Hal Takaoka testifying on the witness stand about the murder of his sister, dancer Midi Takaoka. Judge Irvin Taplin was presiding. The dancer's throat was cut by her jilted lover, waiter Raymond Johnson. Johnson later was sentenced to life in prison.
The mural, funded by the WPA (Works Project Administration), was controversial especially because of the depictions of nudity and references to war in the central panel. The central panel was removed from the Frank Wiggins Trade School lobby (now LA Trade Tech) and returned to the Public Works Administration in 1935 and the other two panels were returned in 1939.
New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia presides over the Pacific coast regional meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors. Boston Mayor Frederick Mansfield served as Mr. La Guardia's secretary. Approximately 60 Pacific coast mayors attended the conference. Unemployment relief was a focal topic at the conference, which was held at Los Angeles' City Council chamber. May 15, 1937.
An unidentified lawyer approaching Robert S. James as he sits in the witness stand. A map of his home is visible behind him. He was most likely testifying in his own defense for the murder trial of his wife Mary Emma James. He purportedly had an affair with his niece, which spurred him to tie down his wife and have a rattlesnake bite her, and then later drown her in their fish pond. He was supposedly helped by his friend, ex-sailor Charles H. Hope, who was also charged with murder.
Maritime workers gathered around a posted Western Union telegram, probably announcing the end of the 98-day coast maritime strike which included longshoremen, cooks and stewards, firemen and sailors
Young actress Ada Williams Ince, 21, divorces her husband of 5 years, William "W.T." Ince, on claims of abuse due to her husband's violent temper. Williams was granted the divorce in Superior Judge Edmond's court, and attributed it to the date of Friday the 13th, her "lucky number", contrary to popular convention.
LA Daily News city editor Charles Judson participates in a series demonstrating "right" and "wrong" golf swings with local pro golfer and golf instructor Fay Coleman. Judson represents the "wrong" form for each swing.
A man surveys the newspapers available for reading at an open-air public library in Pershing Square, downtown Los Angeles. The Pershing Square outdoor library was opened in December of 1936, and was staffed by W.P.A. workers. Visitors to the library could choose to borrow a book by simply leaving their name. The library was quite popular, circulating 24,000 books in its first six months of operation, and spawning other outdoor libraries in Los Angeles.
Admiral William F. Halsey ended his 45-year naval career aboard the U.S.S. South Dakota in the Los Angeles Harbor. He commanded the Third Fleet during the Pacific War against Japan. The ceremony consisted of the changing of his four-starred flag to the two-starred flag of his successor, Rear-Admiral Howard F. Kingman. The ship's entire company was present during the brief ceremony. After the ceremony, Halsey left the battleship on a crash boat and the U.S.S. South Dakota fired a 17-gun salute.
View of the Los Angeles County Courthouse from Broadway. The courthouse, completed in 1891, was located at the corner of Broadway and Temple St. This red sandstone facility utilized aspects of the Richardsonian Romanesque Style, with thick, rusticated stone walls, wall dormers, and central clock tower. The architects were Curlett, Eisen and Cuthbertson; San Diego architect, William S. Hebbard, who was working for the architecture firm of Curlett, Eisen and Cuthbertson as a draftsman, contributed to the design. This court house was demolished in 1936
View of the Venice oil field, a landscape of derricks, with steam pipes and buildings made of wood and corrugated metal at their bases, with the beach on the far left. The foreground center building has signs reading "Flynn Bros." and "No Smoking, Keep Out." Signs on the derricks read "Bergman Albright No. 3," "Pan Gulf Pet. Co. LTD, Hattie Weber Mabel [..]orner, Well No [...]," "S.L.R. Pet. Prop's LTD., J. T. Russell No. 1," "Pan Gulf Petroleum Co. Ltd., Venice No. 1," "[...] Powell-Stockton, W. G. Davis No. 1," and "Know Powell Stockton, W. G. Davis No. 4."
View facing east down fifth street toward the Southern Pacific Arcade Depot. A Blue Line streetcar is visible near the Depot far down the street. Utility poles line the dirt street and tracks on both sides. In the background, a building at right has a sign on it reading "Narcisse House". The Depot building dominates the background at left.
