H. H Holmes

"The atrocities he committed are practically unequalled in the history of crime", wrote the Chicago Tribune in 1896, referring to the madness of H. H. Holmes.

He is considered to be the first American serial killer, killed 200 people in Chicago at the end of the 19th century. He built a hotel of horror in which to commit his murders. One hundred years on, his story continues to fascinate. His body was recently exhumed - just to see if it's really him in his grave.

Today we're going to talk to you about the Holmes case, starting with a quick look at who he was, then moving on to his castle of horror and finally his arrest.

Herman Webster Mudgett, better known as H.H. Holmes, was born into a wealthy family in Gilmanton, New Hampshire, in May 1860 to an abusive alcoholic father and an extremely religious mother who regularly read Bible passages to Herman. But he is a timid child, often harassed by his classmates. Plagued by morbid thoughts, he also begins to torture and kill animals…

His life of crime began quite early. After graduating as a pharmacy assistant, he forged a diploma from the Department of Medicine at the University of Michigan in 1884 in order to practise as a doctor. While studying there, Herman Webster Mudgett, with the help of an accomplice, stole bodies from the laboratory and disfigured them, then claimed that the people had been killed accidentally, in order to obtain money from the life insurance policies he had taken out on each of the deceased.

In 1885, he moved to Chicago and found work, under the pseudonym Dr Henry H. Holmes, in a pharmacy run by a Dr Holton. Since Dr Holton was suffering from prostate cancer, it was his wife who ran the business. She saw Holmes as a exemplary employee and he eventually became manager of the shop. When Dr Holton died in 1887, his widow sold her business shares to Holmes. One day, she disappeared without a trace. When people ask about her possible return, Holmes replies that she has gone to California without leaving an address…

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CONCLUSION:

Finally in 1896, the murderer was hanged in Philadelphia County Jail. In accordance with his last wishes, he was buried under two tonnes of concrete. He did not want his body to suffer the same treatment after his death that he had inflicted on his victims.

Since his death, there have been many legends. It is said that those who took part in his trial died in mysterious circumstances. And that he even managed to persuade his guards to hang him, thus escaping death… Is it really Holmes who is buried in the Holy Cross cemetery in Yeadon, Pennsylvania? To put these century-old rumours to rest once and for all, a judge authorised the exhumation of his body at the beginning of 2017. It was finally thanks to his teeth that scientists were able to confirm his identity. Yes, Holmes did die on the day of his execution.

This case has been a source of inspiration for many directors. Leonardo DiCaprio, for example, has bought the rights to adapt Erik Larson's bestseller The Devil in the White City, which focuses on the Holmes character, and a series project may be in the offing in the next few months…

We've chosen to talk to you about this case because we read about it in this book (showing it) and we think

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