Morbid Real Estate: August Edition

403 Daly St., Philadelphia

Among the most famous lines written by F. Scott Fitzgerald is the adage, "there are no second acts in American lives." This month's installment of Morbid Real Estate dispels that notion, however, since one of the properties listed for sale is the home of Warren Moylan, who obtained notoriety a little over a century ago by murdering two people in Philadelphia and, after turning his life around, had the peculiar distinction of having a street named in his honor-- quite an impressive second act.

In addition to the Moylan murder home, this month's listings also include the home where a German butcher shuffled of this mortal coil and a property where a teenager met his untimely demise while attempting to jump out of the way of impending doom. So if you're looking for a new home with some macabre history behind it, any of the following selections would fit the bill quite nicely.

403 Daly St.

403 Daly Street, Philadelphia. Price: $349,900

First, we have this move-in ready 3 bedroom, 2 full bathroom townhouse in the heart of Pennsport. After receiving a top-to-bottom renovation, this home features updated flooring, a modern kitchen with new appliances, a fully finished basement ideal for a home office or guest bedroom, and a private concrete courtyard perfect for hosting get-togethers or unwinding after a long day. In addition, a new roof and new mechanicals ensures years of worry-free living.

The listing claims that this home "checks all the boxes", and that's especially true if your checklist happens to include living in a murder home, because that's exactly what you'll get. 

This was once the home of Warren Craig Moylan, a veteran of the First World War who narrowly escaped death by poison gas on the battlefields of Europe. Moylan was never the same after that harrowing experience, and, adding insult to injury, his wife abandoned him, leading to a bitter fight over their young daughter, Myrtle. They reached an agreement that the mother, Lydia, would have the child four days a week, and Warren would have her for three.

Warren took Myrtle on Saturday morning, August 4, 1923, but when Monday came and Warren still hadn't returned their daughter, Lydia demanded an explanation. Warren refused to return Myrtle to her mother, and claimed that he was going to leave the city with the young child and never return. On the night of August 7, 1923, Lydia, accompanied by her mother, Mrs. Serad, showed up to 403 Daly Street-- just in time to see Warren and Myrtle leaving the house, heading for a waiting taxi. The two women ran after Warren; Lydia grabbed her estranged husband by his jacket just as he was getting ready to close the taxi door. Warren, taking his daughter by the hand, returned to the house and ran upstairs, followed by his estranged wife and mother-in-law. Inside the home, a bitter argument ensued. This frightened the little girl, who began to cry, and her mother bent over to give her a kiss.

This caused Warren to snap; he pulled open a dresser drawer and took out a revolver he had taken from a dead German soldier as a souvenir of war. As Mrs. Serad screamed in terror, Warren pulled the trigger, sending a bullet through Lydia's right eye. She fell dead to the floor.

The mother-in-law ran out onto Daly Street, screaming that her daughter had been murdered. The veteran was hot on her heels, waving the revolver. This attracted the attention of a neighbor, Henry Propport, who attempted to lunge at Warren. He turned and fired a shot into Propport's abdomen. By now, the commotion had attracted a policeman who was standing on the corner of Fifth and Tree Streets. The officer snatched a bicycle for a young boy and began pedaling after the fleeing killer.

Warren, seeing that he was unable to escape, turned the weapon on himself, but found that he was out of ammunition. He was swarmed by an angry mob, subdued, and taken into custody. Propport died from his injuries the following day.

Warren Moylan was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison on April 16, 1924, but was paroled in 1949, as his actions were chalked up to shellshock from the war and the consequences of exposure to mustard gas. After his release, Warren "Pop" Moylan moved to Deptford, New Jersey, and became a model citizen. So much so, in fact, that just months before his death in 1985, the city of Deptford named a street in his honor-- Moylan Boulevard.

177 East Bissell Avenue, Oil City (Venango County). Price: $177,000

177 E. Bissell Ave.

Next, we have this charming 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath home on the eastern edge of Oil City. This home features a spacious master bedroom with French doors which open to a private balcony, an updated bathroom, a dining room with an abundance of natural light, and a detached garage. 

 

177 E. Bissell Ave.

But the real attraction is the greenery. The well-manicured front lawn projects stately all-American charm, while the spacious backyard offers a secluded sanctuary ideal for entertaining guests, playing an after-school game of catch, or for simply enjoying the sounds of nature.

177 E. Bissell Ave.

Yet, as quaint as this home may be, it does come with a dark side. On the morning of April 8, 1926, an 85-year-old man named Henry Schneider, distraught over his failing health, ended his life by hanging himself from a rafter in the basement. His body was found by his daughter, Elizabeth, with whom he shared the house, when she returned home for lunch. Schneider, a German immigrant who had built a successful career as a butcher, had suffered from a heart ailment for years. Elizabeth, the only surviving relative, decided to sell the home a short time later.

2525 North Stanley Street, Philadelphia. Price: $85,000

2525 N. Stanley St.

 

Finally, we have this property on North Stanley Street in the City of Brotherly Love. Located in the notoriously crime-ridden Strawberry Mansion neighborhood, this 2 bedroom, 2 bath townhome is a golden opportunity to, umm... You know what? There are just some lilies that can't be gilded. This property is total trash.

Last sold in 2020 for $27k, this craptacular eyesore is now being offered for $85k. We can only assume that the current owner made some impressive interior improvements-- perhaps polished Carrara marble tile in the bathroom or brand new premium Thermador appliances in the kitchen. Maybe that's not graffiti spray painted on the wall, but an authentic Banksy! After all, how else can a property in the ghetto triple in value in only six years? 

We've all heard that, when it comes to real estate, it's all about location, location, location. Perhaps Strawberry Mansion, with a crime rate that's 65% higher than the national average, is experiencing a revival (of course, that revival is probably due to Narcan). Or it just might be one more case of someone trying to make beaucoup bucks for doing absolutely no work whatsoever. This is why the general public abhors real estate agents and house flippers.

Perhaps the best thing that can be said for this property is that its past might actually be more melancholy than its present. In February of 1922, a fire broke out on the first floor of this house, which was occupied by 18-year-old James Diegan, his widowed mother and two younger brothers. While everyone else managed to crawl outside to safety, James, who was trapped upstairs, tried jumping out of a back window. He plunged to his death.