# Looking for info on the 1930s murder of Alfred Muscarelli, Norristown, Pennsylvania. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 17, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909 "2014-11-17T23:11:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/1 "2014-11-17T23:11:29Z")
I have a friend who lives in Norristown PA and is curious about this story. There are two old press photos for sale on eBay. [http://www.ebay.com/itm/1931-Press-Photo-Alfred-Muscarelli-Morristown-Pennsylvania-Wife-Murder-Suspect/371138760229?\_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&\_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D273cf2ff7fbc435db1f1cae62325cb34%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D20131017132637%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D390975581871](http://www.ebay.com/itm/1931-Press-Photo-Alfred-Muscarelli-Morristown-Pennsylvania-Wife-Murder-Suspect/371138760229?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D273cf2ff7fbc435db1f1cae62325cb34%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D20131017132637%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D390975581871) [http://www.ebay.com/itm/1931-Press-Photo-Alfred-Muscarelli-Norristown-Pennsylvania-Wife-Murder-Suspect/390975581871?\_trksid=p5411.c100167.m2940&\_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140131123730%26meid%3D9a5f2502f4c14f77a905a67190c0f51f%26pid%3D100167%26prg%3D20140131123730%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D371138760229](http://www.ebay.com/itm/1931-Press-Photo-Alfred-Muscarelli-Norristown-Pennsylvania-Wife-Murder-Suspect/390975581871?_trksid=p5411.c100167.m2940&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140131123730%26meid%3D9a5f2502f4c14f77a905a67190c0f51f%26pid%3D100167%26prg%3D20140131123730%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D371138760229) According to the typewritten notes attached to the back of each photo, Alfred Muscarelli was found dying in his bed with his skull smashed in by an ax. In a moment of lucidity before he died, he accused his wife. She denied it and blamed it on the Philadelphia Mafia. We’re curious what became of this case. Was the wife tried and convicted? Was the Mafia involved? Google only gives me links to these photos. The seller has been contacted to see what they know and we’re waiting for a response, but they’re a historical photo store selling many different photos and I suspect they’ll know very little about it. I’m posting it here because I know how good this site is at digging up information. ETA: I should note that one of the Ebay pages states that it was “Morristown, Pennsylvania”. This is wrong. There is no Morristown in PA and the notes on the photos say Norristown. Don’t let this mistake confuse you. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2014, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/2 "2014-11-18T01:14:25Z")
The Inquirer and presumably the Bulletin are on microfilm at the Penn library. I once looked through all the papers of winter 1933-34 there. I assume you don’t need a Penn ID (although I had one at the time so I cannot be sure). Presumably, if you have a date, even approximate, you can find the story. It might even be available online. There is a Morristown, NJ, but Norristown, PA is near Philly. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2014, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/3 "2014-11-18T02:17:12Z")
[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19310103&id=0A9XAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SEMNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5985,318702](http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19310103&id=0A9XAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SEMNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5985,318702) ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/4 "2014-11-18T17:37:33Z")
The description on the back of the photos is a bit confusing. It says he was found dying, but also indicates he “is in serious condition”. I think he wasn’t actually killed. Here’s a find-a-grave memorial for a man that may be him: [Alfred Muscarelli](http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Muscarelli&GSiman=1&GScid=45883&GRid=129201431&) who was alive until 1959. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/5 "2014-11-18T18:35:00Z")
Interesting point. It may be that we’re being misled by the titles on the Ebay auctions. The newspaper article I found and linked to above doesn’t mention him dying. However, the notes on the back of both photos, which are dated 1/3/31 both begin “found **dying** in bed with his head battered in by an ax…” The newspaper article gives his age as 40 at the time which would be off by a couple of years from the birth year on the gravestone, but that could be just careless reporting. ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/6 "2014-11-19T17:45:39Z")
Ok,[this thread](http://www.findagraveforums.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2768983#Post2768983) includes three different newspaper pieces (one published a week after the incident) and none say that he died. I certainly think it would’ve been mentioned if he had. Although some of the descriptions of the severity of his injuries are horrific, they aren’t terribly consistent. The [Historical Society of Montgomery County](http://www.hsmcpa.org/) could probably provide answers to what happened to both the husband and wife. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/7 "2014-11-19T18:36:23Z")
Thanks! It does sound look like he didn’t immediately die. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/8 "2014-11-19T22:49:11Z")
So the last pieces of the puzzle: [ul] [li]Did he die from those injuries?[/li][li]If not, is that his tombstone?[/li][li]What happened to her?[/li][LIST] [li]Was she exonerated? (I doubt it.)[/li][li]Was she convicted?[/li][li]Did she end up back in a mental hospital?[/li][/ul] [li]What happened to the kids?[/li][/LIST] If that is his tombstone, I think it’s telling that it’s only his name on it and it doesn’t include a wife. Maybe we’ll go down to Riverside Cemetery this weekend and see if he’s buried alone or with other Muscarrelis. Although finding it may be difficult. ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/9 "2014-11-20T18:11:36Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > If that is his tombstone, I think it’s telling that it’s only his name on it and it doesn’t include a wife. Well, if your wife attacks you with an ax, I could see how it’d cause a strain on the relationship. 🙂 > [@](#): > > Maybe we’ll go down to Riverside Cemetery this weekend and see if he’s buried alone or with other Muscarrelis. Although finding it may be difficult. Yes, it looks like it’s a big cemetery. It could take a lot of walking until you happen upon the grave. Judging by a thread on the ancestry com forums, the cemetery office isn’t helpful in providing burial location info. The find-a-grave member who photographed his grave appears to have done a lot in that cemetery. I’d think when they shot Alfred’s grave they would’ve also gotten any other Muscarellis in the same pass. But there aren’t any others listed for that cemetery. So I’d conclude that he’s alone there. The historical society has the Norristown Register newspaper on microfilm so, assuming it covers the proper time period, you could look for later stories. Hopefully it’s searchable. If they have the obituary for the Alfred who died in 1959, it should confirm whether or not it’s the right guy, and hopefully answer some questions. The children are: Joe, 18 Concetta, 16 Mary, 12 Silvia, 7 Ricardo, 4 Junes, 3 Philomena, 7 months The Social Security Death Index lists Joe: 6 January 1913 to 24 January 1991, last residence was right outside of Norristown. I’m not seeing anything else in a cursory search. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/10 "2014-11-20T19:53:15Z")
> [@Santos\_L\_Halper](#): > > Yes, it looks like it’s a big cemetery. It could take a lot of walking until you happen upon the grave. Judging by a thread on the ancestry com forums, the cemetery office isn’t helpful in providing burial location info. > > The find-a-grave member who photographed his grave appears to have done a lot in that cemetery. I’d think when they shot Alfred’s grave they would’ve also gotten any other Muscarellis in the same pass. But there aren’t any others listed for that cemetery. So I’d conclude that he’s alone there. Does the info you have do anything to narrow the plot down, a specific section within the cemetary, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/11 "2014-11-21T01:38:33Z")
I see one clue that may or may not be useful. The picture of the stone [![](https://www.findagrave.com/photos/2014/124/129201431_1399313822.jpg) ](https://www.findagrave.com/photos/2014/124/129201431_1399313822.jpg) shows what looks like seed pods from a sweet gum tree. [![](https://georgeweigel.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/sweetgum.jpg) ](https://georgeweigel.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/sweetgum.jpg) [https://www.google.com/search?q=sweet+gum+tree&tbm=isch](https://www.google.com/search?q=sweet+gum+tree&tbm=isch) I don’t know how many such trees there are in the cemetery, but it’s conceivable that this could narrow it down. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/12 "2014-11-21T02:01:05Z")
I have access to newspaper archives and ancestry. She was a lunatic and did it. She spent time in state institutions. By 1940, she was listed as living with the family. He didn’t die. She was no doubt bipolar, but in those days you went on with your life. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/13 "2014-11-21T02:39:14Z")
**samclem** , Wow, thanks. Is it at all possible to link to articles or get screen captures? I believe you but he’s posting elsewhere about this and would like to be able to show the evidence. Obviously you shouldn’t violate any copyrights or whatever, but I’d guess that newspaper articles and records that old are public domain. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/14 "2014-11-21T02:52:28Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I see one clue that may or may not be useful. The picture of the stone > > [http://image2.findagrave.com/photos/2014/124/129201431\_1399313822.jpg](http://image2.findagrave.com/photos/2014/124/129201431_1399313822.jpg) It’s a flat marker, not a ‘headstone’ so that should narrow down where in the cemetery to look. OTOH, flat markers are harder to read as you need to walk over each one as opposed to viewing them from any distance like you can with a traditional, upright stone. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/15 "2014-11-21T03:16:19Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > It’s a flat marker, not a ‘headstone’ so that should narrow down where in the cemetery to look. OTOH, flat markers are harder to read as you need to walk over each one as opposed to viewing them from any distance like you can with a traditional, upright stone. I was thinking that also, but given **samclem’s** post it’s not really necessary to find it. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/16 "2014-11-21T15:12:33Z")
Using Ancestry, I pulled up his death certificate. His name on that document was Alfred Muscariello, born Dec. 2, 1891. Death was approximately 4:15 A.M by hanging on his back porch–Oct. 16, 1959. In the 1930 census, his name was spelled Muscarelly, but census takers wrote what they heard quite often. Wife in 1930 census was Madeliine. In 1940 census, he’s Alfred Muscarello–no wife, just a housekeeper. Madeline died in 1979, buried in plot owned by her son Joseph. She was living with Joseph. Also buried in the family plot was Silvio, died 1988. Joseph died in 1991. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/17 "2014-11-21T15:27:19Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Madeline died in 1979, buried in plot owned by her son Joseph. She was living with Joseph. Also buried in the family plot was Silvio, died 1988. Joseph died in 1991. Can you tell if it’s the same cemetery or a different one? If so, which one? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/18 "2014-11-21T16:39:44Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Can you tell if it’s the same cemetery or a different one? If so, which one? St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Section G/Range? W/Lot 121 ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/19 "2014-11-21T17:51:39Z")
So Madeline, Silvio, and Joseph were buried in the plot at St. Patrick’s? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909/20 "2014-11-21T18:03:10Z")
I’m guessing that the “housekeeper” was more like a wife than a housekeeper. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-info-on-the-1930s-murder-of-alfred-muscarelli-norristown-pennsylvania/704909.md?page=2)