u/Different_Radish7094

I came across this photo in a satchel that belonged to my grandpa. Most of the contents of the satchel were letters, post cards, and photos from when he was studying abroad in Europe in the 1930s. Other pictures were photos from when he was growing up, and those were all labelled.

This photo was not labelled, and there's 2 versions of it (different levels of exposure/contrast).

Based on the outfits, it looks like it's from some time between 1900 and 1910. My guess is that the location is somewhere around Rome NY since my entire extended family was around there. Could be near the Mohawk River? The man on the left looks similar to a photo I have of my grandpa's father (same hairstyle, same fashion sense, same general vibe). I think one of the women might be his first wife, Lucy? She died in 1911 but would have been alive when this photo was taken. I don't have any other photos of Lucy to compare this too, but that sounds right based on the other photos it was with and the time period it's from.

The contrast of the formal outfits but casual poses and outdoor setting is so interesting to me! It reminds me of Edouard Manet's paintings.

If these newspaper clippings are hard to read, please let me know and I can post fully transcribed copies of them in the comments.

Eugene Parmalee is my first cousin twice removed (maternal grandma's cousin). My maternal grandmother lived 2 houses away from Eugene, at 824 Croton St. My entire life, any time I heard Eugene mentioned, I heard two things: "his parents were abusive" and "he killed himself."

I don't think this sounds like Eugene killed himself. Here's why I think that based on the articles I found on newspapers.com last week:

• Eugene was seen talking to an unidentified man with a car before he disappeared
• The detective directly said he suspected foul play
• The autopsy showed that Eugene had dry lungs and signs of blunt force trauma (the skull fracture on his forehead) that would point towards him being murdered and then dumped in the canal.
• There was a private funeral very soon after Eugene's body was found

The only additional context I have on this are things my mom has said; no other relatives have talked about Eugene that I can recall. Things my mom texted me when I sent her the clippings:

• "I think Eugene was gay"
• "Well, I only know two things:  He was a violinist. 2.  One incident, when my mother was about 8 years old, she said he  put his hands on her neck and said, "I could kill you".  For no reason except he knew he could kill her."
• "And maybe 3:  Aunt Mary, besides being a beast and abuser herself, would say, "Will, will you kill that kid for me?""
• "I suppose everyone in the neighborhood heard that stuff. I had forgotten they lived in town, and not up in the woods where they lived when I was growing up."
• "Aunt Mary taught school in East Rome. Little kids. Italian kids and probably Black, too. Cathy said she was the meanest person she ever knew. And later c1970's or so, the school was named for her. Mary E. Parmalee School, or some such."
• "Yes, it is fair to say my mother wasn't a storyteller.  I really had trouble trying to discern the personalities of the people she talked about. Moreover, she didn't seem to have any demonstrable affection for anyone. A seriously conflicted personality. The only persons I knew she cared about were Aunt Eleanor and her friends from college."
• "Yet, somehow Eugene excelled at violin. But yes, we know Aunt Mary was horrid.  And I have no evidence that Julia" (Mary's mother) "had an endearing personality.  Recall how Delos' expression changes in his first four years." (Delos was Mary's younger brother, my great-grandfather) "But then Ethel - oh my! Probably why she removed to Florida." *(Ethel was Mary and Delos' sister who sent Delos' kids a pet alligator from Florida) "*And curiously, I have no recollection of ever having met Aunt Maybelle, though she had a farm somewhere in the vicinity. Maybe she preferred distance." (Maybelle was Mary, Ethel, and Delos' sister)
• *"*Papa knew he was abused, and he was from another family, on another street." (I confirmed from my grandpa's mother's diary that my grandpa was part of the boy scout search party for Eugene)
• *"*I know they built those houses together.  Likely kit houses.  Uncle Will was a mason; Delos an electrician."
• "Aunt Mary probably kicked her brother around, too, and kept him at arm's length from any real family issues. Honestly, I am having a hard time liking any of them."
• "Steve and I (or maybe it was John) snuck up into their attic once. We came across a pair of baby shoes. Uncle Will rousted us out in short order.  I was not used to not being allowed to explore, but we did what he said, of course. (I mean, in my world, attics are for kids to explore!) When I told my mother about the baby shoes, she seemed a little taken aback and said they had had a son. That was the first I had ever heard of it.”

Any thoughts on what probably happened to Eugene?

Please keep in mind that until about a week ago, I thought it was a suicide. This is probably affecting my family to this day.

EDIT/UPDATE: Thank you for your feedback so far, everyone! I went ahead and ordered a copy of the Medical Examiner's report from 1929. I'm legally considered Eugene's next-of-kin since his parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles are all dead and he died so young he has no direct descendants. I'll be talking directly with a forensic investigator who can revisit these records for me and give me a copy.