Researching a family tree can sometimes lead you down very interesting paths. You discover skeletons in the closet or "scandalous" things you didn't know about before.  Things no one talked about.  As I searched the Illinois State Archives for death certificates for some of our relatives, I came across my husband's great, great grandfather, Fortunato Fratto's death certificate.  Under cause of death it said hemorrhage due to gun shot wound.  Inquest held.  Interesting!  The death certificate showed the informant as Rosa Tellerino, who resided at 230 W. 25th Street, Chicago. She and her husband Guisseppe were neighbors of Fortunato who resided at 259 W. 25th Street, Chicago.

I soon discovered the Homicide in Chicago database online and searched it to see if there was anything listed.  There was!  There is a disclaimer on the pages stating the database entries were input as written without fixing any typing errors. One must verify other facts to prove or disprove a match.  Fortunato's last name is transcribed as Fratts on the online database and his ethnicity is stated as German. Both errors.The address of his death matched the homicide report, as did his date of death and the name of the informat.

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