Almost no one knew the story of Jerry Siegel’s father’s death until 2004. Gerard Jones’ book called it a murder by gunshot and implied it inspired Siegel to make Superman a crime-fighter invulnerable to attack. Book of Lies, the latest mystery novel by Brad Meltzer, picks up on the theme: The plot revolves around the rediscovery of the gun used to kill Michel Siegel.
But Ricca and another researcher, Marc Tyler Nobleman, dug deeper. Nobleman, author of a new children’s book, Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman, acquired the coroner’s report on Michel Siegel’s death. Ricca obtained the death certificate, and together, they unearthed the police report. All say Michel Siegel died of a heart attack during a robbery. Three men entered the store, the police
report says. “One of them walked out with a suit of clothes. Through the excitement, Michael [sic] Siegel fainted and fell down on the floor, causing his death.”
Meet your neighbors and the faces behind some of Cleveland's favorite haunts through the curious camera lens of the Cleveland Public Library's chief of special projects and collections. By John Skrtic
