Screams From the Courthouse Basement: The Monaghan Affair

by Wolford Swimmer, Beverly Peterson

Screams from the Courthouse The Monaghan Affair tells the true crime story of the 1936 murder of Frank Monaghan, Sr., in the basement of the Fayette County Courthouse in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. This local history book places the crime in the context of regional and national politics and discusses the local political scandals attendant upon the crime. The book includes thirty-seven photographs and illustrations of people and places relevant to the case. It gives a balanced assessment of the various conspiracy theories that have been developed in order to explain why Mr. Monaghan was murdered and why twelve prominent citizens and public officials--the District Attorney, state and local police officers, the coroner, undertakers, and physicians--were indicted for murder or conspiracy to conceal true facts. The book discusses the once common but now illegal police interrogation practice known as "the third degree," and it scrutinizes the role of the press in keeping the scandal in the news. George W. Maxey, a Justice on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, presided over some of the trials. The prosecutor was Charles J. Margiotti, who was later a candidate for governor of Pennsylvania, and the defense attorney was John Duggan, a famous lawyer whose clients included the railroad as well as organized crime figures.

144 pages, Paperback

First published April 3, 2001

Reviews

[Summer Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grew up in the area. It was intesting reading some history around where I lived during the school year. It was weird to know exactly what roads where being talked about and where it was all happening. Though I am not one for a book/movie that does not wrap up nice and neat with a reason and someone to blame etc. I still sit and wonder what exactly could have happened and why. Interesting read especially if you are from the area.