october 2oo6

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t20th-Century Desperate Housewiues

dirty laundry of the wotuen of Duque6ne, Pennsylvarua

NhRrr L Drm, all%arim ofinappi.pnal€ seiual <mduct,

wc, children ddling witnsteP'Parcnb, nm hk'n8 our

'nrese siiuaiions.eiaidysound raniliaras L\e plot lines

work's mFtery/nelodrama/boldoir comedy sensation ihatchrcnicles rhe livss oI fivc fic-

eve., acMny happ.n€d in rheules oI sir "desperare" wonaof anoiher ek - houkwive

Duqu6ne, Ptrlmylvmia m

rhe Elanour or Px appeal neasurtd bI today's sbndards, or

popular relevision Pri6, L\ey ceFrahly experien.ed enough rurmoilin lhea peMnal lives ro be cate-Borized ar rims as "d6penb{'nar sbu.k ne as I eeaftJledrhc li6 of th6e womm frcnDuqlene h tnat each had heroM biars and riburaiiom juiwaiting b b. disorertd. wid\ a

eme,Aed iron cmur i]mign'

newspaeeB and fanily loE.oli:a it isn'i mtii w€ dis a bii

deper inb our ane*on' back-Ercmds (especially our lemareamddt, ed nfto ih€ sciar hisrory thai inpaded or shiped iheiday-tcday exishn.e Lhar we dk-cover the ohd ditfidlt or grinonditions in which thet livcd.Join n€ now in *aminh8 fielives or Mary Atra, xlizab.$,Laun, Manr and vetuna - mth'eniury d€sp€rah hou*wiv6,and the conmm picce of ecial

wshrn Pemylvania bwn. Andju$ Ir<c ih?n nodeo-day cou-

WGhna Lane will have "...all thcirdeahs, all rhek hopes, all L\endesirer au L\eir se.Fb every-rhin8 hidden beneaLh the ira.e

welcome to Crrwlord Avenue. anain streer in the heart of me ofAm€ri.at booni.g sr€l towns -Duquse, ]rmsylvania. MerMary Fensca* Ceyba, a typicalhoHwiJe, with a nolso?erkt

l€ar is 1936 ad something is notquih right in L\is eLhniallydivcce bM where Mary lived

rnm her eique etnereal vaniagePoint as h.r hvo 6isr.G, her sororns nethbds Md an {ineconmunity ,re all bbught rqdh-er by a hagedy th€y n*er co'ndhav€ im8ined d\€ murds orone of Duqoesne's most beloved

Dead\ wA by m mes m

Duqu&€ a roM lo.ad jud

away rhe lives or s ini,bibns, which nuobeFd neany

Bur. nunler? ln dris do*rnjl conmmjly? wnt ir was

Colonel Gs$e Washjn8tonmaEhed though $e area andweP dcfeaicd by rhe Frcnch in

Township, Duques€ was labr

tle area was pnnarily Lrtile

bP.ame in.opor ed in 1391.

camegie stel Mix in 1901,Duquesn€ beame r industialgiant in strel pnduciion. At ihctum or the 20rh csbrr, the mill€nployed n€n Ircn all over iheworld, i'migrmb who had 6meb AmriG ro ioin rhe snwins

Duqoesne aho be.ane rich in cul'tuP, aibactin8 people homdivene ethnic ba.kgrolnds whceskils tu1ped ro build dr€ .o'mu-ni+ As Danid l. Bums wntes inDr4,6,., "lt was a toM wfth ,mugh rd gritry exierioi but irlvas a prac rhat always prt .ommmity sd tamily above aI else.rt was a bwn wheft peoPl€ woishipcd and a@nded church laith-tu11t wheF neighboG took .aP oI

So imagine the bewildemeni,

dents of Dlqudne upon leaming

fi€ vi.tins ot a shooth8 rmpageone raerul niShi in D<enber1936. News of the frgedI guicLlyspFa4 addine a n€w level ordcspair and sadnes io the lives ofdE won€n of 'his neiqhbod'md.

Fifr|ycMdde.s9t6be/fuobeM'

Th. six * onln a e neet herc -Mary Ccyba, Elizrbctlr Alzo, ,4]mBarolii Marii Sivik, VcmniFiglar and rarra Ba.on shared

somc oI thcn l.E b ood Ela-dv* ama, Mai), md [IzabeL\nere siner, is qer Ver)ia rnd

be.ane $e naxr door n-aiShboi of

vc'ona s drushc!A.na sluldnutry Elizib€th's son,lohn. ind

c o n m u n i l y a s : $ . i a | t d k d n [

Miry Fcnnrk Ccyba - Mary was

Eon Po$, sl.ekia. Mey lis

Ln erpool, lngland ro Ameri!: in

wirh *'o.hirdren, Anna md tohn,whosc nothfl dicd wh3n th.yweP rery youns. Like 'nant,i'nmi8ranh, Mihaly soushienp lqmen t in thcUsduc tob id

Hung,ry I.Ie rFk hh rafrill tFreeland, fen.sl,h b, brt eveniuillf rhe family nhumd to I'osa.

(idv yean aflei herrirherdier),

l.hi c+jba ii May of L\d sneyci. Mary laier playcd m*chmaker ror her nr. y.lnFd shie6

ttut strdkotn ol d$|nntiot:

iook h.r Life * ase 33, h Junc or1929. Shc lcft bchind tn . chitd(nJohn, am4 csse, Mar8aftt andHeren Rishr after her death, her

reGhbf sho had 6re .h drei ofher own. Thcstepmoiherdrd noi

his idultlilc, Marytson Ccorgc.Jife$ed, 'wa

tDad's kidt rildd

Elizabeth fenrak Alzo irrved inAnerna nt rhe aBe or16 i'r 1911

san anr she mer her husb .l lolnai tha home orher sisterMary

ehc rchcq is i l odsc rh . y mar

lsih brthday ln rq36, Eli4beih$as a worki'rg nother orlou':Erribcih s ordenchird,Anna, had

Her two reenagdd d:!ghte.s,Berg i.'l Heler, and son Johnny(as.ll), serstjll aihofre rlreyounBest.hild, A3nes, died slrort

Hu {tthotw oI d$pnntiot:A$uning €\p.nsibiky ;s themdn $a8e cirnfl for her lamily.Erizabdh! hrb d, Johi, a mirlsrisht,n ihe Duquesncsr*r nill,was sulfcrin8 fLom i ba(k ailmcniind on tc porary,risrbili!.

Gfeicria * Kennywood, a popuhrlo.al amus.mcnt park lo.ircd inneadt w6t Mirnin, PelcyNania

she Mndled hdr i€sponsibilities athone and \rk wih sbbb.fr

back to Slovakii and she Erw upihetu She @tdrned ro Anerica id

rb8. bceor$ Bdola!by her sis

of h.rfiFrd,ushrq Marr .narctumcd !rsbvakn h) cde fo,hr moihcr Jloni Fcn{ik, who

Minily zelemk Durin8 thar iine,Anni.rp.ncn.cd.onfl i.i rviihh.r ncp-Iathca who \ris a pos*-

,\mr Ihcrc looking aftcr hcrnoiheil|onadietjLrl9lT,buirhaouibreak or Wr{l delaved Ann, s

her husband cvcniuallv had four

Hn \{Pt/rh t rJ tuir'datnhIhc painof losns i chr d matson ceoq. was killed q sbFnP on: n.ving ttu.k KeePidsi bfrc hc hrouEh hcrsrict shco:rned a repuration ror bein8 rsnob in the.eighborhoodbaliering ihar h some a?y sherrisabolc rhosc ircund hc.

r_cfi a srdo$ ific. her husband

Sirik nrk id l.dEE^ t. srpportheMll Thc bki.E in ol lodgcF!?si comm.n Fradre:m..gthesror.l Nomcn who scrlcd insreclcomn,uniri.s n'ch is DL'qucsnc.

rlhm Marn mffiied Mike, hcNas : nidoserwith thR.hilJrn Michael, Anni ind andrnEy had no.hildrcn iogerher

H* \tEtt\\na rJ t6pttdkr:An, Lcsihmar. drushre'she hadin 1905 shire living inSlorakii,rrhon she nahed Mary The

c*i'orr. Prj6r lrom rhe ro.ar v,t,lisc whon Mrria had vorkcd tor

ounh, in sPire of s6.ng Erigious

rPg'rn.y ben)E minilge was

the immedEic family but also ror

fsbn.a, : weddingarenonv.

bcforc thc wonrfs pFsna.cy

sudr aiianSemenr was madc.Arrhoush in the GEckcarhoti.liith, pireds wea pcmfted ro

rveared trhy, in t\liriar.ise, rmariage taircd ro hke Prae Toavoi,i ihc shame of h:vin3a chitdoui of wedlo.k, Maft dePincd

.bined thepdc* paid rd rhehckct Marirr diughhrMary

ve6na sbaki was 23 vears old-he. shc eme io Ar;ri6 in1922. Her m:n;ge io linoi Figlarwas amnscd. Jinot i as r tiiendand o worke. of hcr Lrrcther inl:s,lohn Kol.un. lino! d6pecie,ly wrn€d bn:dr howcvsr hcwould n.r serle for run anv

ro be slovar. prcferablv shaishrarun Eunpe Awirc rhai linotvis in sernh oI a bride lohnberie\ed_h..r rcd m Psfdr

vcmna. nray were mirricd on INovenber re24 ind moeed fmm

P.nnsvlvania, :s her husbandleniin sorh of work in rheco.lnin$.AftPrdrebirrhs of ihcn 6sirhre.hirdrn, vcrcni and Fnois.rrd lcrninenrlv in Duquesnern 1929. h 1931, Ver.na sa\c birth

io a babySirl, rvrary, the infinrdjed$on'fterJrompncumonia'During rhis tine vei.nat husband Ras uienp oycd, d rhef.nily livcd I iilr he'snb4

rhe $r.rks Prcsr$ r\dninis

taii.n(wP ) crired roherP prc.vide sononic rclicf to .irizens .frhe us nb. were suflcrinSurouSh rhe ctoar Dspmsion,Jinor fohd sPoradic wo* ro supPoii hk erer.cxPandnrs fanily. rn1936, linoi, vcrona nnd lhen ric

MarJi Thef rieed nrinty in tuo

b{aus. ro.rSen o(uPied ihc

Ht *rnauft al dapntblHer husbandr easirv provokcdrcmp.r md his fondn$s for atcG

ourbursh. For mcn 1ik€ Jrrol, a$op at ihc lo.al bai iD! a shotand a bee/, :frer work, was qutemhr.n onc. homc ha begrd !,iike denrn,rs.Ifhh suPPer was

2:00 rm - he wourd yelr ob{cni-hcs in slorik ai hir ure oficn he

the dish shc PrePared was not iohis ukin8, he \rourd hurL rhe Ptare

A one{ime €ident df co} tord

S€.ond Stu.t, MF Ba.on was awidow wiih fn e.hirdren rnd$oik d is a sociil lorker ror rhecamesits inoissherMi[ shea$isred manv men in firdrnscmplolmsr n rhe m'llLrn!luddsvedn: r hulbrndrJnn rerlted

Hi a.t/sotnc if ttt*fdttiot:Herdesin io help orhea indn.tc

ihd Pernaared the ninds of ineldal Fsi,lens whvwould som*one kjll M6 Baon; kndwd rominv aborr 6own as "rh. fiBr bd!of Duqucsne?" All L\ds. womenknea her She had a ni€ familt-d ,ps r$ mrd r me he rp ;sdh.E so wh,rr$* f Prcb.mscourd shehave had? Her lit-a

Tlre lnhmclv cnd to M6 Bacon slile .ame ar ihe hands of a manshe knes, a lo.ilpoli.enan

kedpdi Anoihc. li.tin ms

Sul1nan, iFPearing *in

molcshnsa l2 yea.old gnl $asordercd jaild rrilhour bond. Suta

65 ver.oLd SulLiva. $cd his ronsii;e rrie.dship $ih a .onnabb roerh his libdtt,lons sdlgl' bpunrsh ih.se he blimcd nnh:s

r) ieale b.h,nd : bailol riv. d.adlnd dna n ounded h ;bod 15

t icnd, L\ar heshotiod killed rouroI his vndms lvithou he.onda

ic.uscdorn.bninE,a.d -d,e pircn$olrdother sirL !-

.dt4od \!dv 6n ^ bhtt nfu!n.

l,rlc8edt chi4r thd hc hld b<'

. JofPh Be&a,55, d10 stunsr,

. MF. Nhry v*dF, 4, d B

. Mrin vur.rF, ,1 so d Mr

' ,NPh vukdj{ s0, isb d dMB. vlrcrF.0d raihq of Mihtr.

As hc ws e{dkd b jair,Sullivan shoutd I'fr saiktiederen ir Idi' i nissone 'Thatni8hi,

Ddtu saved him fmm a nob. Thelody or bura Bicon a?s hken ro

brrial, bui th.sho(t oler ilre ft3

li*e ure pills or snoke rrcm

ei8hi rnd gnndfarher or 23,was eve.tually .onvjcied .t

rtuotrEh thc ha8ed, indud-

(r..us hum ofsuai'lrhat pe.

I he sbry ol thc dcath of rflraBacon .iught dY atenron notonlybe.aNe ir rocused o. the

i!ell likPd in hcr cofrndnrty, butbc.ausd it tou.hed my ramilY andillol the dher ramilics livjnaD

dcnt, !hi.h is shll hlked aboutt dr)lillusbar.s in ' lery bLlinSmy hos s..ial hisiory impa.ls

san€ St net Diffsrent lii€

Uv rrediSriiry frm'Ly iore,FdrusinsoLd navspap€s and uti-Lizinsborh $e Intcmct a.d tadi

derails iiom iF n,graron, .ensus

lrithidlsurLrd b (dk hb rhe

"drspt.iic dehils sunoundm8cr.h aamin,s lifc. Ihreughoui thPdea(h prNss,l was inti8ued brrh. hiddcn noncs, ind ilso with

iiSs of desper:ti.n Gn kanf.nd

oficn whcr rcscarhi$ our fisrweare not iiways pFpard r.. Nhainenay dn..Yer we a( rcmPt.n ro

or"a sinplerrine",bur the tuih is

t^rrbe norao prciq ricturs or

.LLpafl or drc story lr rhe vigneres

!r€ se hoi each.f rh.m is forcd ro

playcd our each weak by the w.frdn

lvih nari:r sh$, sPousr abusc,w.lkins morheG crins for.hitdnn

hood, lo$ of childrn ihrcugh divease/illnes, prenatuts deth, ringlep:enihood, seiuaL nn(ondrct indrrrcs*ionsol molciarion .r trrtr

Today, is in drlie! .entu!ies,

cofr munfr j$, P.op]c ihinI tlrcy

hale no idea rhat goes o. bftrnd

20rh enrurt d€spenre hoa*$ivesMaly:nd I-auR di.d unhmcLy

rour womcn of Criwfod Avenue?weli,l r noi golr8 ro tellyou... butherc'r I due wh,tr can sav is rhii I

venna and fli2abeib iy srand

rhen i. Srcarerdebirii ny books. s tor Amr and Mary I .oriinue touririze an of rhe @nD&s avairablerh* can previtlc a d(Dcr insicht

Nol l am not su88e*ing th*

show ci. cqu.l ihcdiily reiliryoIou kin,buia bit.frser(h shosshos somc ol the enEbfti. is$'es

{ften bddv :r!r nruched sencR.

i6ns pd$ Ou.adcesob di,l not li!ei,r Sras houses. rhey roo had dirtvlrun.iili thawhih, rhe blrckandshrdesorEmy flui.omPrised rheir

A .d ,no .co f t cn 'hanno t , i l nlcti to us- thc scncal$isb d

Itrnilv Rsip6 :nd Tddidons,Lr 1 prbtithtt ttt cdtew P,ss.sb tn*s rs n ,"t|flm atit*,t{hm nnd hahftln, t ptat.

$25 Savings

ROOTS IN RUSSIA