[Ads-l] "mug shot" (1935)

Wed Apr 5 05:22:40 UTC 2023

Great work, Peter and Ben. Here is the verb “to mug” with the
pertinent sense in 1896.

Date: September 09, 1896
Newspaper: The Herald (Los Angeles Herald)
Newspaper Location: Los Angeles, California
Article: Gradually Getting Settled
Quote Page 3, Column 3
Database: Newspapers.com
https://www.newspapers.com/image/80589735/

[Begin excerpt]
The official photographer has placed his camera and apparatus ready
for use in the gallery and from now on the criminals will be "mugged"
within the jail.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Wed, Apr 5, 2023 at 12:57 AM Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Yes, the photographic sense of the verb "mug" can be found in the OED from
> 1899, defined as "to photograph the face of (a person), esp. for police or
> other official records" (v.4 def 4).
>
> On Tue, Apr 4, 2023 at 11:51 PM Peter Reitan <pjreitan at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > If you search for mug and mugging between 1900 and 1930s, in conjunction w
> > "Rogue's gallery," you find many examples of the verb "to mug" used to
> > refer to the act of taking a rogue's photo.
> > ________________________________
> > From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of Ben
> > Zimmer <bgzimmer at GMAIL.COM>
> > Sent: Tuesday, April 4, 2023 8:45:31 PM
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Subject: Re: "mug shot" (1935)
> >
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at GMAIL.COM>
> > Subject:      Re: "mug shot" (1935)
> >
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Thanks for these great finds, Garson! I'm writing about the history of "mug
> > shot" for my Wall Street Journal column this week, and these examples help
> > fill out the picture.
> >
> > --bgz
> >
> > On Tue, Apr 4, 2023 at 10:46=E2=80=AFPM ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole@
> > =
> > gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Here is =E2=80=9Cmug shot=E2=80=9D with the pertinent sense in 1899, I
> > th=
> > ink. Please
> > > double check the scan and metadate before using this citation.
> > >
> > > Date: March 01, 1899
> > > Newspaper: The Chicago Daily News
> > > Newspaper Location: Chicago, Illinois
> > > Article: War Rages With Urchins
> > > Quote Page 3, Column 2
> > > Database: GenealogyBank
> > >
> > > [Begin excerpt - double check because text is degraded and difficult to
> > > read]
> > > They are afraid of nothing except the "copper." And even when he gets
> > > through with them they mock him behind his back.
> > > "Hully gee! mister, are you going to put my mug shot in de paper?"
> > > said one of them to an artist who was sketching him. "Well, I'll be
> > > blowed. When does it come out?"
> > > [End excerpt]
> > >
> > > Garson
> > >
> > > On Tue, Apr 4, 2023 at 10:23=E2=80=AFPM ADSGarson O'Toole
> > > <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Here is another interesting instance in 1873 showing the evolution of
> > > =E2=80=9Cmug=E2=80=9D.
> > > >
> > > > Newspaper: Chicago Daily Tribune
> > > > Newspaper: Location: Chicago, Illinois
> > > > Date: August 22, 1873
> > > > Article: "Stop Thief"
> > > > Quote Page 7, Column 2
> > > > https://www.newspapers.com/image/349288037/
> > > >
> > > > [Begin excerpt - check for typos]
> > > > His preliminary examination resulted in his being held for trial.
> > > > Yesterday morning he was taken, with three other prisoners, to the,
> > > > photograph, or, as it is sometimes called, the "mug," gallery, that
> > > > his prepossessing countenance might be forever preserved in the album
> > > > at Police Headquarters. The operator, having succeeded in securing his
> > > > negative, Keenan was given to Detective Lacky, with orders to take him
> > > > to jail.
> > > > [End excerpt]
> > > >
> > > > Garson
> > > >
> > > > On Tue, Apr 4, 2023 at 10:11=E2=80=AFPM ADSGarson O'Toole
> > > > <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Here is a citation in 1867 that I think is interesting because it
> > > > > illustrates how the term evolved.
> > > > >
> > > > > =E2=80=9Cmugs=E2=80=9D refers to the face of a criminal suspect
> > photo=
> > graphed by police
> > > > > for a rogues gallery.
> > > > >
> > > > > Date: June 21, 1867
> > > > > Newspaper: The National Republican
> > > > > Newspaper Location: Washington, District of Columbia
> > > > > Article; Attempt at Burglary and Arrest
> > > > > Quote Page 3, Column 5
> > > > >
> > > > > https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/81173989/
> > > > >
> > > > > [Begin excerpt]
> > > > > Justice Harper, before whom they were taken, sent them to jail to
> > > > > await the action of the grand jury. Their "mugs" were photographed
> > an=
> > d
> > > > > placed in the rogues' gallery among others of their prototypes.
> > > > > [End excerpt]
> > > > >
> > > > > Garson
> > > > >
> > > > > On Tue, Apr 4, 2023 at 9:20=E2=80=AFPM Ben Zimmer <
> > bgzimmer at gmail.com=
> > > wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > The OED3 entry for "mug" dates the meaning "a photograph or other
> > > likeness
> > > > > > of a person's face, esp. in police or other official records" (def
> > > 1c) to
> > > > > > 1887. The phrase "mug shot" with the same meaning is dated to 1950,
> > > but
> > > > > > here are a couple of antedatings from 1935.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ---
> > > > > >
> > >
> > https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122288305/city-now-has-its-own-plant-for-=
> > mug/
> > <https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122288305/city-now-has-its-own-plant-for-=mug/>
> > > > > > Waco (Tex.) News-Tribune, Oct. 3, 1935, p. 10, col. 2
> > > > > > "City Now Has Its Own Plant for 'Mug' Shots"
> > > > > > The Waco police department now has its own film developing plant,
> > f=
> > or
> > > > > > finishing pictures of prisoners who are "mugged" by Lieut. Sam
> > > Fuller of
> > > > > > the police identification bureau.
> > > > > > ---
> > > > > > San Francisco Chronicle, Dec. 12, 1935, p. 17, col. 2
> > [Genealogyban=
> > k]
> > > > > > Henry Sutherland, "Previewed During the Week by Hollywood
> > Appraiser=
> > "
> > > > > > [Description of the film "The Case of the Missing Man"]
> > > > > > Yearning to become an arty photographer, Roger gives up working for
> > > the
> > > > > > gazettes and sets up a fancy shop. He's reduced at length to
> > > snapping "mug
> > > > > > shots" of passers-by at two bits a copy, the payoff coming when his
> > > > > > abandoned news nose quivers accurately and one of his pictures
> > trap=
> > s
> > > a
> > > > > > dangerous criminal.
> > > > > > ---
> > > > > >
> > > > > > There are numerous examples of "mug shot" from 1936 and later, but
> > > in the
> > > > > > pre-1935 results that I've seen, "shot" can be interpreted as a
> > pas=
> > t
> > > > > > participle, as in "get/have your mug shot" (with "mug" construed as
> > > OED3
> > > > > > def 1c).
> > >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org