H.H.Holems- America's first serial killer (part 3)

ARREST AND TRIAL

Holmes never paid the $500 he owed to Marion Hedgepath, who soon wrote a letter to the insurance company informing them of the fraud Holmes committed. The insurance company sought the services of the Pinkertons in October 1894, and Holmes was found and arrested in 6 weeks.

Holmes was charged with insurance fraud and the death of his partner Benjamin Pitezel. His trial began in May 1895, and he pled guilty, hoping for a lighter sentence.

Detective Frank Geyer, suspecting that Holmes was guilty for more, took up the investigation. He was able to track down everywhere that Holmes had traveled and spoke to a number of witnesses, leading him to a house in Indiana, whose chimney contained the body of Alice’s younger brother, and the house in Toronto containing the body of Alice and her sister in the basement.

As the trial continued, the list of names of people who had associated with Holmes and gone missing grew larger and larger.

In Chicago, detectives investigated Holmes’ castle. Reportedly they found a mound of human bones in the basement, including those of a young child, a human rib and hair in the stove in his office, and even a tank hidden behind a wall containing chemicals.

As the trial concluded, Holmes was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Benjamin Pitezel and sentenced to death. Holmes confessed to killing 27 people and provided names, however, some of those “victims” came forward alive, so his confession may be unreliable.

While imprisoned, he wrote an autobiography: Holmes’ Own Story. In this he claimed:

“I could not help the fact that I was a murderer, no more than the poet can help the inspiration to sing.”

HOLMES’ FATE

On May 7, 1896, Holmes met his end at the gallows. Supposedly, his neck did not break immediately, and he slowly suffocated to death for 20 minutes.

Ironically, Holmes was concerned about graverobbers and made an odd final request that was granted. Holmes had his coffin weighted down with cement, his body added, more cement added on top, nailed shut, buried 10 feet deep, then more concrete and dirt were added.

Like many other notorious killer’s rumors spread that perhaps Holmes’ was not actually dead. Perhaps he bribed the guards and escaped, and another man was executed and buried in his place. To close the book on that, in 2017, descendants of Holmes had his remains exhumed and DNA tested. The results proved conclusively that the remains buried belong to H. H. Holmes.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MURDER CASTLE?

Interestingly, in 1895 while Holmes was imprisoned, the Murder Castle was burned one night. Reports say that witnesses claimed that two men entered late one night and caused the fire. Despite the damage, the structure remained standing for another 43 years until it was demolished in 1938.

Today, the site of the Murder Castle is now a branch of the US Postal Service.

HOW MANY VICTIMS WERE THERE?

There’s no doubt that H. H. Holmes was guilty of murder, but depending on the source, the estimated number of victims varies greatly.

Holmes’ himself confessed to killing 27 people, but his confession was inaccurate at the time as some of the victims were still alive.

Some sources will say that the Murder Castle used during the Chicago World Fair led Holmes to be the killer of some 50-200 individuals. Unfortunately, we cannot confirm these numbers. Some say that reports of the Murder Castle were greatly exaggerated by sensationalist journalists at the time, and perhaps the “Murder Castle” wasn’t really a “Murder” Castle.

We can speculate that he was responsible for killing the following people, who associated with him and disappeared or whose bodies were found. In case you couldn’t keep track:

Mrs. Holton

Julia Conner

The Conner’s daughter

Emmaline Cigrand

Benjamin Pitezel

Alice Pitezel

Pitezel’s son

Pitezel’s daughter

In the 1890’s, forensic evidence was no where near it is today, and we cannot say with certainty that he caused these deaths, but it is likely.

Whether Holmes killed 200 in his Murder Castle, or as few as Pitezel and his family, we can say that this charismatic manipulator was likely America’s first serial killer.

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Hello my dear readers!

It's your Authershi and this was the final part of this Article.

Love you all! See ya soon!

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