H. H. Holmes
MurderpediaHerman Webster Mudgett, better known under the alias of Dr. Henry Howard Holmes.
One of the most twisted American serial killers of all time, H. H. Holmes committed his murders inside the World’s Fair Hotel — better known as the “murder mansion.”
Born Herman Webster Mudgett, he changed his name to Henry Howard Holmes to escape his already long criminal record. Regarded as one of America’s first serial killers, Holmes came to Chicago from his criminal roots in the Northeast, in 1886 with a new identity and thirst for bloodshed.
Upon arriving in the Windy City, Holmes got a job at a local drugstore. One year later, he bought the empty lot across the street and began to build his infamous three-story house of horrors.
The building was big, broad, and covered an entire block. The first floor was storefronts, the third floor was apartments, and the second floor and basement contained the elaborate horrors that are now associated with Holmes.
Construction was finally completed in 1892. By 1894, Holmes would be behind bars, joining the ranks of the ghastliest American serial killers as he confessed to at least 27 murders. The true number of people he killed is still unknown; the specially equipped mansion allowed Holmes to dispose of human bodies in cruel and untraceable ways, like in an acid bath or a human-sized stove.
The “Murder Castle” designed by Holmes was perfectly engineered to enact his terrible intentions. His murder spree began in 1893 during the World’s Fair, also known as the Columbian Exposition. 27 million people from around the world flocked to Chicago to see the event designed by the nation’s leading architects.
This huge influx of people visiting the city and needing a place to stay was just what Holmes needed to put his “Murder Castle” to use.
Chicago History Museum/Getty ImagesThe World’s Fair Hotel, labelled Holmes’ Castle and also known as the Murder Castle after it’s actual purpose was revealed.
When guests checked in to the hotel, they were met with some very strange quirks. Some rooms contained five doors, while other rooms had none. There were airless chambers hidden beneath floorboards, and there was an intricate alarm system in the house that would alert Holmes whenever a guest left their room.
Holmes also had a special trapdoor in his bathroom that led to a staircase. At the end of the stairs was a windowless cubicle with a large chute that went all the way down to the basement. Holmes would use this chute to transport bodies to his basement, where he would carry out demented experiments with surgical tools, torture devices, acids, and medieval implements.
Holmes fled Chicago shortly after the end of the World’s Fair and was eventually arrested in Boston after murdering his assistant and two of his assistant’s children.
In some ways, Holmes remains one of the most mysterious American serial killers. Estimates of the number he murdered vary wildly; it is believed that he killed between 20 and 200 people.
Holmes represented himself at his trial, but this was one arena where his cunning and deception would prove unfruitful — he was found guilty by a unanimous jury and sentenced to hang for his crimes.
Holmes found time to pen an autobiography titled Holmes’ Own Story before he met his demise in 1896. In reference to his deadly predispositions, he said, “I could not help the fact that I was a murderer, no more than the poet can help the inspiration to sing.”
