Md. Historical Society Photographs

UPDATE: The circumstances of this photograph is explained in the follow-up post on underbelly (the MdHS Library blog). Thanks to everyone who commented, shared the photo, etc.! 

Help MdHS solve this photo mystery. We want to know what is happening in this photograph:

Detective room, Police Department ‘The White Masks’ inspecting a prisoner at detective headquarters
ca. 1910
Hughes Company 
8x10 inch glass negative
Hughes Company Collection
Maryland Historical Society
Z9.584.PP8

I found this photograph in the Hughes Collection about a year ago. This is definitely the most disturbing photograph I’ve seen at MdHS. Being completely nonplussed, I started asking around about it - historians, journalists, etc. but no one had a definite answer but provided great speculations and observations.

Find out more about the photo on the MdHS Library Blog “underbelly”, created a post to help solve the mystery (“Masked Mystery” by Joe Tropea). 

Notes

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   Read More http://mdhslibrary.wordpress.com/2013/02/07/masked-mystery/#comment-336

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20. riley2500 reblogged this from mdhsphotographs and added:

    just might give me nightmares. Disturbing beyond belief.

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24. fredcohistory reblogged this from mdhsphotographs and added:

    Gotta love a good mystery.

25. lafuguedantoine reblogged this from mdhsphotographs and added:

    Fascinating and creepy!

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    Writing prompt material:...an experimental time travel launch pad…

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44. ibitestrippers said: Could it be that he’s being inducted into a club,or secrete society?
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