Weegee (1899-1968), Poker-Faced Schoolgirl Kills Mother and Blames Boyfriend (two photographs) (August 4, 1936)

Weegee (American, 1899-1968) Poker-Faced Schoolgirl Kills Mother and Blames Boyfriend (2 works), August 4, 1936 Gelatin silver 9-5/8 x 7-5/8 inches (24.4 x 19.4 cm) and slightly smaller From their appearances 17 year-old Gladys MacKnight and her boyfriend, 18 year-old Donald Wightman did not look like killers. Gladys' mother Helen disapproved of their relationship but knew that she was powerless to stop her headstrong daughter. On the night of July 31, 1936, the three were together in the MacKnight home in Bayonne, New Jersey when Gladys and Helen started arguing over something petty: Gladys wanted to play tennis with Donald before it got dark but wanted dinner first. Her mother told her to maker her own dinner. When Edgar MacKnight came home around 6:00 p.m. that night he found his wife hacked to death. The couple returned home around 10:00 p.m. to turn themselves in. In August 1936 Arthur Fellig was a struggling freelance photographer nearly broke and thinking about selling his camera. Fellig arrived at the Bayonne police department at 5:00 a.m. the day after the murder knowing that the morning newspapers had no photographs of the killer couple. A reporter Fellig was with persuaded the warden to bring them out to be photographed. Fellig scooped the other photographs and ended up with $75 from various newspapers and was back on his feet and on his way to becoming "Weegee the Famous". Fellig is quoted as saying about Donald's collegiate good looks "he could have made the all-American axe team." LITERATURE: New York Post, August 1, 1936, p. 3 one photograph reproduced. The Photograph That Gave Weegee His First Big Break, Christopher Bonanos, July 18, 2018, Forward.com

HID09710052018

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Condition Report: In overall very good condition with scattered small creases and bumped corners.