MOTHER AND BABIES BURN TO DEATH IN "HOUSE OF DEATH"
A mother and two babies were burned to death as they knelt in prayer in their home 2359 Wentworth avenue early today. The husband and brother of the woman were so badly burned that there is little hope they will live.
The house at 2359 Wentworth has been known for years throughout the Italian quarter as "The House of Death." A dozen persons have been violently slain in it in the last ten years.
And "The House of Death" was deliberately fired this morning. The woman and her children were murdered.
There are whispers through the Italian quarter that the burning of the house was the work of the Black Hand.
And other whispers that it was in some way connected with the murder of Rose Smith by her brother-in-law, Joseph Smith, and the shooting of Arthur Ficalara at 230 West Twenty-third street, less than a block away, within the last few days.
The dead are Mrs. Velie Cavalieri, and her two daughters, Jane, aged 5, and May, aged 3. The mother was still in a kneeling position when found. And her arms were about her children.
Frank Pastella, the woman's husband, was the first to hear the alarm of fire. He called to his wife and children to escape, and dashed to the floor above, where Joseph Cavalieri, his brother-in-law, lived.
Pastella gave the alarm to Cavalieri. Cavalieri jumped from the window. Pastella tried to return to his wife and children. Sheets of flames drove him back from the stairway he had ascended so short a time before.
So he also jumped from the window. His body caught on a meat hook in front of a grocery store on the first floor of the building. It hung suspended, swinging, until Policemen Helmer and Horne of the Twenty-second street station rescued him.
By that time. Pastella's legs were horribly roasted. He was sent to the People's hospital, to which Cavalieri already had been taken.
The first floor of "The House of Death" was occupied by V. Catanese and his family of six. They all escaped by way of a side window.
Ten years ago "The House of Death" was purchased by Jacob Werner, who started a meat market in it. His family was wiped out by illness within a few months. He committed suicide by cutting his throat.
Fred Kuntz, and employe of Werner's, took over the meat market. Kuntz's five-year-old daughter was scalded to death in a pickling vat shortly afterwards.
One week later Kuntz was found dead in bed, and the mystery of his death never has been solved.
A man named Strauss moved into the building. And was murdered in it.
Shortly afterwards an Italian committed suicide under the front porch of the place.
And this morning "The House of Death"burned to the ground within half an hour. Mrs. Pastella and the children never had a chance.
Fire Attorney Joe Murray says there is no question the house was deliberately fired. He says a torch was used against a side wasll. The building was a frame one. Battalion Chief Walter Powers agrees with Murray.
People living near the house declare the heard five shots fired shortly before the alarm of fire was given. One man told a rambling story of having seen a mysterious stranger fire five shots directly at the building.
Fire Attorney Murray and the police are investigating.

The Day Book March 19, 1913

Name: Jennie Postelli
Birth Date: 24 Jun 1908
Birth Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Death Date: 19 Mar 1913
Death Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Burial Date: 22 Mar 1913
Cemetery Name: Mt Carmel
Death Age: 4
Race: White
Marital Status: Single
Gender: Female
Father Name: Frank Postelli
Father Birth Place: Italy
Mother Name: Helen Cavalieri
Mother Birth Place: Italy
FHL Film Number: 1287674
+++++Info provided by Brenda Pone #46784841