In August of 1933, 19-year-old Burmah White, a hairdresser and former Santa Ana High School student, and her husband of less than one week, twenty-eight year old Thomas White, an ex-con, spent their honeymoon on a crime spree. The couple perpetrated ten stick-ups, seven in a single evening; but the worst of their crimes was the shooting of a popular elementary school teacher, Cora Withington, and a former publisher, Crombie Allen, who was teaching her how to drive his new car. They were stopped at a light when a car driven by a young blonde woman pulled up alongside them, and a man brandishing a gun jumped out of the vehicle. The bandit pointed his weapon at Withington's head and said, "Shell out, sweetheart..." Just as Withington and Allen were handing over their valuables there was a gunshot - and it tore through Miss Withington's left eye, came out near the right eye and ripped a hole in Allen's neck. Despite his injury, Allen memorized the license plate number of the bandit's car. Both victims survived their wounds, but Allen was permanently blinded. White's lack of remorse and abrasive demeanor were great fodder for the press, but earned the young widow a guilty conviction on eleven felony counts, and she was sentenced to a term of from 30 years to life. She began serving her time at San Quentin, but was ultimately transferred to the Women's Prison at Tehachapi where, in 1935, Aggie Underwood interviewed her and a few of the other inmates for a multi-part series on women in prison. Underwood noted that her attitude had completely changed and White even wrote an open letter to young women entitled "Crime Never Pays." White was denied parole a few times before she was discharged on December 1, 1941. She'd served less than eight years for her part in the 1933 crime spree. Upon her release, White vanished from public view. Photograph caption dated September 18, 1933 reads, "Photo, taken at the scene looking south on Occidental Boulevard from Third Street, shows a re-enactment of a holdup in which a bandit shot Crombie Allen, civic leader, and Cora B. Withington, teacher. As Miss Withington stopped the car for the Third Street crossing, the bandit car came along side, a gunman jumped out and ran to the auto. After robbing her and Allen, he ruthlessly fired when they said they had no more money. Doctors said she may be blinded for life." The First Congregational Church is visible left of center.
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;21 x 26 cm. Photographic prints
First Congregational Church (Los Angeles, Calif.) Historical reenactments--California--Los Angeles Assault and battery--California--Los Angeles Streets--California--Los Angeles Automobiles--California--Los Angeles Palms--California--Los Angeles Lawns--California--Los Angeles Street lighting--California--Los Angeles Church buildings--California--Los Angeles Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments Occidental Boulevard (Los Angeles, Calif.) Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express photographs Herald-Examiner Collection photographs Allison & Allison
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
