H. H. Holmes
| H. H. Holmes | |
|---|---|
H. H. Holmes
|
|
| Born |
Herman Webster Mudgett May 16, 1861 Gilmanton, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Died | May 7, 1896 (aged 34) Moyamensing Prison, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Other names | Henry W. Howard Dr. Henry Howard Holmes Henry Gordon Alexander Bond |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
| Spouse(s) | Clara A. Lovering (1878–1896; his death) Myrta Belknap (1887–1896; his death) Georgiana Yoke (1894–1896; his death) |
| Conviction(s) | four counts of murder in the first degree six counts of attempted murder |
| Killings | |
| Victims | 9–200 (9 confirmed, 27 confessed, up to 200 estimated) |
|
Span of killings
|
1888?–1894 |
| Country | U.S. |
| State(s) |
Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Irvington, Indiana, U.S. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
|
Date apprehended
|
November 17, 1894, in Boston, Massachusetts, US |
Herman Webster Mudgett (May 16, 1861 – May 7, 1896), better known under the name of Dr. Henry Howard Holmes or more commonly H. H. Holmes, was one of the first documented serial killers in the modern sense of the term. While he confessed to 27 murders, of which nine were confirmed, he may have killed as many as 200 people. He brought an unknown number of his victims to his World's Fair Hotel, located about 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Besides being a serial killer, H. H. Holmes was also a successful con artist and a bigamist.
Holmes was born as Herman Webster Mudgett in Gilmanton, New Hampshire, on May 16, 1861, to Levi Horton Mudgett and Theodate Page Price, both of whom were descended from the first English settlers in the area. Mudgett was his parents' third-born child; he had an older sister Ellen, an older brother Arthur and a younger brother Henry. Holmes's father was a farmer from a farming family, and his parents were devout Methodists. According to the 2007 Most Evil profile on Holmes, his father was a violent alcoholic. Holmes excelled in school, which led to bullying by jealous classmates. In an attempt to scare him, the bullies forced him into the local doctor's office and made him stand face to face with a human skeleton, and placed the skeleton's hands on his face. Holmes later recalled that at first he was frightened, but then found the experience fascinating. He also wrote the experience cured him of his fears. Holmes soon became obsessed with death and later started a hobby of dissecting animals.
At the age of 16, Holmes graduated from high school and took teaching jobs in Gilmanton and later in Alton, New Hampshire. On July 4, 1878, he married Clara Lovering in Alton. Their son, Robert Lovering Mudgett, was born on February 3, 1880, in Loudon, New Hampshire. As an adult, Robert became a certified public accountant, and served as city manager of Orlando, Florida.
At the age of 18, Holmes enrolled in the University of Vermont in Burlington, but was dissatisfied with the school and left after only one year. In 1882, he entered the University of Michigan's Department of Medicine and Surgery and graduated in June 1884 after passing his examinations. While enrolled, he stole cadavers from the laboratory, disfigured the bodies and claimed the victims were killed accidentally, in order to collect insurance money from policies he took out on each deceased person. His marriage to Clara quickly fell apart and he eventually abandoned his wife and son. He spent the next couple of years working various jobs and continued with his scams. After he moved to Mooers Forks, New York, a rumor began spreading that Holmes had been seen with a little boy who later disappeared. He claimed the boy went back to his home in Massachusetts. No investigation took place and Holmes quickly left town. He later travelled to Philadelphia and eventually got a job as a keeper at Norristown State Hospital, but quit after a few days. Subsequently, he got a position at a drugstore in Philadelphia, but while he was working there, a boy died from taking medicine that was bought from the store. Holmes denied any involvement with the child's death and immediately left the city. Right before moving to Chicago, he decided to change his name to Henry Howard Holmes to avoid the possibility of his previous scam victims catching up with and reporting him.
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