photographer

Darkroom terror: Famed train photographer held captive

From Correspondent Gary Tuchman

September 21, 1995
Web posted at: 1:35 p.m. EDT

SOUTH SALEM, New York (CNN) -- In a real-life story that recalls scenes from the Stephen King novel and movie "Misery," in which a fan tortures a famous writer, the wife of celebrated photographer O. Winston Link is accused of holding him captive in their basement and stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars of his works.

Internationally known for his photographs, Link has held the same passion for most of his life: steam locomotives and railroad towns. In his home, you'll find a bell from one of the last steam engines. (45K AIFF sound or 45K WAV sound)

Some photos by O. Winston Link

Over time, his photos, films, and books gained him wealth. Most of Link's money is now gone. And so, apparently, for more than a year, was something more precious: his freedom.

According to court records, Link became a virtual prisoner in his own home because of Conchita Link, now his ex-wife.

Mrs. Link has just been charged in criminal court with stealing more than a million dollars worth of her husband's photo prints. What's more, Link alleges she trapped him in his own basement in 1991, using chains to prevent him from getting past the top stair.

"Its almost every kind of sin I think there really is," said J. Edward Meyer, Link's attorney. "It's human depravity. It's theft in the art world. It's such an amazing combination of facts."

"It's almost every kind of sin I think there really is. It's human depravity. It's theft in the art world. It's such an amazing combination of facts."

--J. Edward Meyer, Attorney for O. Winston Link

Link's friends in the photography world said that when they would try to call him, his wife would tell them he was not well. Robert Mann, a photo gallery owner, said Mrs. Link's descriptions of her husband became increasingly grim. (123K AIFF sound or 123K WAV sound) When she said her husband had Alzheimers disease, Mann said, "It started to make me suspicious."

Mann finally established contact with Link and helped rescue him from the house. During the Links' divorce trial, Mrs. Link was jailed for a short time on a civil contempt charge. She refused to be interviewed on camera, but her attorney said she denies all the allegations against her.

"It was the worst time of my life," Link remembered.

He said many people ask why he didn't try to escape earlier. "There were so many problems," he said. "If I started any trouble, it would have made a divorce, and I didn't want to go through with one." Link said he figured he wouldn't live much longer, so "to hell with it." (170K AIFF sound)

photographer Link still works in the blackness of his darkroom, making prints from the negatives he still has left. But most of his treasures remain missing.

Conchita Link is facing a December trial. Amazingly, Winston Link harbors almost no bitterness. "You can take everything away," he said, "but you can't take away my reputation and my knowledge."

The man who thought he would die at 75 said he now has a new attitude about life: "I want to get to be 100 if I can."

Darkroom terror: Famed train photographer held captive

Some photos by O. Winston Link

"It's almost every kind of sin I think there really is. It's human depravity. It's theft in the art world. It's such an amazing combination of facts." --J. Edward Meyer, Attorney for O. Winston Link

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"It's almost every kind of sin I think there really is. It's human depravity. It's theft in the art world. It's such an amazing combination of facts."

--J. Edward Meyer, Attorney for O. Winston Link