17 Mugshots From the 1900s That Tell a Story in Every Face
From bootleggers and burglars to flappers with a rebellious streak, mugshots from the 1900s are both gritty and, at times, strangely glamorous (just look at Minnie Bradley serving face). As cities grew and crime evolved with the times, so did the faces that lined police blotters. You had young women getting arrested for dancing in speakeasies, men jailed for swindling with charm instead of guns, and drifters getting locked up for little more than vagrancy.
From broken dreams to hustles gone wrong, here are 17 mugshots from the early 20th century, along with the stories (or schemes) that landed them in the slammer.
1. Minnie Bradley
Bradley, 27, was arrested in Omaha, Nebraska, on December 11, 1902, for larceny. She listed her occupation as “prostitute.”
2. George Leonard
Don’t be fooled by his boyish charm: Leonard, a bookkeeper by trade, was arrested for theft on December 23, 1901.
3. Mrs. H.C. Adams
This distinguished character was arrested in Omaha, Nebraska, on April 12, 1900, for blackmail. She also listed her occupation as “prostitute.”
4. Nora Courier
Known as Red Nora, Courier was arrested on March 31, 1901, for stealing a horse. She was only 22 at the time.
5. Frank Hammilton
Hammilton was arrested in the early 1900s in California for “petit larceny,” also known as petty theft.
6. Sydney Skukerman
Skukerman, hailing from Australia, was arrested in Sydney on September 25, 1924, for fraud. At least his ‘fit was killing it.
7. Claude F. Hankins
At just 14 years of age, Hankins was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in 1904. He was convicted of killing George Morse, the son of famous detective Harry Morse, in San Francisco. Hankins was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
8. W.M. Brown
Brown was arrested in the early 1900s in California for “resisting an officer.” We’d like to see proof of that, thank you.
9. Thomas Bede
Bede was arrested on November 22, 1928 in Sydney, Australia for an unknown crime. His mugshot read “this man refused to open his eyes.” Defiant to the very end; we love to see it.
10. E. H. Brunson
Arrested for assault and attempted murder, Brunson reportedly stalked a woman and shot her in the head after she rejected him. But the victim miraculously survived and testified against him in court. Brunson was then sentenced to two years in prison (just two?!) for that crime. After his release, Brunson began stalking another woman who also rejected him. This time, he killed both her and himself.
11. Elizabeth Ruddy
Ruddy was arrested on January 5, 1915, in Australia for theft. Ruddy was reportedly a “career criminal” who had been caught “stealing in a dwelling, drunk and stealing.” (Talk about a rough day). She was sentenced to hard labor and one year in prison.
12. Chas Bogard
Bogard was arrested in California in the early 1900s for arson.
13. De Gracy and E. Dalton
These two cool cats were arrested in Australia in the 1920s for fraud. They were reportedly referred to as “magsmen,” or “confidence tricksters” by police.
14. Guiseppe Fiori
Fiori, who also went by the alias Permontto, was arrested in Australia’s New South Whales on August 5, 1924, for theft. His occupation was reportedly listed as “safe breaker.”
15. Frank Hogan
Hogan was arrested in California in the early 1900s on robbery charges.
16. Valerie Lowe
Lowe, who was only a teenager at the time, was arrested on January 15, 1922, in Sydney, Australia for “breaking and entering in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.” She and her boyfriend, Joseph Messenger, were known for petty theft and had been arrested a year earlier for “stealing boots and overcoats from an army warehouse.”
17. Fay Watson
Watson was arrested on March 24, 1928, in Australia for being in possession of cocaine. She was fined £10 for the crime.
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