While searching for various people in the United States with the surname of MISSERI / MESSERI, I came across an interesting newspaper article about three Messeri brothers who murdered a man in Palermo back in 1912. Alessandro Geraci was killed because he was known as a valiant sorcerer and he also performed witchcraft. Ignazio Messeri had been "suffering from an illness that tormented him from morning to night, that did not give him a moment's rest and that did not allow him to sleep." The three Messeri brothers felt they had been tricked out of large sums of money wanted revenge because Ignazio had not been cured of his ailments.
Below is the article translated Italian to English.
The article appeared in La Voce Del Popolo newspaper on 12 Aug 1916, page 6.
CRIME DISCOVERED AFTER FOUR YEARS
PALERMO, 3. On the night of September 18th to 19th 1912, in the Morte courtyard, in the Cardillo district, in Tommaso Natale, a certain Alessandro Geraci, of unknown origin, aged 53, known as "Erasmo fimminilla," from Capaci, was found murdered in his home.
The unfortunate man, who was naked, had been killed by stabbing and cutting.
The investigations carried out immediately by the deputy Regato Puleo of the Resuttana delegation concluded that it was a homicide with the intent of theft, so the cause had to be sought elsewhere.
Alessandro Geraci was known as "a fiaminella" because he had feminine movements and attitudes and even his voice resembled that of a woman. In the suburbs and in the city, he was known as a valiant sorcerer, because in addition to divining the truth, he also performed witchcraft. He was often called upon to cure the insane who had spirits in their bodies. With his exercises, he brought about healing, that is, he defeated the evil spirit that the sick person had in his body. It was not uncommon, however, for the sufferer to succumb, and the catastrophe was explained by the fact that the evil spirit was stronger than the practitioner. Either way, Geraci managed to earn money the fooling others. But on September 18, 1912, there were much more powerful devils than him who sent him to the other world. "A fimminella," this time he could not save himself from the wrath of his cats, and he lost his skin. The police investigation stopped.
They investigated the possible victims of Geraci's occult sciences, certain that in this way they could obtain the key to the mysterious event; but no evidence could be immediately gathered to be able to pinpoint the culprit or culprits.
About four years after the crime had occurred, Commission Cavallo, the police commissioner of Palermo, was told that the perpetrators were to be found in the Messeri family, and that Geraci's killers had been the brothers Angelo, Giovanni and Ignazio.
Skillful investigations were then carried out, entrusted to Commissioner Pastore, and more than sufficient evidence was gathered to be able to make a detailed report to the judicial authorities. This report led to the issuing of arrest warrants against the three brothers and their arrest, which took place last night.
An exorcised sick person
It was learned that one of the three brothers, Ignazio, was suffering from an illness that tormented him from morning to night, that did not give him a moment's rest and that did not allow him to sleep. He had consulted many doctors; he had resorted to pharmacists and herbalists; but no one knew how to find a remedy to free him from that illness. One of his brothers, Giovanni, who was a friend of the "little girl," and he spoke to him about it, and he suggested visiting the poor patient. "There's no doubt about it, since no doctor knows the disease, it must certainly come from some unknown, mysterious cause that needs to be traced," Geraci immediately replied when he was asked about the case. So a preliminary session was arranged to examine the patient. Geraci went, examined, and felt every inch of the patient, and then, bowing his head, stared at him at the ground for a long time, muttering unintelligible words.
All the bystanders and the poor patient began to contemplate the possessed man as a superior being. Suddenly he rose up and, shaking the poor patient who was almost asleep from the suffering, he exclaimed: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. Mine is more powerful than the one you have in your body. In three or four sessions, yours will be defeated and will flee from your body." Everyone was satisfied with the response and waited for Geraci to arrange the second session, which happened immediately.
The possessed man prescribed some incense and other things, asked for a first course as I think and went away.
Don Ignazio, almost stunned, with the mirage of a recovery, felt more relieved that first day and therefore the family's faith in the miracle grew even more.
The visits continued, the Messeri family paid and paid; but the evil did not disappear, and indeed poor Giovanni was convinced that his brother's godfather had played some nasty trick on him and had placed the evil spirit in his body.
The three brothers, according to the prosecution, met and went to Geraci's house, they gave him a decent dinner which then ended with the killing.
Messeri Ignazio and the two brothers forced Geraci to use his beneficent spirit with all the reserves of his art to destroy the evil spirit that the sufferer had within him; and when he was cornered, "a fimminella" put under pressure, pretended to declare that he was worthless. Then they thought about revenge, hence the killing.
These and other circumstances have been clarified by the new investigation and the presence of the three in that house on the evening the crime took place has been confirmed.
The arrest
The Councilor responsible for the investigation of the trials, Mr. Cuzzaniti, issued arrest warrants which were sent to the police commissioner yesterday.
He gave them to Commissioner Pastore for execution. The service was entrusted to the delegate of the Flying Squad, Spano, who, with eight cyclists, the Carabinieri sergeant had the homes of the three Messeri brothers guarded.
One, Angelo, lived in the Magnasco courtyard and was a laborer; Ignazio lived in the Petrazzi courtyard, and Giovanni lived in Via Perpignano No. 47.
Last night, the guards and Carabinieri, who had divided the duties and who knew that there were disputes between the brothers for reasons of self-interest, knocked on the three's doors and arrested them. Ignazio and Giovanni are farmers.
Giovanni still believes that he has the evil spirit of Geraci in his body and he still rails against him even though he is dead. He admitted to having been defrauded of large sums by Geraci, who was unable or unwilling to do anything on his behalf. The three were immediately sent to prison while the investigation continues. "It was the evil spirit of Geraci after his death that sent them to prison," they say.
By the way, I did have the three Misseri brothers on my tree; their parents are Cesare Misseri and Francesca Misseri. And yes, Cesare and Francesca are first cousins! From what I have researched, only Ignazio Misseri was married. His wife was Santa Giuseppa Misseri, and Ignazio and Santa were also first cousin. The Italian Catholic Church was pretty strict about first cousins not marrying each other, so I find it very intriguing about how two sets of first cousins could marry in such a small generational family line.
I've been researching some females during National Women’s History Month. I've been concentrating on women who lived in Palermo, the capital city of Sicily. While digging through online images of the 10-year indices on Antenati, that include birth, marriage and death dates. The 10-year indices cover the years of 1820-1895. The compiled books are awesome, and I am so thankful that they have been produced and digitized, especially because the actual records are not available online.
My goal was to find children of a mother who has the surname of Misseri. As I was working through individuals, I was getting very familiar with the different families during my time research time. I am going to show how a surname can get messed up within an index. And how you really need to pay attention the Italian naming convention to help you not miss searching or adding children or family members that you didn't know existed. And how a little luck helped me find who I was looking for.
Here is a reminder of the Italian Family Naming Convention:
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