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Wow, what’s going on in this picture?

Fritz Rambo, Pablo Fonzirelli, Friedrich Kahlo World's Greatest Dogs, that's what we want to know! I wondered if this could be one of those dance marathons they used to have. I'm less sure why it's in an office and not a place one would normally dance, why there are several police officers, and why that guy is taking notes.

Jon (LOC P&P) I like your guess! Maybe the notetaker is documenting the winners of the marathon.

Looks like someone at the back is holding up a pair of handcuffs. Was this a press conference for some recently caught high profile criminals, forced to strike a dancing pose? They dont look happy.

Washington Evening Star, May 11, 1923, page 2

Two Couples Wed While Dancing On Houseboat

Two couples took the solemn vows of marriage at a ceremony performed by Judge Robert E. Mattingly of the Munlclpal Court in a houseboat anchored off the Virginia end of the Highway bridge last night.
The houseboat has been the scene of a so-called marathon dance contest and the couples wed were competing in the contest. Before a curious throng, with lights lowered, the musicians playing a wedding march Instead of jazz, the couples shuffled up to the judge and kept their feet moving while they took the vows.
The contracting parties were Fred R Newman, twenty-one years old, and Miss Evelyn King, twenty years old, the first couple married, and Herbert J. Gately, twenty-three years old, and Miss Thelma Reese, twenty years old. They were attired In their dancing clothes and dancing slippers.
During the day yesterday the two couples drove to the marriage license clerk's office, in the Supreme Court of the District building, where they secured their licenses to marry. The truck in which they rode was placarded, announcing the purpose of the trip.

The Washington Times added . . .

They have been dancing in the marathon dance at the south end of the highway bridge, and it was yesterday afternoon, after seventy-two hours shuffling, that they concluded that they would like to dance together for the rest of their lives.
A big truck was brought into play, and the shifty-footed couples waltzed to the courthouse, where marriage licenses were obtained.
Toddling back into the truck, they were returned to the houseboat, where they had been dancing, continuing their gyrations until 10 o’clock last night, when Judge Mattingly one-stepped onto the scene.

During Prohibition there were many large boats, barges, houseboats etc moored on the Virginia side of the Potomac. Due to the odd boundary between Maryland (and DC) and Virginia (the River lies entirely in MD/DC) even though the boats were tied to the shore in VA, the rules of DC were in force. And because they were tied across the river from the District any approaching police or prohibition agents could be seen in plenty of time to hide any incriminating evidence. The "houseboats" on the VA side of the Potomac were some of the most notorious speakeasies of the time.

My guess is this photo was taken at the District Building where the dancers were getting their licenses and the man at the table is the clerk, and not the Judge.

According to P. 7 of The evening world (New York, N.Y.), May 19, 1908, (Final Results Edition)
- www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030193/1908-05-19/ed-1/?sp=7&amp...
the event was on May 25 1908

"Last May, Wyckoff, Church & Partridge took the little ones
ones from the Industrial School for Crippled Children
of West Fifty-seventh street, to Luna Park. Conev Island,
island, in Stearns cars.
On Monday. May 25, twenty to thirty Stearns cars will again call at the Crippled Children's School at 10 A. M and give these unfortunates their second annual outing. The Crescent Athletic Club, of Brooklyn, will throw open its beautiful summer clubhouse at Bay Ridge, where the cripples will be served with lunch at noon. From Bay Ridge the trip will be continued to Coney Isiand.
Frederick Thompson has thrown open the Luna Park attractions, and the little ones will be given the treat of seeing all the shows In full operation."

Thanks swanq, we'll update the catalog record.