“I was born with the devil in me. I could not help the fact that I was a murderer, no more than a poet can help the inspiration to sing.” – H.H. Holmes.
Every time I go down the rabbit hole of these true, bone-chilling crime stories, these last words of H.H. Holmes do haunt me. So, today, as we gather with our curious minds, it is fitting to take a deep dive into the life of H.H. Holmes. His early life, his first kill, and most importantly-
See whether we have missed anything.
So, let’s get into the life & death of H.H Holmes. America’s first serial killer, or as most would call “the incarnation of pure evil.”
Who was H.H Holmes?
If you are not as crime obsessed as I am and have never heard of H.H. Holmes, then here is a brief description that will help you understand it all.
With H.H. Holmes, a new wave of celebrity was born. The highly intelligent, unruly, debonair mass murderer. There are many who came after him (Ted Bundy is the first name that comes to my mind), but undoubtedly, he was the first.
The notorious killer loved inflicting pain and gave birth to the devil-like psychopathic charm.
Other than his proclivity towards murder, Holmes was infamous for being a notorious con artist. He was not only responsible for terrorizing the city of Chicago, but many lost thousands of dollars in their bank account for trusting this man.
It is safe to say that his intelligence in scamming people became a pioneer weapon in his later life as a serial killer. This later became infamously known as “A Murder Castle in America.”
As I got more into documentaries, Podcasts, researchers, and even the talk of a new Hulu series, “Devil in the White City”, I couldn’t help but wonder –
Why are we so fascinated with these serial killers, trying to discover more as we lose ourselves in the innate darkness? Is danger a means of adrenaline rush, a way to escape our mundane monotony? Or was Donna Tarte, right?
“Beauty is danger, whatever we find beautiful we quiver before it.”
Acronyms like “Devil in the white city” or H.H. Holmes naming his own abbreviation of his crime as “The murder castle in America” all have an artistic turn to something so gruesome.
Are we addicted to art? Or are we so bored in daily monotony that we want to read stories of insanity just to validate our normalcy?
But I digress! We should not go to the philosophical side of our own interest. But rather stick to the crimes!
So, who was H.H Holmes? Let’s begin with his Christian name and early life!
Early Life of H.H Holmes
H.H. Holmes was also known as Herman Webster Mudgett. He was born on May 16th, 1861, in New Hampshire. He was the third child out of five kids (middle child!).
Now, for people who do not know much about him, no, he was not born into an impoverished house. The kind where middle children are neglected and do not get much affection, care, or food (as a matter of fact). Not that it excuses any of his crimes. But whenever we hear psychopaths, our first instinct is to dive into their early lives.
Just to see whether there were past traumas or violence that could lead to their post-life choices.
However, Herman’s family were somewhat of a big deal in New Hampshire. It is an old generational family that has been living there for over 100 years and has some name to back them up. Well, now, and important to the point that there was a town in New Hampshire named after Herman’s ancestors.
However, there were records of the Mudgett’s family being highly religious. They followed Catholicism to the t. So, one can expect some restrictions that have shaped children’s childhoods (which, in today’s era, would be a big deal). However, it was the mid-19th century (almost 150 years ago). At that point in time, almost everyone was a Puritan; it was impossible not to be one.
So, if we find crumbs of his restricted childhood as a trauma that leads to inflicting pain on others, half of the US population would become serial killers.
Other than a strict upbringing, there was no other sign of childhood trauma in Herman’s early life. Safe to say he had an opulent upbringing.
Introduction to his Crimes
Herman Webster Mudgett had an affirmation towards the field of medicine. This led him to enroll in the University of Michigan’s Department of Medicine and Surgery. However, while many would consider this to achieve their goals in the field, Herman’s chain of criminal behavior began here.
Medical college became his pillar to honing manipulative skills, which were later used in conning through identity thefts and insurance frauds.
The worst part about this story is our innate nature to respect and trust anyone working in the medical field. The frontier H.H Holmes used to con people of their money & lives.
The First Kill
After H.H. Holmes’s execution, the Chicago Chronicles posted an article with this quote.
“Multimurderer, bigamist, seducer, resurrectionist, forger, thief and general swindler” The article also delved into the gruesome means of his murder chronicles. Especially how he had no reservations when it came to “weapons”. From poisoning to suffocation and even boiling his victim in a tub of oil, his list of slaughter gets terrifying to diabolical.
So, where did it all begin?
When H.H. Holmes made his first kill, he was not known by his deadly alias. At that point, he was just Herman, beginning his ii-famed schemes to con rich people out of their money. This is when we stroke first. Holmes’ first kill was fellow student Robert Leacock, whom he murdered for his insurance money.
The Murder Castle – Myth or Truth
In 1887, H.H. Holmes began building “The Castle”, later known as the murder castle. It was a regular-looking three-story building with an attached cellar.
Later, after he was convicted, this very building became known as the “Murder Castle.” However, there was sensational yellow paper journalism during that time, which brought many bizarre & bone-chilling facts to the public eye. Some of them were elaborate chutes that Holmes used to discard bodies in the basement of the hotel.
An extensive report by History claims some of them to be an exaggeration and a work of the tabloids. This created a dark air of controversy around his name during that time.
Undoubtedly, he did some heinous acts towards his victims, including torture and dismembering body parts; there was no proof of his hotel having trap doors or torture chambers.
According to his own testimonial, Holmes killed a total of 27 people, out of which 9 of the victims died within the hotel (according to evidence). There wasn’t also any proof that Holmes randomly killed hotel stayers. In fact, all the victims he killed were people he already knew.
This brings us to the motive of murders. Many said Holmes was a “self-proclaimed psychopath”. This means he wasn’t born a psychopath and, therefore, didn’t have the regular physiological or psychological traits of a psychopath.
The maniacal urge to cause pain is rooted in a deep-seated trauma. Psychopathic murderers often turn into serial killers because they get addicted to the chase. The feeling of a predator when they finally catch their prey. Oftentimes, they cannot even stop themselves.
However, for Herbert, the case was different. His only motive to kill was not like that of a psychopath, where manic insanity controls the man. In the case of H.H. Holmes, he was always in full control of his body & mind. Think BTK killer who was obsessed with inflicting pain on his victims.
His motive was money (…at least that was when he started killing). However, soon, he started that rush of dopamine as human flesh contacted his blade (or his other weapon of choice).
From a psychological point of view, keeping in mind his infernal charm and history of murder castle, he executed more of a sociopathic tendency.
How about we dive into H.H. Holmes’s mindset a little more? The thought behind the crime!
The Mindset – H.H Holmes
“There is nothing arbitrary in a morbid manifestation” – Sigmund Freud.
When I was researching H.H. Holmes’s Psychology Behind a Monster, I could not help but quote this.
Throughout the day, we have intrusive thoughts, which can sometimes be macabre. Although we do not personally pay much attention to them, according to Freud, there is a reason behind it.
According to his own statements, his motive behind the murder was to own the properties of his victims. This could be seen as a deep-seated need to hold power over people, and that drove him to commit most of his crimes. Plus, we cannot forget the biggest motive of all time “money.”
But are all his hellishly morbid manifestations for money? Let’s see what experts have to say!
His Childhood…
We have already discussed his strong catholic upbringing. Filled with strict rules & regulations. However, in a research paper by Forensic Scholars Today, there were some discoveries that could connect his behavior to childhood trauma.
Holmes & his siblings were subjected to horrible treatment by their father. Governed by the strict protocols of Catholicism, the man wanted to impart that to his children. This led to harsh disciplinary methods, food deprivation, and prolonged isolation as a punishment.
It was also reported that his father occasionally holds a kerosene-soaked rag over their mouth to stop them from crying. This is when Holmes found refuge in the forests and, most importantly, in dissecting the animals within.
Many account for it as the first sign of violence!
The Obsession with Human Anatomy
Blindsided by a few classmates, Holmes was forced to hide in a doctor’s chamber. This was his first encounter with a human skeleton model. This was the first spark towards his obsession with human anatomy.
Also, this was the first time he decided to follow in the field of medicine. Experts even account for this decision as his being highly driven by the obsession with the human body.
It was his morbid curiosity that led to him allegedly killing his childhood friend at the age of 11. Although never proven, an eyewitness said he saw Holmes standing close to his friend when he fell, giving him ample opportunities to push him.
Woman – His Victims – The Ultimate Lady Killer
Holmes picked young, vulnerable women with good fortune as his victims. This was not just a means to get their money but also to exert a feeling of domination over them.
His diabolical charm helped him lure a woman away from their families. This could be rooted in the signs of NPD (narcissistic personality disorder). Accounting for his manipulation skills and need for female attention.
At one point, he even had three wives in three different cities, albeit with good fortune. Holmes has confessed to killing at least one of them in his “murder castle”.
Georgina Yoke was the final “love interest” of Holmes. However, she flees after Holmes is arrested for insurance fraud. However, she did testify against Holmes in the trial, which gave us an inclination that she might have suspected him of crimes other than insurance fraud.
To End the Discussion!
In conclusion, Holmes was an apex predator who looked at his victims as mere mortals. They were just there for what he wanted in the end. His endless history of insurance frauds, where he created fictitious characters, named himself as beneficiary and then killed people to claim that money shows how little he cared about someone’s life.
With no sense of remorse, he carried on his ruse, picking people on the way to just create “dead bodies” to collect money.
Ultimately, H.H. Holmes was indeed a devil incarnated. With the charm of a diabolical sorcerer and excellent communication skills, he stepped on the face of earth to con people and inflict unimaginable pain.
At the end of the day, we cannot deny reading about them fills us with a sense of morbid fascination. Actions that are so unimaginable by one person are mundane to someone else. Want to know more? Read about other such morbid characters throughout history in our serial killer chronicle series.
Zodiac Killer Sketch.
Richard Ramirez
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