Identified! PA - Philadelphia - 'Boy in the Box' - 4UMPA - Feb'57 - Joseph Augustus Zarelli #4

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The bassinets came in white as well as other colors (pastels). So that could have helped them narrow down who had bought the bassinet that came in that particular box - it would have been a white one based on the paint left on the inside of the box in shipping.
 
osadelnorte said:
I recently read about a company that you can contract with to research whether any crimes, such as murder, occurred in your home. I'm starting to think that they may need to expand to researching the land under and around the house too.
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When talking about land subjected to colonisation and genocide, we all live on land bathed in blood. I'm an Australian, and I live on stolen land every day. Traditional owners of the country I'm on no doubt died at white settler hands, either directly, or through introduced diseases.

What I'm trying to say is, when do we stop looking back? Does it only matter if the death is recent? If it's a child? If it's a person we can see in photographs and other media?

I understand why some people would get weirded out by knowing that a death had happened near or in their home, but there likely isn't a square foot of land on earth that hasn't had some kind of violent history take place on it. Time moves on. Just because something happened once, doesn't mean that place can't also have good things associated with it, and vice versa. I'm not in any way saying we should forget the lessons of the past. What I'm saying is, Joseph never got the life he should have. But maybe some other child is growing up happy and loved in the house built on or near the land he was found on. And it's right that that happens. Some places where deep and great evil were done don't change, and shouldn't. But, one child? Irreplaceable though he may be, that space should lose that evil association and grow beyond it.

I remember, oh, nearly twenty years ago now, I was in Melbourne. I'd never been there before. I was there for a week for the Comedy Festival, staying with a friend who used to rent an apartment and stay the whole month. We walked everywhere, and I remember looking out for Gun Alley, where little Alma Tirtschke was found. I was certain I was in the right place, but it wasn't there. Checking the maps later, I found I was correct. Gun Alley is gone, and a large, modern building completely covers the site where it was. I remember being startled by the fact that that large building completely obliterated the place Alma was found, like it was covering up HER. But she isn't there. I took a breath, then adjusted my perspective. Time has moved on. Alma mattered, and still matters, just as Joseph mattered, and still matters. A house or a building now being where they were found shouldn't change anything. I wish the tenants of both building and house every happiness.
 
iamshadow21 said:
When talking about land subjected to colonisation and genocide, we all live on land bathed in blood. I'm an Australian, and I live on stolen land every day. Traditional owners of the country I'm on no doubt died at white settler hands, either directly, or through introduced diseases.

What I'm trying to say is, when do we stop looking back? Does it only matter if the death is recent? If it's a child? If it's a person we can see in photographs and other media?

I understand why some people would get weirded out by knowing that a death had happened near or in their home, but there likely isn't a square foot of land on earth that hasn't had some kind of violent history take place on it. Time moves on. Just because something happened once, doesn't mean that place can't also have good things associated with it, and vice versa. I'm not in any way saying we should forget the lessons of the past. What I'm saying is, Joseph never got the life he should have. But maybe some other child is growing up happy and loved in the house built on or near the land he was found on. And it's right that that happens. Some places where deep and great evil were done don't change, and shouldn't. But, one child? Irreplaceable though he may be, that space should lose that evil association and grow beyond it.

I remember, oh, nearly twenty years ago now, I was in Melbourne. I'd never been there before. I was there for a week for the Comedy Festival, staying with a friend who used to rent an apartment and stay the whole month. We walked everywhere, and I remember looking out for Gun Alley, where little Alma Tirtschke was found. I was certain I was in the right place, but it wasn't there. Checking the maps later, I found I was correct. Gun Alley is gone, and a large, modern building completely covers the site where it was. I remember being startled by the fact that that large building completely obliterated the place Alma was found, like it was covering up HER. But she isn't there. I took a breath, then adjusted my perspective. Time has moved on. Alma mattered, and still matters, just as Joseph mattered, and still matters. A house or a building now being where they were found shouldn't change anything. I wish the tenants of both building and house every happiness.
Click to expand...

I agree with what you're saying, especially about the long history of violence toward native people. Of course we must respect the fact that murders have happened everywhere. I do have to admit, though, that I would want to know if a murder had occurred in my actual home, if for no other reason than to be prepared for looky-loos and gawkers, attracted to the house because of the crime committed there.
 
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iamshadow21 said:
When talking about land subjected to colonisation and genocide, we all live on land bathed in blood. I'm an Australian, and I live on stolen land every day. Traditional owners of the country I'm on no doubt died at white settler hands, either directly, or through introduced diseases.

What I'm trying to say is, when do we stop looking back? Does it only matter if the death is recent? If it's a child? If it's a person we can see in photographs and other media?

I understand why some people would get weirded out by knowing that a death had happened near or in their home, but there likely isn't a square foot of land on earth that hasn't had some kind of violent history take place on it. Time moves on. Just because something happened once, doesn't mean that place can't also have good things associated with it, and vice versa. I'm not in any way saying we should forget the lessons of the past. What I'm saying is, Joseph never got the life he should have. But maybe some other child is growing up happy and loved in the house built on or near the land he was found on. And it's right that that happens. Some places where deep and great evil were done don't change, and shouldn't. But, one child? Irreplaceable though he may be, that space should lose that evil association and grow beyond it.

I remember, oh, nearly twenty years ago now, I was in Melbourne. I'd never been there before. I was there for a week for the Comedy Festival, staying with a friend who used to rent an apartment and stay the whole month. We walked everywhere, and I remember looking out for Gun Alley, where little Alma Tirtschke was found. I was certain I was in the right place, but it wasn't there. Checking the maps later, I found I was correct. Gun Alley is gone, and a large, modern building completely covers the site where it was. I remember being startled by the fact that that large building completely obliterated the place Alma was found, like it was covering up HER. But she isn't there. I took a breath, then adjusted my perspective. Time has moved on. Alma mattered, and still matters, just as Joseph mattered, and still matters. A house or a building now being where they were found shouldn't change anything. I wish the tenants of both building and house every happiness.
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Very well said.
 
Well I had a crazy thought. This is all hypothetical, and maybe has been thought of by someone else already - someone much more clever; I know there are many!

So MOO, IMO and all that...

Why would a little beaten, murdered boy not be acknowledged when found? Looking through old articles, it seems the mafia was active in Philadelphia at the time. I saw the articles, but it didn't occur to me until this morning, that if his death was a message being sent, the family might not acknowledge him out of fear for other family members or fear of certain activities being exposed.

And, imo, if past family were part of a certain sort of family business, even today I might not want to expose the activities of ancestors, and would still be tight-lipped.

It's a shame because this sweet little boy deserves to be acknowledged and claimed as part of a family. He deserves justice of some sort.

I believe he was cared for at some point in his life, most likely early on. Perhaps all 4 years.

Just a new thought that occurred to me. Moo!
 
iamshadow21 said:
When talking about land subjected to colonisation and genocide, we all live on land bathed in blood. I'm an Australian, and I live on stolen land every day. Traditional owners of the country I'm on no doubt died at white settler hands, either directly, or through introduced diseases.

What I'm trying to say is, when do we stop looking back? Does it only matter if the death is recent? If it's a child? If it's a person we can see in photographs and other media?

I understand why some people would get weirded out by knowing that a death had happened near or in their home, but there likely isn't a square foot of land on earth that hasn't had some kind of violent history take place on it. Time moves on. Just because something happened once, doesn't mean that place can't also have good things associated with it, and vice versa. I'm not in any way saying we should forget the lessons of the past. What I'm saying is, Joseph never got the life he should have. But maybe some other child is growing up happy and loved in the house built on or near the land he was found on. And it's right that that happens. Some places where deep and great evil were done don't change, and shouldn't. But, one child? Irreplaceable though he may be, that space should lose that evil association and grow beyond it.

I remember, oh, nearly twenty years ago now, I was in Melbourne. I'd never been there before. I was there for a week for the Comedy Festival, staying with a friend who used to rent an apartment and stay the whole month. We walked everywhere, and I remember looking out for Gun Alley, where little Alma Tirtschke was found. I was certain I was in the right place, but it wasn't there. Checking the maps later, I found I was correct. Gun Alley is gone, and a large, modern building completely covers the site where it was. I remember being startled by the fact that that large building completely obliterated the place Alma was found, like it was covering up HER. But she isn't there. I took a breath, then adjusted my perspective. Time has moved on. Alma mattered, and still matters, just as Joseph mattered, and still matters. A house or a building now being where they were found shouldn't change anything. I wish the tenants of both building and house every happiness.
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In Savannah, GA, roads are built on top of graveyards.

Several of the victims of Jack the Ripper have had their plot rehomed to a more recently deceased.
 
RaspberryMama said:
Well I had a crazy thought. This is all hypothetical, and maybe has been thought of by someone else already - someone much more clever; I know there are many!

So MOO, IMO and all that...

Why would a little beaten, murdered boy not be acknowledged when found? Looking through old articles, it seems the mafia was active in Philadelphia at the time. I saw the articles, but it didn't occur to me until this morning, that if his death was a message being sent, the family might not acknowledge him out of fear for other family members or fear of certain activities being exposed.

And, imo, if past family were part of a certain sort of family business, even today I might not want to expose the activities of ancestors, and would still be tight-lipped.

It's a shame because this sweet little boy deserves to be acknowledged and claimed as part of a family. He deserves justice of some sort.

I believe he was cared for at some point in his life, most likely early on. Perhaps all 4 years.

Just a new thought that occurred to me. Moo!
Click to expand...
Piggyback off of this, my dad worked for my maternal grandfather, it was a bookie. He had other businesses that were not legal also.

All of this took place in the late 60s and early 70s. About 15 years ago, my dad and my brother were in that area and they ran into someone who my dad recognized from my grandfathers activities and my dad took off. My brother said that my dad was so afraid. The only explanation was that the man was someone that he recognize back when he used to run errands for my grandfather. I can’t imagine what else he has seen and I had no idea he was so afraid. My grandfather died in 1977.

My whole point is it is possible that some of this bad business keeps people afraid for a long time.
 
RaspberryMama said:
Well I had a crazy thought. This is all hypothetical, and maybe has been thought of by someone else already - someone much more clever; I know there are many!

So MOO, IMO and all that...

Why would a little beaten, murdered boy not be acknowledged when found? Looking through old articles, it seems the mafia was active in Philadelphia at the time. I saw the articles, but it didn't occur to me until this morning, that if his death was a message being sent, the family might not acknowledge him out of fear for other family members or fear of certain activities being exposed.

And, imo, if past family were part of a certain sort of family business, even today I might not want to expose the activities of ancestors, and would still be tight-lipped.

It's a shame because this sweet little boy deserves to be acknowledged and claimed as part of a family. He deserves justice of some sort.

I believe he was cared for at some point in his life, most likely early on. Perhaps all 4 years.

Just a new thought that occurred to me. Moo!
Click to expand...
No..MOO..
It doesn't work that way
 
CCJD said:
Ad for Penney's from Oil City, PA says pastel colors.
www.newspapers.com

Boy in the Box - bassinet

Clipping found in The Oil City Derrick published in Oil City, Pennsylvania on 1/31/1957. Boy in the Box - bassinet
www.newspapers.com www.newspapers.com
Click to expand...

I wasn’t sure if the “pastel color” description was for the bassinet itself or for the liner/pad.

Description
“Vinyl plastic pad and liner.. waterproof.. pastel color spice”

I can’t read the second ad but looks like it’s for a blanket.

I’m wondering if they were all white with pastel liners, could be wrong.
 
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IDK said:
I wasn’t sure if the “pastel color” description was for the bassinet itself or for the liner/pad.

Description
“Vinyl plastic pad and liner.. waterproof.. pastel color spice”

I can’t read the second ad but looks like it’s for a blanket.

Thinking they were all white with pastel liners, could be wrong.
Click to expand...

I wonder what "spice" could refer to in regard to a bassinet? :confused:
 
I can't speak to the organized crime aspect of things, but my paternal great grandfather murdered someone over a hundred years ago and never faced justice. To this day, my remaining paternal aunts won't talk about it. My guess is my late grandmother harbored him as a fugitive on and off until he died. I think my aunts were complicit in it, and they're scared they'll get in trouble for helping her do it. So, even a hundred year old murder has my paternal family still looking over their shoulder.
 
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RaspberryMama said:
I just ran across something interesting in relation to a past topic on this thread: can a birth mother choose the name for her child without the father's knowledge?

Surname Alternatives in Pennsylvania

By M. Hannah Leavitt, Published on 10/01/77
ideas.dickinsonlaw.psu.edu ideas.dickinsonlaw.psu.edu
Click to expand...
If she is married, then the father's name will be the husband. If she is not married, then the mom and dad must fill out an affidavit (with ID of course) for the father's name to be on birth certificate. This is the state of Florida. Years ago things were different and caused confusion and many lawsuits. That's why an unmarried dad must supply ID and sign affidavit before his name is entered on birth certificate. I included a link because it's been a while since I worked LDRP, but nothing's changed that I can see.
 
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