Bob Wyer's Delaware County:
Photographs From the Mid-20th Century
Murder in Masonville

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As a photojournalist, one of Bob Wyer's activities was documenting not only those moments of good in human beings, but those times when people turned bad.

In January 1940, he documented the aftermath of the murder of the Frank Teed family by their hired hand, James Fink, in the Town of Masonville. Wyer was present to photograph the arraignment in Sidney of Fink and Aubrey Scrum, the friend who ran away with him after the crime. Wyer also photographed the visit to the crime scene with the accused murderer, the state police and District Attorney Gleason Speenburgh, as well as capturing images of the Fink family during the proceedings.

On January 14, 1940, James Fink, after having been teased by Frank Teed about losing a card game with the family, lost his temper and struck Teed with a hammer as they were starting to do their afternoon chores. Thinking he had killed Mr. Teed, Fink panicked and went into the house to get a shotgun. He killed Mrs. Teed as she was taking a nap, then chased down Ruth, age 27, to kill her. Before he could do that, he saw that Frank Teed had come to and was coming after him with an ax. Fink killed him as he entered the house and then ran outside to track down Ruth and kill her in the orchard. He brought her body back into the house and then went on to do his chores. Leaving the farm in Ruth Teed's car, he connected up with his friend, Aubrey Scrum, in Deposit. At some point he told Scrum what he had done. Scrum suggested burning the house, so Fink went back to the scene early the next day and burned down the Teed house before heading off with Scrum. They were caught the next day in Reading, Pennsylvania.

Originally pleading 'not guilty' to first-degree murder Fink was examined by an 'alienist,' a doctor specializing in mental health. He determined that Fink, probably due to a childhood brain injury, had the IQ of a 10 year old. In February, Fink changed his plea and pled guilty to second-degree murder. He was sentenced to 70 years in Attica. Scrum was ultimately exonerated of any involvement in the murder, spending a year at a reformatory for his involvement in suggesting the arson. Fink spent 32 years in Attica. He unsuccessfully tried to get the sentenced reduced in 1968, but he was paroled in 1972 after having saved the life of a prison guard during the Attica riots in September 1971. He died in 2005. Scrum died in 2006.


Click on each image for larger view.

James Fink(left) and Aubrey Scrum(right) at arraignment in Sidney.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Aubrey Scrum at arraignment in Sidney.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

James Fink at arraignment in Sidney.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

James Fink with family
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



James Fink.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

James Fink giving his statement.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

James Fink giving his statement.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

James Fink giving his statement.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



James Fink signing statement.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

James Fink giving his statement.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

James Fink.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

James Fink(left) and Aubrey Scrum(right).
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



James Fink(left) and Aubrey Scrum(right).
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

James Fink giving his statement.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Visit to the crime scene with the accused murderer, the state police and District Attorney Gleason Speenburgh.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Visit to the crime scene with the accused murderer, the state police and District Attorney Gleason Speenburgh.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



Visit to the crime scene with the accused murderer, the state police and District Attorney Gleason Speenburgh.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Visit to the crime scene with the accused murderer, the state police and District Attorney Gleason Speenburgh.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Visit to the crime scene with the accused murderer, the state police and District Attorney Gleason Speenburgh.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)




This exhibit was funded by:
The A. Lindsay and Olive B. O'Connor Foundation, Inc.
The Tianaderrah Foundation

For more information on the Bob Wyer collection or to purchase a print or digital copy please contact DCHA at (607)-746-3849 or e-mail dcha@delhi.net
Cost: $10 digital and $25 for a print.
This money will help with the care of the Delaware County Historical Association's Archives.

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