A plethora of anachronisms in the description of Alex "Dummy" Miller, but I suppose "convicted murderer" makes the out-of-date descriptions of "deaf, dumb and mute" superfluous. Not that any group of impaired persons seem likely to claim him as their own anyway. He was found guilty of murdering Adam Shank, his wife and their four small children in 1923. Mr. Miller was "a deaf mute and cannot read or write, or use the deaf mute finger manual" according to the caption. I looked him up...farm hand, dispute over wages, gunshots.
Original glossy Press photograph, c. 1921-1923 Collection Jim Linderman
Hmmmmm...interesting how his lip line and eyebrows have been touched up. At least long eyelashes weren't drawn on too.
ReplyDeleteJust Googled the story and it's all very interesting. Fellow might have been innocent. Lost to time.
The touch up IS weird, wonder what he'd look like without it. He doesn't appear that dumb to me.
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