Confessions of the Serial Killer H.H. Holmes (Illustrated)

by Mudgett (aka H. H. Holmes), Herman Webster

  Arrived at the Irvington house, Holmes ordered Howard to go inside and wait. This the lad did. His trunk was then taken in and the driver at the conveyance that had been used, was discharged.

  A little latter Holmes himself entered the house, locking the door after him. He then examined all the windows and the blinds to see that they were tightly closed. This attended to he went into the room where the boy sat, crying bitterly. For some minutes the archfiend looked intently at the boy, wondering how he could best dispose of him. Finally he made up his mind.

  Leisurely removing his coat he approached his helpless victim. Divining the purpose of the monster the child sprang up and ran screaming into a corner of the room. Wild with terror he tried to evade the grasp of the destroyer, but the fiend was too intent upon his prey to be foiled. He caught the lad by the collar and swung him to the middle of the room, retaining the hold upon him.

  Seating himself upon a chair he placed the child between his knees and gently stroked his head to quiet him. Then he placed his right hand under the boys chin and raised his head until his eyes were fixed upon the ceiling. This was done to better expose the throat.

  The fiend then wrapped his fingers about the child's neck and slowly closed upon it like a vise. The poor child tried to scream. Into his eyes came a look that begged for mercy, with an appeal that would have moved a heart of stone. But it did not touch the heart of the hideous butcher that held him trapped like a wild beast holds a yearling lamb. The little victim tore at the merciless fingers with his little hands. He squirmed and wrenched and struggled. All to no purpose. With the horrible relentlessness of an executioner the deadly grip tightened upon the struggling victim's throat. His face grew red, then purple, then black. His eyes stuck from his head, staring wildly into the face of the bloodthirsty being that was strangling him. The little tongue protruded from the, mouth and a little stream of blood trickled from the sides. Still the terrible pressure of those fearful fingers crushed the little throat between them. Unfeeling monster!-have you no 'pity! Think of the mother who sits in tears and laments, asking herself again and again if her children are happy.

  Think of the young bosoms that are torn with grief at the separation from the loved one!

  Think of these things, oh, cruel monster and release the struggling victim from that awful situation. But no pity can strike into that evil soul, no impulse of mercy could originate in such a heart!

  Instead the murderer smiles a ghastly smile!

  He leers into the distorted countenance of his little captive.

  Thank heaven that the unfortunate child is free from its horrible sufferings at last. Death comes to, relieve him. Let the fiend mutilate and maltreat the body as he will, the pure young soul is beyond the reach of his destroyer.

  At length assuring himself that life was quite extinct the wretch threw the body from him as one who is fatigued by his work. He fanned himself with his handkerchief and stretched his legs wearily before him like a man that is glad of an opportunity to rest.

  After a few minutes he rose and procured a satchel that he had brought with him. This he opened and took therefrom a long knife, very sharp and strong. He whetted the edge upon a leather-covered lounge, feeling the edge from time to time until it approached the condition he considered satisfactory. Next he picked up the little body from where it lay and tucked it under his arm, as carelessly as if it were a bundle of old clothes. He carried it out to the kitchen and threw it upon a rough wooden table.

  In the room was a huge stove-exactly like the one he had purchased in Cincinnati. A fire was already kindled in the stove and the murderer applied a match to it. It was soon roaring like a furnace.

  Taking up the knife he had so carefully sharpened he tried the edge once more and began the last act of the tragedy. He cut a leg from the body as skillfully as any surgeon might and threw it into the stove. Then he removed the other leg and placed it amid the flames also. Each of the arms followed. Next he cut of the head and threw it on top of the burning heap inside the stove. Thinking that the body was now small enough to go through the door of the stove he tried to shove it through but found that it could not be accomplished. So, throwing the remains back upon the table he hacked off great chunks of flesh until nothing was left.

  It was finished! Another life had deepened the stain of guilt upon the murderer's soul. But he seemed unconcerned and carefree. He whistled an air as he went about the house removing all traces of his crime and hiding them from sight.

  How the Evil One must glory in the possession of such subjects as H. H. Holmes!

  In Detroit

  On October 12th, Holmes and the surviving Pitezels left Indianapolis for Detroit.

  Miss Yokes, his wife, also left on the same train, but in utter ignorance of the fact that her husband was conveying two children to the same destination she was bound for. On the same day Holmes wrote a letter to Mrs. Pitezel, telling her to go to Detroit, as her husband was waiting there to see her. He said nothing of this to the children and nothing to Miss Yokes. Far stranger than any romance does this true story read!

  Arrived in Detroit, Holmes registered his wife at the Hotel Normandie. The entry in the register read "G. Howell and wife, Adrian." The children he sent to the new Western Hotel as Alice and Nellie Canning. On the next day, October 13th, Holmes removed Miss Yokes from the Hotel Normandie to No. 44 Park Place. This home was presided over by a lady named Ralston. To her Holmes represented that he and Miss Yokes were members of the theatrical profession and gave his name out to be H. H. Holmes. These frequent changes of name were much wondered at by Miss Yokes, but such confidence did she place in the villain that the reasons he gave from time to time allayed all her suspicions. The travelling about from city to city was represented to her to be in the interest of a patent copier, for which he claimed to possess all the rights.

  On October 13th, the same day that he moved his wife, Holmes also moved the Pitezel children, taking them to the home of a Mrs. Lucinda Burns, at No. 91 Congress Street. Holmes introduced the children as Miss Annie and Miss Amy.

  They had been cautioned by Holmes not to reveal their identity. He told them that their father would be in danger of arrest if the detectives knew where to find his family.

  The gathering mystery that every day darkened about all their movements, now began to have its influence upon the children. No longer were heard their hearty peal of laughter. The merry romps of childhood were no longer a part of their daily lives, but huddled close together as though for mutual protection, in a strange city and a strange house scarcely daring to speak, for fear of exposing some terrible secret, they passed the most of their time in weeping.

  Very strange children did these seem to the good woman at whose house they were stopping.

  One day later, on October 14th, 1894, Mrs. Pitezel, Dessie and the baby Wharton arrived in Detroit, and at the direction of Holmes went to Geis's Hotel. They were registered as Mrs. C. A. Adams and children upon Holmes advice. He explained that if she used her true name the detectives would certainly learn of her whereabouts and conjecture that she had come to Detroit to meet her husband!

  How terrible was the life of this woman, led on and on by the hope held out by the murderer of her husband and her boy! But a shadow of her former self, bowed down with the weight of her unendurable troubles, she lived in a fever of anxiety and expectation, now despairing of ever being reunited to her family, now spurred on by an uncertain hope that was more agonizing than despair! All this suffering, while Nellie and Alice were within three blocks of her, writing letters home that never reached the mails! And, a block or so further, unaware of the presence of either the children or Mrs. Pitezel was Miss Yokes, the beautiful, confiding woman whose life would be wrecked when the wretched truth was made known to her!

  Think of it! Three parties composed of people who knew each other as intimately as mother and daughter,' moving hither and thither at the command of one man who kept all in ignorance of the others presence! We
ll could Judge Arnold say from the bench when the monster was finally brought to justice, "Truth is stranger than fiction, and if Mrs. Pitezel's story is true it is the most wonderful exhibition of the power of mind over mind I have ever seen and stranger than any novel I have ever read."

  The first act of Holmes in his leisure moments while in Detroit was to rent a house where he could dispose of one or more of the Pitezel family. At No. 6o Monroe Street a Mr. Bonninghausen conducts a real estate office. Holmes went to him and represented that he had a widowed sister coming to Detroit and he wished to find a house somewhere on the outskirts of the town. The agent promptly spoke of a vacant piece of property that would meet with the requirements. The house was located at No. 241 E. Forest Avenue. Mr. Bonninghausen directed Holmes to go to a drug store next to the house and there procure the keys, This Holmes did. He carefully examined the premises and concluded that it was just what he wanted. About two hours later he paid the first month's rent in advance and began preparations for the wholesale slaughter he contemplated. But as in Cincinnati his scheme was this time foiled.

  The sleuthhounds of the law were now on his track! In some mysterious manner the fact was communicated to him.

  Who were Holmes confederates?

  The Hunt Begins

  The Fidelity Mutual Life Association keeps a regularly paid detective department, which is most efficient in its work. Mr. W. E. Gary, the Inspector, was not satisfied with the settlement of the Perry - or rather the Pitezel - matter. He protested against paying the claim. In his judgment the case bore the earmarks of a fraud. But the officers of the company thought best to let the matter drop and it was done. But the eye that never sleeps in the cause of justice did not change its habits now.

  On October 10th, Mr. Gary was in St. Louis, Mo., on business that had no connection whatever with the Pitezel matter. While sitting in the office of the company a most startling communication was sent to him by the Chief of Police of St. Louis, Major Lawrence Harrigan. In the light of after events we cannot help feeling of sad regret induced by the significant date of this letter - October 10th. Why could it not have been written a week before!

  October 10th, was the very day that saw the life of little Howard Pitezel fall before the bloodthirsty schemes of Holmes!

  Mr. Gary no sooner read the letter than he felt convinced that he was on the track of a most remarkable murder. He was right.

  The letter is here given in full.

  St. Louis, Mo., Tuesday, Oct., 9th, 1894.

  Major Lawrence Harrigan, Chief of Police.

  Dear Sir:-When H. M. Howard (Holmes) was in here some two months ago he came to me and told me he would like to talk to me, as he read a great deal of me, etc., also after we got well acquainted he told me he had a scheme by which he could make $10,000, and he needed some lawyer who could be trusted, and said if I could recommend him someone who could be trusted, he would see that I got $500 for it. I then told him that J. D. Howe could be trusted and he then went on and told me that B. F. Pitezel's life was insured for $10,000 and that Pitezel and him were going to work the insurance company for the $10,000, and just how they were going to do it, even going into minute details; that he was an expert at it, as he had worked it before and that being a druggist he could easily deceive the insurance company by having Pitezel fix himself up according to his directions and appear that he was mortally wounded by an explosion and then put a corpse in place of Pitezel's body, etc., and then have it identified as that of Pitezel. I did not take much stock in what he told me, until after he went out on bond, which was in a few days, when J. D. Howe came to me and told me that that man Howard that I had recommended him to, had come and told him that I had recommended Howe to him and had laid the whole plot open to him, and Howe told me that he never heard of a finer or smoother piece of work, and that Howard was one of the smoothest and slickest men that he ever heard tell of etc., and Howe told me that he would see that I got $500 if it worked and that Howard was going East to attend to it at once. (At this time I did not know what insurance company was to be worked, and I am not sure yet as to which one it is, but Howe told me that it was the Fidelity Mutual of Philadelphia, whose office is, according to the city directory at No. 520 Olive Street.) Howe came down and told me every two or three days, that everything was working smoothly and when notice appeared in the Globe Democrat and Chronicle of the death of B. F. Pitezel, Howe came down at once and told me that it was a matter of a few days until we would have the money, and that the only thing that might keep the company from paying it at once, was the fact that Howard and Pitezel were so hard up for money that they could not pay the dues on the policy until a day or two before it was due, and they had to send it by telegram and that the company might claim that they did not get the money until after the lapse of the policy; but they did not, and so Howe and a little girl (I think Pitezel's daughter) went back to Philadelphia and succeeded in identifying and having the body recognized as that of B. F. Pitezel. Howard told me that Pitezel's wife was party to the whole thing. (One of Holmes' lies.) Howe tells me that Howard would not let Mrs. Pitezel go back to identify the supposed body of her husband, and that he feels almost positive and certain that Howard deceived Pitezel and that Pitezel in following out Holmes instructions was killed and that it was really the body of Pitezel. The policy was made out to the wife and when the money was put in the bank, Howard stepped out and left the wife to settle with Howe for his services. She was willing to pay him $1,000, but he wants $2500 and so $5500 of the money is held until they get over squabbling about it. Howard is now on his way to Germany and Pitezel's wife is here in the city yet, and where Pitezel is or whether it really was Pitezel's body I can't tell, but I don't believe it was Pitezel's body, but believe he is alive and well and probably in Germany where Howard is now on his way.

  It is hardly worthwhile to say that I never got the $500 that Howard held out to me for me to introduce him to Mr. Howe. Please excuse this poor writing as I have written this in a hurry and have to write on a book placed on my knee. This and a lot more I am willing to swear to. I wish you would see the Fidelity Mutual Life Insurance Co., and see if they are the ones who have been made the victims of this swindle, and if so tell them that I want to see them.

  I never asked what company it was until today and it was often we had some words together about the matter, and so Howe may not have told the proper company but you can find out what company it is by asking or telephoning to the different companies. When I asked Mrs. Pitezel's address he waited a long time and finally said it was No. 6342 S. Michigan Ave. Please send an agent of the company to see me if you please.

  Yours respectfully,

  Marion C. Hedgepath.

  Holmes had not even the virtue to be faithful to his own accomplices. His was indeed a most despicable character. Human nature sometimes has respect even for criminals but it is only in cases where the futility of the criminal to his comrades indicates a heart not wholly wanting in nobility. Such a criminal as Jesse James, for instance. Every good citizen is glad to know that this evil was removed from the paths of honest man - but no, good citizen will deny that James was a man and not a sneak.

  But H. H. Holmes was a sneak. He would betray a confidant and murder a friend. He would rob a widow and kill defenseless children.

  Had he remained faithful to Hedgepath and paid the money that had been promised the law would never have gotten him into its clutches.

  Mr. Gary proceeded to the prison where Hedgepath was incarcerated and soon perceived the character of the man. In revenge against Holmes the letter had been written, therefore the man Hedgepath was not to be implicitly trusted. But after hearing the story and testing its probability the detective concluded that he had enough evidence to begin an investigation upon. With Hedgepaths' statement and some minor evidence Gary hastened to Philadelphia to confer with the insurance company.

  The officials of the company were skeptical however, and were reluctant to credit the story of Hedgepath. Su
ch an impression had the swindler and murderer made upon them that they scoffed at the possibility of any crookedness. And thus delay gave the wretch further opportunity to carry out his hellish plans.

  Two More Murders

  On October 15th, Holmes took his wife from Detroit to Toronto and registered at the Walker House as G. Howell and wife, Columbus.

  On the same day, "Mrs. C. A. Adams and daughter," were registered at the Union House. Holmes had transferred Mrs. Pitezel, Dessie and the baby.

  On October 19th, "Alice and Nellie Canning, Detroit," were registered at the Albion in Toronto. All parties were now in the same city, with the same conditions preserved as they had been in Detroit. None of the groups were aware of the proximity of the others!

  On October 20th, Holmes took his wife to see Niagara Falls. He was making a few pleasure trips as a preparation for the hideous work he intended to perform in Toronto.

  The next day Holmes rented a house from Mrs. Frank Nudel, located at No. 16 St. Vincent Street. What a pretty little house it was! A large, comfortable porch extended the full length of the house, tastefully decorated with vines. A small grass plot was divided in the center by the walk that led to the porch. The fence, which was light and built of wire was covered with running roses. Externally No. 16 St. Vincent Street had all the appearance of a sweet, desirable little home. But its interior would soon witness scenes that would out-horror a charnel house!

  Holmes lost no time in sending some furniture to the house he had rented. It must have annoyed him very much to reflect that the numerous people whose movements he was controlling placed him under heavy expense. What profit would it be to him if he was compelled to spend all the spoils he had won to support the people whom he had robbed?

  Next door to the house rented by Holmes lived an old Scotchman by the name of Thomas William Ryves. Holmes introduced himself to this pleasant old gentleman and explained that he had secured the house for a widowed sister who was coming from Hamilton, Ontario.