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Herman Webster Mudgett
“Dr. H.H Holmes or Beast of Chicago”
Information researched and summarized by
Rebecca Kerns, Tiffany Lewis, Caitlin McClure
Department of Psychology Radford University Radford, VA 24142-
Date Age Life Event
1852 Sister, Ellen M. Mudgett, is born (U.S. Census lists Ellen as being 7 in 1860 and 18 in 1870). 1857 Brother, Arthur P. Mudgett, is born (U.S. Census lists Arthur as being 3 in 1860 and 13 in
Born as Herman Webster Mudgett in Gilmanton, New Hampshire to Theodate Page Price and Levi Horton Mudgett. Some sources list his year of birth as 1860 but the New Hampshire, Birth and Christenings Index, 1714-1904 , lists it as 1861 as does Mudgett in his confession.
10/15/1864 3 Brother, Henry Levi Mudgett, is born (U.S. Census lists Henry as being 5 in 1870 and 16 in 1880). 1867 6 Bullied and tortured by schoolmates. A dead body was thrown on him. 1870 9 According to the 1870 U.S. Census, Herman is living with his family in Gilmanton, New Hampshire (Belknap County) 1871 10 Sister, Mary A. Mudgett, is born (1880 U.S. Census lists Mary as being 9 in 1880). 1877 16 Graduated high school with honors from Gilmanton Academy
07/04/1878 17 Married Clara A. Lovering (18) in Alton, New Hampshire (Source: New Hampshire, Marriage Records Index, 1637-1947) 1878 17 Completed one year at Dartmouth University before transferring to the University of Vermont at Burlington.
Mudgett and wife, Clara, have their first child, Robert Lovering Mudgett, in Loudon, New Hampshire. This information is also supported by the 1880 U.S. Census listing Loudon as Mudgett’s city of residence and Robert as being 4 months old at the time of the Census. Herman, Clara, and Robert are living with Clara’s parents at this time. Herman’s occupation is listed as “Farm at Home”
1882 21
Mudgett enrolls in the University of Vermont Medical School before transferring to the University of Michigan after less than a year (Source: University of Vermont Registrar’s Office, personal communication, 11-21-2012) 1883 Started medical school at the University of Michigan. Mudgett was briefly expelled from medical school for stealing corpses but was soon readmitted. 06/1884 23 Graduated from the University of Michigan medical school and moved to Minneapolis where he began work as a pharmacist at a drug store. Mudgett was now using the name of
Harry Howard Holmes. Holmes moved from Minneapolis to Philadelphia, PA to work at a drug store
Moved to the Chicago suburb of Englewood, Illinois and began working at a drug store owned by Mrs. E. S. Holton. Holmes convinced Mrs. Holton to give him the drug store in exchange for a promise of marriage. Mrs. Holton and her daughter quickly disappeared and Holmes is suspected of killing them. 1886 25 First victim, Dr. Robert Leacock, was a former friend from medical school. Killed in Chicago by a dose of Laudanum in order to secure $40,000 in insurance money.
01/28/1887 25 Married Myrta B. Belknep (23) under the name of Harry Howard Holmes in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 02/14/1887 25 Filed to divorce Clara in Superior Court of Cook County, Illinois.
Late 1887 26 Killed Dr. Russell in Chicago, Illinois during an argument about rent for the “The Castle”. Holmes sold Russell’s body for money. Early 1888 26 Bought land for “The Castle”, his hotel. 1888 27 Fifth victim, Rodgers, killed in Morgantown, West Virginia during a fishing trip. 1888 27 Sixth victim, Charles Cole, killed by blow to head with gas pipe. Holmes sold Cole’s body for money. 1888 27 Seventh victim, Lizzie, worked at “The Castle” as a waitress and was suffocated in the vault. Was also first person to be killed in “The Castle”. 1888 27 Eighth victim was Mrs. Sarah Cook and her unborn child was the ninth victim. 1888 27 Tenth victim was Miss Mary Haracamp. Killed because she witnessed the disposal of victims eight and nine.
12/22/1888 27 Mudgett’s brother, Henry Levi Mudgett, marries Minnie B. Shields in Randolph, Massachusetts 07/04/1889 28 Mudgett and Myrta give birth to a daughter, Lucy Theodate Holmes in Englewood, IL. 06/1890 29 “The Castle” construction was complete. 07/1890 29 Mudgett sold his drug store across the street from “The Castle”. 11/1890 29 Ned Conner is hired by Holmes to manage The Castle. Ned, his wife Julia (nee Smythe), and their daughter Pearl move into an apartment in The Castle. 03/ Julia and Holmes are having an affair. Julia refuses to stop the affair and Ned moves out and takes a job with another company.
12/25/1891 30 Julia L. Conner and her daughter Pearl Conner were killed by Holmes. Julia was Holmes’ employee (a cashier) with whom he was having an affair. 05/1892 31 Emeline Cigrand is recruited by Holmes to work for him at The Castle. They begin an affair and plan on a December wedding.
12/06/1892 31 Holmes kills Emeline by locking her into his giant safe and letting her suffocate. Holmes eventually sold her skeleton to the LaSalle (or University of Chicago) Medical School. 1891 29 Holmes kills Emeline Cigrand, Rosinie Van Jassand, Robert, Lattimer, Gertie Smythe (21, Julia Conner’s sister), Kate Gorky, Wes Warner, a local banker, and an unknown person 02/08/1892 30 Poisoned Virginia Anna Betts (WF, 24) in Chicago, IL 03/1893 31 Meets Miss Georgiana Yoke in Chicago. Later in 1893 they become engaged. 1893 31 Female victim #19 killed by use of chloroform. 07/11/1893 Holmes poisons Anna (Nannie) and Minnie Williams to death in Chicago, IL 01/17/1894 32 Married Georgiana Yoke in Denver, CO.
07/19/1894 33 Holmes was arrested in St. Louis and ultimately is sentenced to prison for fraud and selling mortgaged property. 07/28/1894 33 Holmes was released on bail. 07/29/1894 33 Holmes was re-arrested and again sent to prison. 07/31/1894 33 Holmes was again released on bail furnished by Mrs. Yoke. 1894 33 Victims 20-23 killed.
09/01/1894 33 Benjamin F. Pitezel, Holmes’ boarding house manager, is buried alive in Philadelphia, PA, so that Holmes could collect on Pitezel’s $10,000 insurance policy. 10/10/1894 33 Victim #25, Howard Pitezel, poisoned, chopped, and burned for financial gain. 10/25/1894 33 Victim #26, Alice Pitezel, burned in stove by gas then buried.
Cognitive Ability Highest grade in school 21 Highest degree M.D. Grades in school A’s and B’s IQ Source of IQ information Work History Served in the military? No Branch Type of discharge Saw combat duty Killed enemy during service? Applied for job as a cop? No Worked in law enforcement? No Fired from jobs? No Types of jobs worked Hotel owner plus multiple small businesses Employment status during series Small business owner
Relationships
Sexual preference Heterosexual Marital status Married Number of children 2 Lives with his children No Living with Spouse
Triad
Animal torture Yes Fire setting Yes Bed wetting No
Killer Psychological Information
Abused drugs? No Abused alcohol? No Been to a psychologist (prior to killing)? No Time in forensic hospital (prior to killing)? No Diagnosis No
Killer Criminal History (Prior to the series)
Committed previous crimes? Yes, Insurance fraud Spent time in jail? Yes (1894) Spent time in prison? No Killed prior to series? Age? No
Serial Killing
Number of victims (suspected of) 27-100+ Number of victims (confessed to) 27 Number of victims (convicted of) 1 Victim type Neighbors, young women Killer age at start of series 25 Killer age at end of series 33 Date of first kill in series 1886 Date of final kill in series 1894 Gender of victims 11 males, 16 females Race of victims White Age of victims Infants to adults
Type of victim Neighbors, young women Method of killing Torture, burning, affixation Weapon Brought with him Was gun used? Only once Type Unknown Did killer have a partner? No Name of partner Sex of partner Relationship of partner How close did killer live? Walking distance Location of first contact Hotel Location of killing Hotel (“The Murder Castle”) Killing occurred in home of victim? No Killing occurred in home of killer? Yes Victim abducted or killed at contact? No Behavior During Crimes Rape? No Tortured victims? Yes Intentionally went out that day to kill? Yes Overkill? No Quick & efficient? Yes Used blindfold? Yes Bound the victims? Yes After Death Behavior Sex with the body? No Mutilated body? Yes Ate part of the body? No Drank victim’s blood? No Posed the body? No Took totem – body part No Took totem – personal item No Robbed victim or location No Disposal of Body Left at scene, no attempt to hide No Left at scene, hidden No Left at scene, buried No Moved, no attempt to hide Yes Moved, hidden No Moved, buried Yes Cut-op and disposed of No Burned body Yes Dumped body in lake, river, etc. No Moved, took home Yes Sentencing Date killer arrested 08/17/ Date convicted 11/04/ Sentence Death by hanging Killer executed? Yes Did killer plead NGRI? No Was the NGRI plea successful? N/A Did serial killer confess? Yes Name and state of prison Moyamensing Prison, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Killer committed suicide? No
State killed IL City killed Chicago County killed Cook Type of target Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 5 Name Rodgers Date Killed 1888 Date Body was found Gender Male Race White Age Middle aged How killed Blow upon the head with an oar State killed West Virginia City killed Morgantown County killed Monongalia Type of target Sold body for money Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 6 Name Charles Cole Date killed Date body was found Gender Male Race White Age Middle aged How killed Blow to the head with a gas pipe State Killed Illinois City killed Chicago County Killed Cook Type of target Sold body for money Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 7 Name Lizzie Date killed Date body was found Gender Female Race White Age How killed Suffocated ( first to be killed in vault ) State Killed Illinois City killed Chicago Country Killed Cook Type of target Employee Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 8 Name Mrs. Sarah Cook Date killed 1888 Date body was found Gender Female
Race White Age Middle aged How killed Killed by surprise State Killed Illinois City killed Chicago County Killed Cook Type of target Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 9 Name Mrs. Cook’s unborn child Date killed 1888 Date body was found Gender Unknown Race White Age Fetus How killed Killed by surprise State Killed Illinois City killed Chicago County Killed Cook Type of target Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 10 Name Miss Mary Haracamp Date killed 1888 Date body was found Gender Female Race White Age How killed State Killed Illinois City killed Chicago County Killed Cook Type of target She was a witness to disposure of Mrs. Sarah Cook’s body Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 11 Name Miss Emmeline Cigrand Date killed 1891 Date body was found Gender Female Race White Age How killed Killed in vault (slow and lingering death) State Killed Illinois City killed Chicago Country Killed Cook Type of target Mistress of Holmes Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 12 Name Rasine Van Jassand
Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 16 Name Miss Kate Gorky Date killed 1891 Date body was found Gender Female Race White Age How killed Lured into the vault and never came out State Killed Illinois City killed Chicago County Killed Cook Type of target Turn real estate into cash Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 17 Name Mr. Wade Warner Date killed 1891 Date body was found Gender Male Race White Age Middle aged How killed Burned State Killed IL City killed Chicago County Killed Cook Type of target Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 18 Name A local banker Date killed 1891 Date body was found Gender Male Race White Age How killed Starved and killed with chloroform State Killed City killed County Killed Type of target Financial gain Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 19 Name Unknown Date killed 1893 Date body was found Gender Female Race White Age How killed Killed with chloroform State Killed
City killed County Killed Type of target Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 20 Name Nannie Williams Date killed July, 1893 Date body was found Gender Female Race White Age How killed Murdered in vault State Killed IL City killed Chicago County Killed Cook Type of target Financial gain Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 21 Name Minnie Williams Date killed 07-11- Date body was found Gender Female Race White Age How killed Poisoned State Killed Illinois City killed Memence County Killed Cook Type of target Financial gain Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 22 Name Unknown Date killed 1894 Date body was found Gender Male Race White Age How killed Killed and buried body in basement State Killed Illinois City killed Chicago County Killed Cook Type of target Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No Victim 23 Name Baldwin Williams Date killed 1894 Date body was found Gender Male Race White
Date killed October 25, 1894 Date body was found July 15, 1895 Gender Female Race White Age 14 How killed Burned in stove by gas, then buried Country Killed Canada State Killed Ontario City killed Toronto County Killed Type of target Acquaintance Did killer confess to this murder? Yes Was killer convicted of this murder? No
References
Ancestry.com
Blow, David J. (2003). Historic guide to Burlington neighborhoods (Volume III). Burlington, VT: Chittenden County Historical Society.
Borowski, J. (2005). The Strange Case of Dr. H. H. Holmes. West Hollywood, California: Waterfront Productions
Snavely, J. (2006). The devil's disciple. AuthorHouse, p.1-256.
Yusof, Mohd (May 21, 2012). Herman Mudgett AKA H H Holmes Case File. http://www.crimerack.com/2012/05/herman-mudgett-aka-h-h-holmes-case-file/
