Herman webster mudgett 18611896 posted on 20 may, 2006 by janice brown herman webster mudgett, using the alias of dr. He also ran elaborate life insurance scams, which led to his arrest and conviction. Mudgett was born into a wealthy family and showed signs of high intelligence from an early age. Herman webster mudgett may 16, 1861 may 7, 1896, better known as dr. If you want the straight dope, and not just the legend about mudgett holmes, read adam selzers h. It turns out that jeff is actually the greatgreatgrandson of herman webster mudgett, better known as h. We are here to determine if the state of pennsylvania has proven by a preponderance of the evidence whether the remains exhumed from holy cross cemetery have been positively identified as the killer herman webster mudgett, aka, h. The american serial killer was in his book bloodstains, jeff mudgett tries to convince readers that his purported ancestor, american serial killer h. Holmes, whose prodigious sexual appetite and morbid preoccupation with his wish to develop a race of giants led him to torture, kill, and cremate his victims in the.
Born and raised in gilmanton, nh, mudgett came from a prominent family. Holmes simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The full, untold story of serial killer made famous in erik larsons international bestseller the devil in the white city. Holmes, mudget was a prolific serial killer who operated in the late 19th century. Henry howard holmes, the infamous chicago serial killer who operated a murder hotel near the 1893 chicago worlds fair. Girls flock to his drugstore business in hordes, hoping to meet the young, single doctor with striking blue eyes once likened to the eyes of a mesmerist 1. Henry howard holmes was born in 1861 as herman webster mudgett in gilmanton, new hampshire. The american ripper investigator has family ties to h. The american serial killer was in his book bloodstains, jeff mudgett tries to convince readers that his purported ancestor, american serial killer. The devil in the city of brotherly love home facebook. The author is a direct descendant of serial killer herman webster mudgett, aka h. Although several books portray holtons husband as an old man who quickly vanished along with his wife, dr. However, the chicago fair became better known for the socalled murder castle of h.
Holmes, may 16, 1861 to may 7, 1896 was a con artist and bigamist who was one of americas first serial killers. Henry howard holmes was a notorious american serial killer. Henry howard holmes, was one of the first documented serial killers in the modern sense of the term. Holmes, the depraved supervillain celebrated as the devil in the white city. Handsome, rich, and with an operating table in his basementhes quite the catch. Herman webster mudgett, better known by the name of dr. Herman webster mudgett is one of the most notorious and prolific serial killers in history. Fueled by an intense desire for money, holmes sought the fastest way. Holmes, and bloodstains is a compelling account of coming to terms with that knowledge. Hw mudgett md alias dr hh holmes, gilmanton, new hampshire. He may have killed as many as 200 people, though he admitted to only 27. He killed at least 27 women during the 1893 worlds columbian exposition e. The reasoning behind his murders is twisted and is very hard to place under just one deviance theory.
Born herman webster mudgett, holmes is twentysix when he arrives in chicagos englewood. The journey of enlightenment for herman webster mudgett did not end on the moyamensing prison gallows, it was only. The case was notorious in its time, and received wide publicity via a series of articles in william randolph hearsts newspapers. The books were compiled by fred clarke, who also wrote the forward. Larsen wrote the libretto for this work based on his confessions and the accounts of detective robert corbitt. Holmes, is known as americas first, and possibly even its most prolific, serial killer of all time. Harry gordon, it turned out, was one of several aliases employed by one herman webster mudgett. Identitfy the exhumed remains as herman webster mudgett, aka, h. Henry howard holmes, is one of americas first noted serial murderers. Holmes trapped, tortured, and murdered possibly hundreds of guests at his chicago hotel, which he opened for the 1893 worlds fair. Including wellknown figures from stalin to jack the ripper to bin laden, obscure characters like king astyges, who punished a servant by feeding the man his own. Poison doc americas first serial killer herman webster.
Born with the unfortunate moniker herman mudgett in new hampshire. Herman webster mudgett may 16, 1861 may 7, 1896, better known under the name of dr. As a con artist and bigamist, he fled from one town to. Confessions of the serial killer hh holmes illustrated. Holmes, the pseudonym of new hampshireborn physician herman webster mudgett, is believed to have killed an undetermined number people at his hotel of horrors. Smart, goodlooking and charismatic, he enrolled in medical school with a bright future ahead of him. Herman webster mudgett and his murderous escapades in chicago while using the alias dr. I was intrigued because i remember being fascinated when my book club read devil in the white city by erik larson many years ago. Many victims were said to have been killed in a mixeduse building which he owned, located about 3 miles west of the 189. Herman webster mudgett was one of the first documented serial killers in america. If you want the straight dope, and not just the legend about mudgett holmes, read adam selzers. Herman webster mudgett may 16, 1861 may 7, 1896, better known under the alias of dr. He is said to have killed as many as 200, though this figure is only traceable to 1940s pulp magazines.
Twentyseven lives sacrificed to this monstrous ogres insatiable appetite by herman w mudgett book 1. He soon found work in a pharmacy, using his now infamous alias, dr. In 1861, herman webster mudgett was born in new hampshire. Herman webster mudgett, better known under the name of dr. Judie mudgett explore judie mudgett s 2,338 photos on flickr. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading confessions of the serial killer h. A serial killer in his own words mudgett, dr herman, holmes, h. Herman webster mudgett 1861 1896 family tree on geni, with over 200 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives.
Who was the evilest of the evil, the baddest of the bad. Holmes and the murder castle of chicago legends of. Holmes illustrated kindle edition by mudgett aka h. Herman webster mudgett or as he would come to be known later, dr. Jeff mudgett was living a normal life as a practicing attorney when at age 40 he was thrust into the most harrowing chapter of his life. A graduate of the university of michigan medical school class of 1884. Holmes was the first identified american serial killer. Herman webster mudgett author of confessions of the serial killer.
Holmes real name herman webster mudgett arrived in chicago in 1886, he was a wanted man. Holmes, lured victims into an elaborate murder castle during the chicago worlds columbian exposition of 1893. A collection of startling photographic images commissioned by hw mudgett, depicting the crimes of his. For armies of armchair thrill seekers and shudder hounds everywhere, the evil 100 presents a cold, heartless ranking of the worlds 100 most malevolent people, past and present. Herman webster mudgett, the medical student settling in chicago murders in the mansion the worlds deadliest fair suicide or murder americas first serial killer and much more. Which serial killer and doctor murdered at least 215 middleaged and elderly. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Said to have killed as many as 200 people, he would eventually confess. While some of the facts support the theory, many do not. Mudgett was more popularly known by his alias as dr. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. While he confessed to 27 murders, only nine could be plausibly confirmed and several of the people he claimed to have murdered were still alive. Holmes, the pseudonym of new hampshireborn physician herman webster mudgett, is believed to have killed an undetermined number people at his hotel of horrors during the 1893 chicago worlds fair. Learning the facts about his ancestry plunged mudgett into a full investigation about the forefather from which he unexpectedly learned he was descended, the infamous serial killer, h.
Thanks to erik larsons bestselling book and many other books. This biography profiles his childhood, life, crimes etc. Jeffs greatgreatgrandfather was a man named herman webster mudgett, better known as dr. In his book bloodstains, jeff mudgett tries to convince readers that his purported ancestor. Holmes, one of americas first wellknown serial killers, is hanged to death in philadelphia, pennsylvania.