H. H. Holmes

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Lore & Background

After moving to Chicago in August 1886 under the alias Henry Howard Holmes, he came across a drugstore at the northwest corner of South Wallace Avenue and W. 63rd Street in the Englewood section. The drugstore's owner, Elizabeth Holton, gave Holmes a job; he proved to be a hardworking employee, eventually buying the store. He commissioned a three-story building on W. 63rd Street, which became known as the 'Murder Castle' in sensationalized tabloid accounts. These accounts claimed the structure contained secret torture chambers, trapdoors, gas chambers and a basement crematorium; none of these claims were true. Official findings suggest that the property was used for business, and that the irregular architecture was a product of fraud, rather than being designed to fulfill violent fantasies. The third-floor hotel was moderately sized, largely unremarkable and uncompleted due to Holmes's disputes with the builders. It did contain some hidden rooms, but they were used for hiding furniture Holmes bought on credit and did not intend to pay for. Holmes was convicted and sentenced to death for murdering Benjamin Pitezel, his accomplice in several of his cons. He confessed to twenty-seven murders, though some victims were verifiably still alive. He was hanged on May 7, 1896.

Reader's Guide

H. H. Holmes occupies a complex place in American criminal history. Since the 1990s, he has often been described as the first serial killer in U.S. history, but this characterization is contested. Author Adam Selzer writes: 'Just killing several people isn't necessarily enough for most definitions [of a serial killer]. More often, it has to be a series of similar crimes, committed over a period of time, usually more to satisfy a psychological urge on the killer's part than any more practical motive.' He adds: 'The murders we can connect 'Holmes' to generally had a clear motive: someone knew too much, or was getting in his way, and couldn't be trusted. The murders weren't simply for love of bloodshed but a necessary part of furthering his swindling operation and protecting his lifestyle.' Much of the lore surrounding Holmes, especially the 'Murder Castle,' is considered exaggerated or fabricated by yellow journalism of the period. Ineffective police investigation and hyperbolic reporting have allowed inaccuracies to persist as historical record. Holmes's own contradictory confessions—initially claiming innocence, later claiming he was possessed by Satan—further complicate the truth. For example, he claimed that Dr. Robert Leacock, a fellow medical school classmate, was one of his first murder victims, killed in 1886 for insurance money; however, Leacock died on October 5, 1889, in Watford, Ontario, Canada.

Did You Know?

• Holmes confessed to twenty-seven murders, but some of those people were verifiably still alive.
• The 'Murder Castle' on W. 63rd Street was gutted by a fire started by an unknown arsonist shortly after Holmes's arrest.
• Holmes claimed Dr. Robert Leacock was an early murder victim, but Leacock actually died on October 5, 1889, in Watford, Ontario, Canada.
• Holmes's third-floor hotel was moderately sized and uncompleted due to disputes with builders; hidden rooms were used to hide furniture bought on credit.
• Official findings suggest the irregular architecture of Holmes's building was a product of fraud, not designed for murder.