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[MURDER AND CAPITAL PUNISHMENT]. Vintage Press photo of the execution of James Morelli in the electric chair
by Joe Migon (photographer)
- Used
- good
- Condition
- Good
- Seller
-
Lockhart, Texas, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Chicago: Chicago Herald-American, 1949. Good. Photograph (ca. 230 x 190 mm; 9 3/16 x 7 3/8"), outer edges irregularly cut, image marked with printer's instructions; on verso a pasted newspaper reproduction of the photograph (see below) similarly marked. Photo creased and wrinkled with some short tears. EXTRAORDINARY AND ICONIC ARTIFACT, BEING AN ORIGINAL PRESS PHOTO OF THE EXECUTION OF JAMES "MAD DOG" MORELLI, TAKEN CLANDESTINELY BY TWO REPORTERS WHO SMUGGLED A TINY CAMERA INTO THE JAIL.
On the verso of our photograph is a clipping from the Chicago Herald-American (now Chicago American), the original source of the photo, and is stamped by the newspaper 7 December 1949, and again 25 June 1959. The caption reads: "A photo that stirred the nation and was widely hailed as a deterrent to crime -- James Morelli dies in the electric chair. The photo is unretouched."
BACKGROUND: The execution of notorious gangster James "Mad-Dog" Morelli in Chicago on Nov. 26, 1949 made newspaper headlines because -- contrary to law -- it was captured on film. This was about two decades after a similar incident in New York's Sing Sing prison, prompting major changes to execution access in America, including mandatory X-ray screening for all witnesses. To circumvent discovery, Chicaco Herald-American photographer Anthony Beraldi and staff reporter Joe Migon hid a loaded Minox 3" x 1" x 3/4" camera inside the heel of Migon's shoe (the insole protected the undeveloped film from the Inspectroscope). Migon snapped off four shots on fast panchromatic film at 1/5th second speed. Cook County Jail superintendent Chester Fordney declared that the photo was a fake, but his arguments are not universally accepted. A full account of the logistics of the present photograph is given in the March 1950 issue of "Popular Photography" (p. 86) which states that Migon's photos, "used in the Herald-American and serviced to other papers by the INP, again pointed out that 'Crime Does Not Pay.'"
COMMENT: Whereas the present photograph was published in newspapers around the world, according to a 2009 survey of criminologists revealed that 88% believe the death penalty was NOT a deterrent to murder (SOURCE: Amnesty International USA website: "The Death Penalty and Deterrence" posted May 18, 2017). The same source provides documentation that the murder rate in non-Death Penalty states has remained consistently lower than the rate in states with the Death Penalty. Therefore, the present photograph figures prominently in the discussion of capital punishment in the United States.
PROVENANCE: Potter Auctions 11/20/21 lot 270. This is the only example we have located at auction.
On the verso of our photograph is a clipping from the Chicago Herald-American (now Chicago American), the original source of the photo, and is stamped by the newspaper 7 December 1949, and again 25 June 1959. The caption reads: "A photo that stirred the nation and was widely hailed as a deterrent to crime -- James Morelli dies in the electric chair. The photo is unretouched."
BACKGROUND: The execution of notorious gangster James "Mad-Dog" Morelli in Chicago on Nov. 26, 1949 made newspaper headlines because -- contrary to law -- it was captured on film. This was about two decades after a similar incident in New York's Sing Sing prison, prompting major changes to execution access in America, including mandatory X-ray screening for all witnesses. To circumvent discovery, Chicaco Herald-American photographer Anthony Beraldi and staff reporter Joe Migon hid a loaded Minox 3" x 1" x 3/4" camera inside the heel of Migon's shoe (the insole protected the undeveloped film from the Inspectroscope). Migon snapped off four shots on fast panchromatic film at 1/5th second speed. Cook County Jail superintendent Chester Fordney declared that the photo was a fake, but his arguments are not universally accepted. A full account of the logistics of the present photograph is given in the March 1950 issue of "Popular Photography" (p. 86) which states that Migon's photos, "used in the Herald-American and serviced to other papers by the INP, again pointed out that 'Crime Does Not Pay.'"
COMMENT: Whereas the present photograph was published in newspapers around the world, according to a 2009 survey of criminologists revealed that 88% believe the death penalty was NOT a deterrent to murder (SOURCE: Amnesty International USA website: "The Death Penalty and Deterrence" posted May 18, 2017). The same source provides documentation that the murder rate in non-Death Penalty states has remained consistently lower than the rate in states with the Death Penalty. Therefore, the present photograph figures prominently in the discussion of capital punishment in the United States.
PROVENANCE: Potter Auctions 11/20/21 lot 270. This is the only example we have located at auction.
Details
- Bookseller
- Michael Laird Rare Books LLC
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 4000
- Title
- [MURDER AND CAPITAL PUNISHMENT]. Vintage Press photo of the execution of James Morelli in the electric chair
- Author
- Joe Migon (photographer)
- Book Condition
- Used - Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- Chicago Herald-American
- Place of Publication
- Chicago
- Date Published
- 1949
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
Terms of Sale
Michael Laird Rare Books LLC
14 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 14 days after delivery if an item arrives mis-described or damaged.
About the Seller
Michael Laird Rare Books LLC
Biblio member since 2007
Lockhart, Texas
About Michael Laird Rare Books LLC
Welcome to Michael Laird Rare Books, LLC. We specialize in fine and rare books, manuscripts, documents, ephemera, fine and historic bookbindings, and illustrated books of every description. Michael Laird is a member of the ABAA (Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America), ILAB (International League of Antiquarian Booksellers), and the Appraisers Association of America (USPAP compliant, and AAA certified in the appraisal of Rare and Antiquarian Printed Books). Michael Laird earned his masters degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Texas at Austin (1989) and has more thirty years experience in the antiquarian book trade. He is the principal Rare Book and Document appraiser at Winston Art Group (New York) and Gurr Johns (New York). From 2002 until 2013 he taught advanced graduate level courses in Rare Books and Special Collections (Palmer School of Library and Information Science at Long Island University, and the School of Information at The University of Texas at Austin School of Information).
We invite you to browse through a selection of our inventory: we strive to present the greatest historic detail and bibliographic accuracy, even for lesser priced - but no less interesting - items. We are happy to provide further images of any item: please inquire.
Order with confidence: we select every item with great care and discernment; moreover, we examine every page of every book. We are always interested in purchasing fine and rare books, manuscripts, and ephemera; please inquire. We very much appreciate your interest in our work, and your patronage. Thank you!
We invite you to browse through a selection of our inventory: we strive to present the greatest historic detail and bibliographic accuracy, even for lesser priced - but no less interesting - items. We are happy to provide further images of any item: please inquire.
Order with confidence: we select every item with great care and discernment; moreover, we examine every page of every book. We are always interested in purchasing fine and rare books, manuscripts, and ephemera; please inquire. We very much appreciate your interest in our work, and your patronage. Thank you!
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
- Heel
- The lower most portion of the spine when the book is standing vertically.
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- Verso
- The page bound on the left side of a book, opposite to the recto page.
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