In 1928, Ruth Snyder was charged for murdering her husband with the help of her new lover. She was sentenced to death by electric chair. A month before Snyder’s execution, ‘editors in New York enlisted the help of Chicago Tribune photographer Thomas Howard to prepare for their news coverage’ (https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_875015, 2020)
Howard strapped a secret camera to his ankle to capture an image of the scene, the situation was extremely carefully planned as all witnesses to the electrocution had to be searched by security upon entering, but Howard was granted access successfully with the camera attached to his ankle. He ran a long cable release through his trouser leg up to his jacket so that he would be able to press it without difficulty and without suspicion when in the room. He arrived in New York a month before the date to get ready and to practice making pictures wit this hidden ankle camera.
The Camera contained a plate which holds a single exposure, so there was a lot of pressure on Howard to get this one shot! He pressed the shutter as the electrocution began.
The image was then published by New York Daily News the next day with the headline ‘DEAD!’
Considering the idea and scene for the picture taking, Howard managed to capture an extremely well-documented image, it was quite blurry which only adds to the horror of the situation.
I found this whole idea to be very disturbing but it just goes to show what can be achieved through hidden cameras, and once an image has been published, that is it, it will out forever. The fact that this image came out the way it did must have brought a lot of joy to Howard and the editors in New York, however it is a very sensitive subject which, really should have remained unphotographed, or unpublished, however the idea that it has been is both exciting and terrifying as now the general public are able to get a brief understanding of this situation.