Stone remnants of William and Clara Steele's fire-destroyed home rise above the debris, Pomona, 1921

Item Overview

Title

Stone remnants of William and Clara Steele's fire-destroyed home rise above the debris, Pomona, 1921

Date Created

[circa June 9, 1921]

Date

1921-06-09

Publisher

Los Angeles Times

Collection

Los Angeles Times Photographic Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Notes

Description

This photograph is related to the article, "SEEK CLEWS TO DOUBLE MURDER IN HOME RUIN.: Friends of Dead Rich Man and Wife Suspect Slaying by Incendiary; Accident, Officers Believe. Figure in Pomona's Grewsome Mystery. DOUBLE MURDER CLEWS HUNTED; Sift Ashes of Dead Couple's Burned Residence; Friends and Police Advance Differing Theories; Slaying is Indicated by Several Circumstances," Los Angeles Times, 10 Jun. 1921: II1
The information supplied on the negative sleeve incorrectly identifies this and related photographs as relating to Dr. Gertrude Steele. These photos instead relate to William and Clara Steele.
A very similar photograph of the ruins of the Steeles’ residence is captioned, “Mr. and Mrs. William S. Steele and Ruins of Their Burned Ranch Home,” Los Angeles Times, 10 Jun. 1921: II1
A neatly manicured lawn stretches across the foreground. Off-center to the right, the stone porch and chimneys of the Steeles' fire-destroyed home are all that remain of the ranch house. The large porch is constructed entirely of stone. Four columns rise from the front of the porch, flanking a set of steps. Beyond the porch, two tall, brick and stone chimneys tower above the columns. Behind and to the left of the house's remains, several men are visible combing through the rest of the rubble and debris. An outbuilding stands along the left edge, behind the debris. Silhouetted mountains rise across the background.

Caption

Text from negative sleeve: STEELE, GERTRUDE DR. MURDER CASE, 1921 [handwritten:] • plastic surgeon, naturopath, "beauty doctor" • license revoked at least 2x • charged w/ manslaughter + had lots of other legal trouble
Handwritten on negative: Steele case 15

Physical Description

Extent

1 photograph

Medium

b&w nitrate negative

Keywords

Genre

news photographs
cellulose nitrate film

Names

Steele, William, d. 1921
Steele, Clara J. Crookshank, 1879-1921

Location

Pomona (Calif.)

Resource type

still image

Subjects

Ranches--California--Pomona
Porches--California--Pomona
Fires--California--Pomona
Death--California--Pomona
Ruins--California--Pomona