helenmangle

Helen M. Angle of Stamford CT was accused of killing Waldo R. Ballou. Her studio apartment in the Rippowam Building was at the top of a flight of stairs; Waldo's body was found at the bottom of those stairs, dead from a skull fracture. The theory was that she pushed him down the stairs. The building belonged to Helen's father, Leonard Blondel, who proposed that perhaps the man fell, or a thug attacked Waldo on the stairs, and Helen's dress became bloodstained when she tried to help him. She was acquitted. In the process she became reacquainted with her ex-husband. They were divorced in 1910, but remarried in 1915, after the trial.

Mrs. Helen M. Angle was on trial in March, 1915, for manslaughter in the death of her friend Waldo R. Ballou in Stamford, Connecticut on June 23, 1914. Helen was divorced from her husband of twelve years, Frank W. Angle. Her father was Leonard Blondel, a wealthy former Stamford Councilman who was retired from the coal and road contracting business Waldo Ballou was was a friend of her fathers, and a leading Republican politician and Stamford business man. Helen met Waldo in 1911 after his wife died. Waldo proposed to Helen several times, but she said he was too old. He was 69, she was 40. Mrs Angle took the stand in her own defense, and told her version of what happened on the night of June 23, 1914. More than 500 people were turned away from the packed courtroom. After a twelve day trial the jury deliberated for one hour and forty-five minutes before returning a verdict of not guilty, after three ballots. Judge William H. Williams presided. Eight months after the trial, Helen remarried her former husband, Frank Angle, a foreman at Union Metallic Cartridge Company in Stamford. It was said that during her trial Mr Angle's sympathies were aroused, and he was a frequent visitor in the court. [1] [2] [3]  

There are several low-angle shots from inside the courtroom. I wonder if they were taken surreptitously?

Thanks Pixel Wrangler for her full name, we will update our record. That's a good question artolog. I think it would be hard to sneak a camera from that time period in, but he may have been able to take in his camera because he took photos before and after the trial. The only thing I'm unsure of, is if he could take multiple photos without making any noise or being disruptive. He would have had to change the glass negatives and that seems like that would be hard to do secretly. That's all assumption on my part. Feel free to suggest other reasons.

William H. Brennan (1865-1923), Chief of Police, Stamford, Connecticut, testified for the prosecution in the manslaughter trial of Mrs. Helen M. Angle in March, 1915. She was charged with causing the death of her friend Waldo R. Ballou in 1914. "Helen" and (Chief) "Bill" were on a first-name basis before the alleged murder, as she was the daughter of a former Stamford city councilman. William Brennan was appointed Chief in 1905 by then Mayor Homer S. Cummings. Cummings led the prosecution of Helen Angle as State's Attorney for Fairfield County. Waldo Ballou, the victim, was was a friend of Helen's father, and a leading Republican politician and Stamford business man. Waldo had served on the Stamford Police Committee from 1901-1904, and was appointed by the Stamford City Council. [1] [2] For more details of the trial see the Bain/LOC photo of Mrs. Helen Angle on Flickr. Note: For caption clarity ;-)  William Brennan was the Chief of Police in Stamford, (S't'm'f'd ?) Connecticut, where the victim died, and Helen Angle lived. The trial took place in the Superior Court of neighboring Bridgeport, Connecticut, which is the county seat, and is likely where this photo was taken -- and why "Bridgeport' (well, "B'd'g'p't") is in the caption.

Thanks for the clarification Pixel Wrangler. I'll talk to our catalogers and see if we can add a note to our record to clear up where he worked.