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

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

  Herman W. Mudgett was lost to the world.

  HIS DRUG STORE

  On an August morning the patrons of the druggist noticed a new clerk, which Mr. Holton had engaged to work. He was a young man of about 25 years of age; had dark brown hair and has light gray-blue eyes, and wore a heavy moustache which curled up at the sides, and was possessed of pleasing unction so it did not take him long to make the acquaintance of the patrons and neighbors. He attended to his duties and after a lapse of time, perhaps six months, the account books were balanced, new books were opened, and on the 24th day of May, 1885, the old sign above the door bearing the name of "E.H. Holton" was lowered to the ground, and a new and bright one was hoisted up in its stead. The lettering was changed, and the people of the place saw for the first time the name of H.H. Holmes.

  H.H. Holmes made Chicago his home. He saved money, and through the help of a friend he raised enough to buy the property on the opposite corner, where stood the trees and cottage. The cottage was moved, the trees chopped down, and ground was broken for the laying of the foundation of the now famous Holmes castle.

  The following is an abstract from accounts kept by H.H. Holmes in his little store.

  Aug. 24, an entry relates that he bought the store of E. H. Holton.

  On Sept. 14, 1886, is the following entry: "Insurance, $5." On the 15th, "Board in full to Mrs. Brol (or Pirol), $1.75." But who was insured on the 14th?

  (Evidence that Holmes was interested in insurance matters ten years ago is there in his own handwriting.)

  On Sept. 28, 1886, appears the first entry of a name which thereafter runs through the account for months. It is Dora.

  "Sept. 28, cash to Dora, $20."

  Oct. 15, Dora goes to the city. She spends $2 there. On the 30th a check for $50 is given to the Englewood bank. Nov. 4, $2 in board is paid to Mrs. B. Nov. 11, Dora goes to town with $5.51. Dec. 1, she goes again, this time with $6.

  On the 4th the first mention of religious matters is made; it reads: Dec. 4, Dora to town and church, $1.40. On the 8th 40 cents worth of yarn is bought for Dora and on the 10th a lawyers fee of $2 is paid. Dec. 10th Dora leaves the city, for there is an entry: Dora's tickets, $10.75; sleeper; $2.

  On the 17th Dora's Christmas, $16. Dora is not heard of for some time. On the 29th Dr. Petit's clerk receives $1. Jan. 9, 1887, is an entry--Dr. Petit, rent to Feb. 1, $30.

  Then the accounts skip six months and commences again June 22. Where was Holmes during these months?

  June 22, 5 cents worth of cement was purchased. On the 22d Dora receives 20 cents and the church 30 cents. July 1, a wheelbarrow is bought. On the 3d the church is again a beneficiary to the amount of 30 cents and often thereafter; a beggar on one occasion even, receiving a quarter. On the 6th, $179.25 is deposited in the bank, on the 11th $164. On the 29th cement costs Holmes $16.45, but what it was used for the account book fails to state. Dora's allowance seems to have been cut down during August, for while her name is frequently entered it is only for sums ranging from 5 to 34 cents.

  Sept. 5, 1887—Dora, 8 cents; bananas, 10 cents; city, 20 cents, teams, $2.03; men, 50 cents. Sept. 8, police, $5. Sept. 12, Mason, 20 cents; Dora, $1.80; Van and J., 10; sash, $5. Sept. 14, freight on brick, $7.50; cement in full, $15.05; liquor, $2, team, $2.05; drawing brick, 80 cents. Sept. 5, woman, woman, 75 cents. Sept. 18, church, 55 cents. Sept. 19, lumber, $1. Sept. 24, ad., 60 cents; J. Simonds, carfare, 10 cents. Sept. 24, acid, 85 cents; bridging, $1.05. Sept. 26, chloroform, 30 cents. Sept. 28, building, $2.63; oil, 60 cents; express, 90 cents. Sept. 29, cleaning, 75 cents. Sept. 30, Dora, 80 cents; hansom fare, 60 cents.

  One noticeable feature of this month is that Holmes appears to have read all the papers, spending a considerable amount for them. Oct. 1 men worked on the building and received $29.75 for their trouble. On the 4th the laborers received $50.50. Dora receives a few dollars, and on Oct. 8 the account stops short. Evidently Holmes was away until Dec. 1.

  The carpenter is in evidence up to the 18th of December, when the account is cut short. In January, 1888, John Swanson is paid for labor, so is one Bussie, and a lawyer gets $10.

  Soon a roof was placed over a brick Building with five stories underneath. The fixtures of the little drug shop were moved to the corner store in the new building.

  A newly organized stock company held its first meeting the same night.

  *The minutes read: "F. Durkee was declared a director of the company by the chairman. (The accounts and these minutes, in H. H. Holmes' own handwriting are now in the possession of the author of this story.)

  "Upon motion of J. L . Connor, C. W. Arnold was nominated for a director for one year, the motion being placed before those present by the chairman, the votes were cast as follows:

  "K. Durkee (H. H. H.,) 120; J. L. Connor, 80; C. W. Arnold, 1, and was declared elected by chairman.

  "J.L. Connor was then nominated by H. H. Holmes (representing K. Durkee's interest) and received the following number of votes: C. W. Arnold, 1; K. Durkee (by H. H. H.,) 120; J. L. Connor, 80, and, having received the majority of the votes, was declared elected by the chairman for one year."

  4. (This paragraph was afterward scratched out by Holmes and another substituted.)

  "Upon motion of K. Durkee (by H. H. Holmes), C. W. Arnold was nominated as president of the board of directors for one year. Receiving the majority of votes, he was declared elected for one year."

  "4. The following by-laws being each separately read by the chairman and voted on by those present, were declared adopted as the by-laws of the Englewood Jewelry company."

  The by-laws include the employment on a salary of a business manager (presumably Holmes) and state that the object of the company is to sell jewelry, drugs, stationary, cigars, and sundries. Sept. 2, 1890, the directors met in the store, C. W. Arnold, J. L. Connor and K. Durkee (H. H. H.,) being present. Arnold was elected president and Connor secretary and treasurer.

  An account shows that the business was opened Aug. 15, 1890, and at the September meeting, $171.60 profit was divided pro rata among the stockholders.

  A BUSY MAN

  The Englewood Jewelry Company flourished, and soon Mr. Holmes had more stories added to the building.

  One day the people noticed a number of workmen in the alley in the rear of the building. Upon their inquiring what was being done they were informed that they were drilling an artisan well. A peculiar feature of the well drilling was that Holmes had a new force of men to work every two or three days. Soon a big display card in the window of the new drug store advertised that they had on tap a new mineral water which was dispensed at five cents a glass.

  Frequently new laborers were seen about the place, and in a month or two it was spread about that Mr. Holmes had discovered a new process for the manufacturing of a gas that would be cheaper and better than the local gas companies. He had placed a large vat and iron tank in the back of his cellar for experimenting purposes.

  Mr. Holmes was successful in his gas scheme in as much as the gas company paid him an almost fabulous sum for his process. Later, however, it seems the Gas Company could not make the process work. Holmes' explanation was that it required a man who thoroughly understood chemicals in the successful manufacturing of his gas. The company's suspicions were aroused, and after an investigation they discovered that Holmes had tapped one of their gas mains.

  Holmes secured a large loan on his property and proceeded to construct additional stories to his building. Soon elegant bow windows and red brick walls were towering high. An elaborate roof was placed upon it and Englewood had a "castle."

  In the front rooms of the third floor Holmes conducted the offices of the "A. B. C. Copier Co.,” who manufactured a copying pad, for reproducing letters.

  The author herewith submits a copy of a letter regarding the same.

  Cleveland, O., Aug. 1, 1892

  J. S. BELKNAP, Englewood, Ill.:

  Dear Sir: —In reply to yours of 25th will say: That we are well aware we
have not bought the amount of goods-and for one good reason-they are not as represented. We have written the A. B. C. Company three letters in regard to it and they have not replied to either.

  Furthermore, the company has not lived up to its agreement with us. They claimed they had considerable trade in this territory, and that they would turn all orders over to us. They have never turned over one. The goods on enclosed invoice have never been received; have written about them twice and have had no reply. Do not want them now, it is too late.

  If you read our contract you will see it reads: In consideration of our buying so many goods we are to have exclusive sale of the goods for one year in a certain territory.

  We are well aware what trouble the company had with F. W. D. & Co., so we are not the only one's that have failed on it.

  Respectfully yours,

  A.T. Osborn & Co.

  A number of young ladies were employed by Holmes as stenographers, type-writer operators and who assisted in the shipping and filling in the composition of the copiers. He also had the offices of the Englewood Drug Company in these apartments which too required the services of young ladies.

  Then, later on he conducted a business under the corporate title of the Campbell-Yates Company.

  On the floor below these are two rooms on the corner which he used as offices of the Silver Ash Cure, which was advertised to cure the drink habit for $50.00. A noticeable feature of a circular which he issued was that board and lodging could be had on the premises.

  The greater portion of rooms on the upper floor were used by Holmes as his private apartments. The janitor occupied only a couple of rooms when the things were at their best with Holmes. The flats were rented out to parties who came and went with time.

  Not long before the fire occurred which damaged the building, Holmes had an upright boiler and engine of Shipman's make placed in the cellar. This was used for various purposes. One of the purposes being to crush a clay which was mixed with starch to fill the pans of the copying machines.

  MEETS A CHUM

  Of course, a busy man like Holmes necessarily had to go down town at times. It was on one of these occasions that he chanced to meet an old friend of his, a former college chum, who had been a fellow student of his at Ann Arbor.

  Now, this friend had become quite a prosperous business man in Boston and he lost no time in letting Holmes know of his success, and, he of course enquired what Holmes was doing. Holmes took his friend out to the castle, showed him around, and also made that which was not gold glister.

  Holmes and his Boston friend went about town and enjoyed themselves hugely.

  There was nothing left undone that was worth doing in fact, they took in everything. But time passed and it neared the hour when the gentlemen from Boston would again return to his home.

  Holmes was invited to return with his friend to Boston. Now the Chicago gentleman fell short of funds and he couldn't afford to let his friend know the true circumstances, so he diplomatically requested him to wait until he look after some business affairs.

  One rainy day in April, 1891, he called upon Mr. David Eichberg who had an office at 103 Adams St., Chicago, and Eichberg examined the abstracts of some real estate for which Mr. Holmes was charged $10.00. He was successful in negotiating a loan of $1,000 on a second mortgage on the castle, by requiring Mrs. Belknap to sign and swear to an affidavit on the back of the mortgage that her actual residence was in Chicago, Englewood, which was afterward duly acknowledged and recorded at the recorder office in Cook county.

  With the cash in hand he accompanied his friend to the depot and they journeyed on East to the city of culture and refinement.

  Before reaching Boston Holmes proposed to his friend that just for the joke of the thing that he should be introduced as Harry Gordon, of Chicago, and a former classmate at college.

  The Eastern gentleman was the possessor of a handsome span of blacks, and these were in waiting at the railway depot for them and when the train stopped they alighted and at once stepped into the vehicle and were driven to the house.

  Many times since has Harry Gordon been seen on the Commons, and as he was a man with a dash which is much in vogue now-a-days he was much admired by the ladies.

  One evening Harry Gordon accompanied his friends to a dramatic recital which was given in one of the fashionable halls of the great musical city.

  One young lady was lavish with words of praisment to the Boston gentleman's friend. She should be delighted to meet him again.

  She had fallen desperately in love with Harry Gordon.

  A SCHOOL-TEACHER’S DAUGHTER

  Something over twenty years ago a modest teacher plied his profession in Mississippi. His name was H. B. Williams. From all accounts he was an amiable, industrious, painstaking teacher, eminently respected and recognized useful and beloved. He was a man of very modest means, indeed. His only legacy to his children' was $1,000 insurance.

  He had a brother in Forth Worth, Texas, more fortunate in the affairs of life. He was a successful physician. He was a doctor of medicine. He had settled in Fort Worth when that thriving young city was in its infancy. He had grown into prosperity with the city. He had invested in realty which, as the city grew, became more valuable. At the time he figures in this romance of facts he was worth a considerable little fortune, consisting chiefly of lands and a neat home in the city. The lands were valuable, and especially so in the booming days which struck the city like a cyclone about that period.

  H. B. Williams, the Mississippi teacher, had three small children at the time his wife died, and six months after that event, while riding on the platform of a train, he was thrown violently against an obstruction at Madison station, Miss., by the train's making a sudden curve. Caught between the train his head was crushed and rolled between the two, and death ensued immediately.

  Thus the three little children, Hansford, Minnie and Nannie, born in the order given, were left orphaned. Hansford and Nannie were taken in charge by Mississippi relatives; pretty little Minnie by a Mrs. Black, now of New Orleans. Mrs. Black was a Miss Williams, a sister of Dr. Williams and the Mississippi teacher.

  Minnie was a little tot and at that very time, very pretty and sweet and amiable. Her uncle, Dr. Williams, took an immense fancy to her, and it was not long before he induced Mrs. Black to let him have her. He took her to his Forth Worth home, and, as she grew up, gave her all the advantages of education and refined surroundings. He had no children living. His wife had died. He showered upon Minnie the concentrated love of his heart. Dying, he bequeathed her all his property—a goodly amount.

  Minnie was thus a small heiress. Being, besides, pretty and lovable, she was a great favorite. But she was ambitious. Thrusting aside the blandishments and professions of Texas youths, she went to Boston to study the art of expression—to become an elocutionist. For three years she devoted herself assiduously to this study at Whitworth College, Boston. She emerged from that institution an elocutionist of no mean ability, according to those who have heard her.

  It appears that one evening—one memorable evening, while visiting a friend in Boston—she was introduced to a young man, a most plausible young man, named Harry Gordon.

  She went back home and talked of nothing by Harry Gordon. She showed his picture to her friends and wrote him love-sick letters and read his answers to her girl friends in Fort Worth. In the meantime Nannie had been studying hard in Dallas, and when she graduated obtained a position as school-teacher at Midlothian, a short distance from Forth Worth, so that the two sisters were often together. Minnie received frequent and ardent letters from Gordon.

  Minnie did not remain home a great while. One day she again left her home and was soon on a train bearing her to Chicago and her sweetheart.

  At the depot she met Harry Gordon, and accompanied him to the castle.

  Here he told her that he was not fit for her and did not wish to ruin her fair name by connection with him, and confessed to her that his real name was H. H. Ho
lmes.

  Telling her that ever since he met her in Boston that he loved her madly, and through his love for her would not drag her down and had tried to forget her. But now that he had met her again he could not resist her.

  He confessed to her and told her that, after he had completed one more grand swindle he would give up the business he was in and go to something better.

  She believed him and later sent for her sister who she did not wish to know the real estate of affairs so Holmes, as Harry Gordon rented apartments on the North side. Here Annie Williams visited them and later went to the castle as an employee of Holmes.

  Minnie became jealous of his attentions to Annie and killed her. Holmes took the body and sunk it in Lake Michigan.

  TWO SWINDLERS

  Some months later two well-dressed men appeared in Fort Worth. They were Northern business men and had money to invest. They registered as Benjamin F. Lyman and H. M. Pratt. Minnie Williams once owned a vacant lot in Fort Worth valued at $10,000, located on Main Street, near the Tarrant County courthouse. She traded this to Holmes for a house in Wilmette. The deed was signed by Alexander E. Bond.

  The property was afterwards deeded over to Benjamin F. Lyman, who had it recorded in Fort Worth. After the deed had been placed on record a stranger appeared and told the people of Fort Worth that he was a wealthy northern farmer. He said he wanted to locate in this city, was going to put up a massive building upon the real estate he had purchased, and he expected his nephew, H. M. Pratt, who was coming down in a few days to take charge of the construction of the building. In a few days H. M. Pratt arrived.

  The couple purchased a pair of $100 horses and a handsome carriage and flew around Fort Worth at a great pace. They engaged workmen to put up the building, and after it was completed negotiated a mortgage of $10,000 before a dollar had been paid to the contractors. Pratt led everyone to believe he was a very wealthy man, and he had no difficulty in fleecing nearly every man he came across.