The Devil in the White City

 

H. H. Holmes, whose real name was Herman Webster Mudgett, was a notorious American serial killer who confessed to the murders of 27 people during the late 19th century. He is often referred to as America's first serial killer.

Holmes was born in New Hampshire in 1861 and had a troubled childhood. He was reportedly fascinated with death and had a habit of torturing animals. After graduating from high school, he attended the University of Michigan's Department of Medicine and Surgery but dropped out before completing his degree.

Holmes moved to Chicago in the late 1880s and began working at a drugstore owned by a man named Dr. E. S. Holton. When Holton died, Holmes bought the drugstore from his widow and turned it into a hotel that he called the "World's Fair Hotel." The hotel was a labyrinthine structure that contained secret rooms, soundproofed bedrooms, and a gas chamber. Holmes used these features to lure guests into his hotel and then murder them.

Holmes was eventually caught and convicted of one murder, that of his business partner, Benjamin Pitezel. He was hanged in 1896, and his body was buried in an unmarked grave.

MO

H. H. Holmes' modus operandi (MO) involved luring victims into his hotel, where he would trap and kill them. He would often select vulnerable individuals, such as single women or travelers who were unlikely to be missed. Holmes would charm his victims, offering them jobs or lodging, before eventually leading them to a room in the hotel where he had rigged various deadly devices.

The World's Fair Hotel, also known as the "Murder Castle," was designed to facilitate Holmes' killing spree. The hotel contained a series of trapdoors, secret passages, and soundproof rooms. Holmes would lead his victims through the maze-like hotel before ultimately leading them to a room where he would kill them. Some victims were asphyxiated by gas, while others were strangled, beaten, or suffocated.

Holmes also used his medical training to dispose of the bodies. He would dissect his victims' bodies, strip them of their flesh, and sell their skeletons to medical schools. He also used quicklime to dissolve their remains.

Holmes was a cunning and manipulative killer who was able to evade detection for several years. His MO was characterized by careful planning, deception, and a willingness to exploit the trust of his victims.

H. H. Holmes' nickname was "The Devil in the White City." The nickname came from the title of a book by Erik Larson, which chronicles Holmes' crimes and the events surrounding the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, also known as the "White City." The book describes how Holmes used the fair to lure his victims to his hotel, which was located near the fairgrounds. The nickname has become synonymous with Holmes' heinous crimes and his ability to evade detection for so long.

Holmes' crimes and the mystery surrounding his life have inspired numerous books, movies, and TV shows. He remains a fascinating and infamous figure in American criminal history.

What do you think his prognosis was? What led to such aggressive behavior?