A Brief History
On November 17, 1894, the murderous career of HH Holmes, one of the first modern documented serial killers, came to an end when he was arrested in Boston, Massachusetts. A thoroughly evil man, Holmes not only was a killer, he was also a bigamist, kidnapper, and con artist. In fact, he actually had a “house of horrors” hotel built specifically so he could murder people and dispose of the bodies covertly! His actual death toll is unknown, but estimates as high as 200 seem possible.
Digging Deeper
The World’s Fair Hotel located in Chicago, Illinois, was built by Holmes (actually born Herman Mudgett in New Hampshire in 1861) was 3 stories high and a block long, earning it the local name of “The Castle,” later referred to as “The Murder Castle.” Holmes had secret passages and rooms built into the building that only he knew the layout of, and used these to grab his victims and send them to the basement unseen via a special chute built into the walls. Soundproof rooms and gas pipes to suffocate his victims were part of the structure. He even had a secret room for hanging people, he called “The Hanging Chamber.” A large bank vault was also used to suffocate people, the thick steel keeping their cries unheard. Lime pits and furnaces in the basement were used to dispose of the bodies. The building also contained the pharmacy Holmes ran as his overt occupation.
Holmes/Mudgett often took out life insurance policies on the wives of his employees, collecting the payoff when they mysteriously died. Holmes suffered from chronic money problems despite his insurance scams, business, and other scams he ran. A scheme to fake his own death and collect a huge insurance settlement was hatched, and Holmes traveled around the country to avoid creditors and detectives, marrying and having children along the way. In one insurance scam, Holmes conspired with his partner in crime to fake the partner’s death and collect the money, but Holmes just killed the guy anyway! (It does not pay to scheme with a serial killer. Lesson learned too late.)
Once Holmes was arrested and the depths of his depravity began to unravel, searches of his hotel of horrors found evidence of numerous bodies disposed of there. Partially due to some confessions (including to 27 murders) by Holmes, the nut case murderer was convicted of (only) 9 murders the authorities could definitely pin on him and was sentenced to death. Holmes was executed by hanging in 1896, and instead of a quick and easy death from a broken neck, Holmes slowly strangles for 15 minutes, at least some sort of justice for this monster.
Holmes Murder Castle suffered an arson fire in 1895 and was heavily damaged, but was repaired and was not torn down until 1938. A Post Office sits on the hotel’s former location.
The creepy life of only 34 years is so convoluted with so many schemes, crimes, redundant marriage, kids and shenanigans with insurance and other schemes, we can only give the slightest hint of the complicated life and crimes of this psychopath. If you are into reading about murder and serial killers, we would recommend Herman Mudgett, aka HH Holmes as a fine subject to study, but only if you do not fear nightmares!
Question for students (and subscribers): If you were the judge in Holmes’s trial, what sentence would you have given to him? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Griffith, William and Adam Selzer. The Murder Castle of HH Holmes: Expanded Edition (full length, newly edited): An annotated scrapbook of pictures, diagrams, eyewitness accounts, legal records, and more from Mysterious Chicago. Mysterious Chicago, 2013.
Schechter, Harold. Depraved: The Definitive True Story of H.H. Holmes, Whose Grotesque Crimes Shattered Turn-of-the-Century Chicago. Gallery Books, 2008.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="14914 https://www.historyandheadlines.com/?p=14914">89 Comments
I never knew that Holmes was so riveting. Even with all of his infractions to the law doesn’t mean he deserves to slowly strangle for 15 minutes.
wow this guy had a serious issue, i guess that’s our first Jason or Michael Myers, should have seeked therapy first.
Wow! I cannot believe that he had a hotel build with secret passage ways so that he could get his victims into the basement to kill them.
As a Chicago native, this both interests me and frightens me. I wonder if Holmes ever had a copycat?
Murder mysteries such as 20/20 and Dateline have always interested me and it is something I am very educated on. Although I have heard of HH Holmes, I never knew that he was the first modern documented serial killers.
Felt like I was reading a movie description not a real life story. What am psycho, killing innocent people to get money is disgusting. I’m glad he was strangled for 15 minutes and didn’t die immediately!
I already knew about him prior to reading this article. I love learning about serial killers, not to sound crazy or anything.
I have heard about this but never knew that all of this happened. Very terrifying that he would sneak around and take people to the soundproof rooms and kill them.
This is terrifying yet so interesting. It makes you think about why people become killers…
His life is as close to a horror film as it could get. I have also heard that H.H. Holmes could have also been Jack the Ripper.
It sounds very close to the plot of the American Horror Story Hotel season. It is amazing that so many people disappeared at the hotel and no one put two and two together.
This article was a horrifying story line, and it really amazes me that I had not heard of H.H Holmes before reading. After years of studying in various psychology courses and famous psychopath names, Holmes was one that proved to be among the most ill-minded.
This was so interesting yet scary. It is like a real life scary movie
this is interesting but is scary.
I only hope that the nicknames for the building were given after the fact. If people believed something bad was happening, then I would expected it would have been investigated, even back then.
There is well done documentary about H.H. Holmes called “H. H. Holmes: America’s first serial killer” I believe it was made in the early 2000’s. What the article doesn’t tell you is that he was a handsome, smooth talking man, this is how he lured many of his female victims. He also sold the bones of some of his victims to universities to subsidize his income.
I used to read a lot of true crime stories involving serial killers, but have not heard of him. He must have been pretty brilliant to pull all this off for so long. Stunning what the sociopathic mind can do to a person.
What a nut-job this guy was! Seems like he thrived on dysfunction in every aspect of his life. I think it his “castle” would make an interesting museum if it were still standing today. I’m not saying I would go there, just that it might be interesting to other people. I think I might even have an issue going into the post office that is built on the lot now. I wonder if there are any haunting stories form that post office, it wouldn’t surprise me!
I’ve never heard of this guy but he definitely seems like he would be an interesting one to study.
This doesn’t even sound like it could be real. If this isn’t a horror movie already, I bet these true events would be the perfect plot line for one! I’m trying to imagine how Holmes was able to get away with having a murder castle in populated Chicago. Wouldn’t the smell of decomposing flesh cause people to question the whereabouts going on in the hotel? I have many curiosities after reading this article!
This guy was sick but to plot the way he would kill people in the hotel definitely makes him a psycho. I wonder how his child life was? Was he abused or did see something growing up that screwed with is mind?
I can’t believe this is someone’s real life and he had no respect for human life to take so many other lives. It was almost like reading a script from a horror movie in which I am sure it will become one someday!
It’s crazy to see someone have no remorse or feeling for what they did. I always wonder if someone was born this way or if their lifestyle made them like this.
Technology today would never allow such acts to go on for so long. Shows how far law enforcement and forensics have come.
Holmes was a monster to say the least. He built a huge building specifically for killing other people. Granted he did run his ‘Day business” in the building.
This monster of a human actually had secret torture chambers throughout this house of horrors. Hopefully the post office that sits where the building used to reside is not haunted.
Even though Holmes was a horrific human being you have to admit he was also a genius. One of histories most notorious serial killers his plans for the hotel and all his schemes were actually brilliant and way ahead of their time. It would have been great if he used his intelligence for better purposes.
While reading this article, I think of the TV show American Horror Story. There was a season of the show that used a hotel that had secret places where the original owner tortured a lot of people and murdered them. I wonder if there was a relation to Holmes.
Wow, Holmes was the true definition of a psychopath. Reading this story literally sent chills down my back I would have been so scared. I can’t believe they put a postal office on the corner of where that place was just spooky. Hanging him for a slow fifteen minutes wasn’t long enough if you ask me just my opinion.
I can not fathom the idea the idea that Holmes was able to get away with all those murders for so long. You would think people would catch on that people were going to the hotel but were not coming out. He sounds as he was a Jeffrey Dahmer of his day.
Holmes is a truly unbelievable case. The fact that someone couldoes commit so many crimes for so long without getting caught is hard to wrap my mind around.
Holmes was a true definition of a monster. His murdering career is horrific but absolutely fascinating. Ed Gein is another serial killer that is horrifying. I learned that Silence of the Lambs, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and American Psycho were all based off of Gein.
This article does not surprise me because since I have been in law enforcement I have seen that people can evil. Holmes is a prime example of a serial killer and monster, but during those times people could go on notice because people would not think of someone doing things like he did. But look at what happen in Cleveland with Castro, and his own neighbors never had a clue.
He was a real live monster. He had all the killings and continued to run the motel while the bodies stayed their in the motel. Then to get life insurance on the wives of employees so he could collect made him that much more of a monster.
Holmes was for sure a monster. Thank god he was arrested. He did so many creepy things like who has a murder castle with secert rooms in it.
The first time I’ve heard of him was the show Hellavator. His story gives me chills every time I hear about it.
Sounds exactly like the plot of American Horror Story last season. (Minus the vampires)
HH Holmes got off easy. The monster should have suffered the same way that his victims endored
One of the many things I will never understand, and well I guess it is a good thing that I don’t understand, how someone can just take the life of someone else. Not to mention the life of hundreds of people with no remorse and have no comprehension that this is wrong. I for one will not be reading any of his books as I do not like scary movies, books or even Halloween.
I feel those who do evil should have the same done to them, they should feel the pain of their victims. It is unbelievable that he merely got a death sentence, although it was a slow death it is nothing compared to what he did to his victims.
I first learned about HH Homes in the book Devil in the White City. It is an amazing and horrible story.
He sounds like he was a true dyed in the wool sociopath during his brief life.Holmes had more bodies on him than a Chinese cemetery.
Wow! He was a horrible person. Definitely one to be remembered. At least he finally got caught and was executed.
This is unbelievable! How can someone be such an awful person. Glad he was caught and executed. Took long enough.
EEK! First I have ever heard of him, thank goodness! Yuck!
I had never heard about him until now, It is crazy that he was able to kill an estimated 200 people! I am glad he was finally caught to prevent any more deaths from being added to that number.
This sounds like a house of horror! I am glad that he suffered in some way. I know its not much, but some sort of “justice” was served. 200 people… I wonder how someone can do that and walk the streets calmly?
WOW! This is the first time I have ever heard of him! How could someone take the life of someone! I never understood that, some people have nasty minds that choose to do such things. Good thing he was caught!
I found it shocking that Holmes was able to kill around an estimated 200 people, in addition to being a bigamist, kidnapper, and con artist. There is no doubt that he was a thoroughly evil man! I’m surprised law enforcement did not catch on to his evil ways sooner. I did find some satisfaction knowing that he suffered a very slow death when they hanged him in 1896.
This is insane! I can’t believe that something this gruesome happened that long ago. Scary to think what runs through the minds of these types of people when doing such heinous crimes.
I have read about this man before. I wonder if the people who work in the post office have fears of it being haunted or cursed?
I couldn’t imagine a place of such tragedy! How did it go on so long with so many victims and not be noticed?? Seems pretty scary. I am glad that no one really has the capability to do this much damage nowadays.
I would not want to work at the post office that sits where the murder castle once was!
I never heard of this guy before until a show my dad started watching called timeless these 3 people go back in time and then just so happen to have gone back during 1894 HH Holmes and they got trapped in the vault.
This is a new one for me, I have never heard of HH Holmes. Interesting to know the man had multiple wives with no question of their disappearance. Furthermore, it is absolutely amazing how he could hide the murders of approximately 200 people. Also, I wonder if the post office that is now built on the property of where the “Murder Castle” once sat is haunted.
I’ve actually never heard of him before. But he seems to have gotten the punishment he deserved!
Over 200 murders is astounding. His numbers were high due to being able to contain them in one place where as, ironically, most serial murderers dump their victims in various places so they do not get caught. The castle site became a post office? Any connection to “going postal?”
The hotel Holmes was building is earning the name called “castle” by the local people. It seems the castle has some places are too convert, his 27 murders were making people feel scared, he finally reserve a slowing death which could making him know that death is painful and scary.
I have never heard of him before. Sounds like he was a truly evil person and got what he deserved.
The murder castle is a hotel located at Chicago made by Holmes. It was hateful and scary that he was hiding the dead people’s body in the hotel and he was killing about 200 people. I think the slowing death to him would make public feel satisfied at that time.
It’s always fascinating to me to read about such cases of murder mystery. How he got away with killing so many without anybody catching on is beyond me…you’d think the haunted hotel might earn a bad reputation that the local authorities could have figured out.
Okay, I had read about this beforehand, so reading it again really kinda freaked me out. Like, this guy was insane. Creepy.
The fact that one man could do so much evil is very scary. I have to give him credit though. He had to be extremely smart to come up with all the secret passages and ways to kill people. If only he used his knowledge for good.
It is crazy that he could have killed up to 200 people. He must have been very mentally sick to be able to think and create his hotel of horrors. I am amazed that anyone was willing to marry this man and have children with him. It is scary that someone is capable of such evil.
As a criminal justice major, the story of H.H. Holmes and his “Murder Castle” fascinates me! I was shocked about the lengths he went to just to kill innocent people, such as devising a whole hotel filled with secret passages and special hidden chutes to make sure that his victims disappeared without a trace. I think it’s so interesting to learn about serial killers, and I want to do more research on Holmes. I really wish that this hotel had not burned down, I would have loved to visit it!
H.H. Holmes and his Murder Castle fascinates me. Although he was suspected to have killed 200 people and that does seem like an insane amount, I am actually surprised the numbers are not higher. For owning and running a hotel specifically designed to torture and kill people I feel like he would have kidnapped more than 200 people.
It kinda creeps me out that HH Holmes had a hotel that was notorious for his murders. To have rooms where he would hang, suffocate, and kill people in was creepy. It is weird how no one really found out until later that he was doing this. I would not want to stay there at all
I thought this was really interesting to learn about. I can’t believe how much he got away with. I believe there is a movie or tv series coming out about this.
Its fascinating that Holmes had secret tunnels that only he knew how to navigate. That’s dedication!
“The Murder Castle” is one of the most terrifying things I have ever heard of. I can’t imagine being trapped inside of the secret chambers.
This is crazy! It reminds me of something you would see on “American Horror Story.” I can’t believe that this actually happened in real history.
This is something straight out of Criminal Minds. While these stories always fascinate me, they also disgust me! It is crazy that someone had a structure that elaborate in the 1800s.
The whole story is really bizarre! The horrors of that man’s mind stretches reality, and it’s all honestly pretty unsettling.
This almost doesn’t sound real because it is so disturbing! I can’t believe that there have actually been people like this in history, and maybe even today.
I think this story is crazy! People would come to this so called hotel then randomly die and no one else would know that someone died there..
I can’t believe how cynical this man was. He built a hotel with secret passages so that he could sneak up on his victim. How dark is that? I think I would really enjoy reading further about him.
I have never heard of “The Murder Castle” before and I cannot even image something like this actually existing. This man is terrifying and disturbing.
With all of the horror movies and real-life stories of murder, I would think that this would be a name that we would know more about. What a horrible human.
I think this is the first time I have ever heard of Homes, which is quite surprising. This man is disturbing.
This is the first time that I have ever hear of HH Holmes which is crazy because this man killed 200 people! This seems like a story that would have been picked up by a horror movie! A very disturbing man and still amazed we haven’t heard more about him
Before learning about his man in class, I had not heard of him before but this topic is extremely interesting to me! I cannot imagine how he possibly killed up to 200 people but was only convicted of 9 murders that they were able to pin point on him.
I think that is is sick that someone could kill so many people and be smart enough to get away with so many of them. It makes you wonder what was really going on in his mind and why he did it.
I do not enjoy learning about people such as Homes. I do not understand what goes on in the minds of people like this
It is crazy that out of all of the famous serial killers, I have never heard of Holmes before! I can’t even imagine what would have had to go through his mind in order to kill 200 people.
It is amazing that when designing his hotel, there was never any question on the purpose of a room with no opening but a ceiling hatch. Also, how did no one notice people disappearing. Even if they were from out of town, not even staff noticed.
I can’t trust how pessimistic this man was. He assembled an inn with mystery entries so he could sneak up on his casualty. How dim is that? I figure I would truly appreciate perusing further about him.
HH Holmes so far has been my favorite person to learn about in class. It is so interesting that he was able to elaborately construct a hotel specifically for killing, and to get away with it for so long and to kill so many people. Very genius, and I would love to dig deeper into his mind.
With someone killing around 200 people, I thought I would have heard about this guy sooner than just now..
Perfect article to read, since it’s October and close to Halloween! This is fascinating how he constructed a hotel only with the intent to murder the guests. I wonder if Arthur Conan Doyle named his character Holmes after HH Holmes due to his mysterious personality.
What a sick and distorted man. It is a wonder why people would keep going to his hotel with all these people disappearing and murdered. Didn’t anyone ever go to the police and wonder what happened to their love one. In the end he got what he deserved.