[CRIME & PUNISHMENT]. Mugshot of African American William Quinn, who was imprisoned for close to 30 years as a result of an altercation involving a can of beer. Acme, 1935.
8 x 6 in. press print, including margins (some toning, wavy texture to paper in spots). Verso bears multiple handstamps identifying the photograph to the N.E.A. Reference Department, 22 August 1935, alongside applied paper label with caption identifying William (Babe) Quinn as "the nation's 'most forgotten man'" and featuring the heading, "Serves 14 Years Overtime." Credit to Acme at bottom.  According to the caption, dated 7 August 1935, Quinn was sentenced to hang in 1905 for stabbing a man to death in an altercation over a can of beer. After serving 11 years in prison, his sentence was commuted to 15 years and he was granted parole. Quinn was arrested again in less than a year due to failure to report monthly to the prison warden, and prison officials determined that he needed to serve an additional 15 years. The story concludes, "Quinn has served that term and three years more. 'Looks like the state don forgot me,' he said."
This lot is located in Cincinnati.

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