H.H.Holmes
“I was born with the devil in me. I could not help the fact that I was a murderer, no more than the poet can help the inspiration to sing… I was born with the Evil One standing as my sponsor beside the bed where I was ushered into the world, and he has been with me since.” Those are the words in the 1896 confession of Herman Webster Mudgett better known under the alias of Dr. Henry Howard Holmes. H. H. Holmes was one of the first documented American serial killers in the modern sense of the term. In Chicago at the time of the 1893 World’s Fair, Holmes opened a hotel which he designed and built for himself specifically with murder in mind. This was the location of many of his tortuous murders, which could range to over 200 people (movie).
Mudgett a.k.a Holmes was born on May 16, 1860, in Gilmantown, New Hampshire to Levi Horton Mudgett and his wife Theodate Page Price. He was a sibling to a brother and a sister. The family was well respected and known to be devout Methodists. However, Herman’s father was an alcoholic showed him “love” by beating him on a regular basis (movie).
Holmes was a smaller boy so he was an easy target for the bullies around town. There was an incident with these bullies after they found out that Holmes had a fear of the local doctor’s office, two older classmates waited until the doctor left his office. Once the doctor left, the two older boys forced Herman into the office where they forced him over to a skeleton. Herman was hysterical as the skeleton’s bony fingers touched his face. Ironically, the bullies had brought him there to scare him, which it did, however, it also made him open to a world of utter fascination. By the age of 11, he was conducting “experiments” on animals (movie).
Furthermore, these fascinations lead Holmes to purse a degree in medical school. In 1884 he graduated with a medical degree from University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. By this time he was a con artist and would claim thousands from insurance companies.
Mudgett a.k.a Holmes was born on May 16, 1860, in Gilmantown, New Hampshire to Levi Horton Mudgett and his wife Theodate Page Price. He was a sibling to a brother and a sister. The family was well respected and known to be devout Methodists. However, Herman’s father was an alcoholic showed him “love” by beating him on a regular basis (movie).
Holmes was a smaller boy so he was an easy target for the bullies around town. There was an incident with these bullies after they found out that Holmes had a fear of the local doctor’s office, two older classmates waited until the doctor left his office. Once the doctor left, the two older boys forced Herman into the office where they forced him over to a skeleton. Herman was hysterical as the skeleton’s bony fingers touched his face. Ironically, the bullies had brought him there to scare him, which it did, however, it also made him open to a world of utter fascination. By the age of 11, he was conducting “experiments” on animals (movie).
Furthermore, these fascinations lead Holmes to purse a degree in medical school. In 1884 he graduated with a medical degree from University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. By this time he was a con artist and would claim thousands from insurance companies.