two years for rioting in May 1925. However, for some reason, the protocol does not explain that it was she who did to be accused of making a mess. And on kind of quite a law-abiding woman, right?

Frank Carter



In February 1926, this uncle with a heavy look terrorized the whole city. He fired a pistol at random people randomly through the illuminated windows of houses, using a silencer. The whole week the inhabitants of Omaha were afraid to turn on the lights in the evening.

He was captured on February 26 and tried for the murder of two people, but he claimed to have killed 43 people. His lawyers tried to plead on insanity, but he was found guilty and sat on an electric chair.