Mrs. Helen G. Maxwell and Mrs. Laura Johnston in grief over mass shooting, Los Angeles, 1935

Item Overview

Title

Mrs. Helen G. Maxwell and Mrs. Laura Johnston in grief over mass shooting, Los Angeles, 1935

Date Created

December 19, 1935

Date

1935-12-19

Publisher

Los Angeles Times

Language

No linguistic content

Collection

Los Angeles Times Photographic Collection

Notes

Description

Families of the W.P.A. members slain and witnesses crowded in the courtroom to listen to the inquest of Charles Layman, former W.P.A. employee, who shot and killed six workmen at a site near La Brea Avenue and Exposition Boulevard.
Photograph appears with the article, "Massacre Blame Fixed" Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec 1935: A1.
Mrs. Maxwell holds a handkerchief in a closed fist while Mrs. Johnston leans close to her. They are surrounded on three sides by other court spectators, who stare into the camera.

Caption

Text from negative sleeve: 4136 - Mrs. Helen Maxwell Mrs. Hal Johnson Chas. Layman Shooting Case 12/19/35 [stamped:] Dec 23 1935
Text from newspaper caption: Tear faced and tense, these two women were among a score of close relatives of six slain W.P.A. workers at the inquest yesterday. Left to right are Mrs. Helen G. Maxwell, aunt, and Mrs. Harold Johnston, widow of Harold Johnston.
Handwritten on negative: 129 129 Mrs. Helen G Maxwell Mrs. Hal Johnson

Physical Description

Extent

1 photograph

Medium

b&w nitrate negative

Keywords

Genre

cellulose nitrate film
news photographs

Names

Johnston, Laura Marie, 1912-1992
Maxwell, Helen G.

Location

Los Angeles (Calif.)

Resource type

still image

Subjects

Family members--American--California--Los Angeles
Judicial proceedings--California--Los Angeles
Widows--California--Los Angeles
Shooting--California--Los Angeles