https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf Erik Larson en-us 2019-11-16 21:23:32 UTC 2020-01-19 04:19:24 UTC hello@padlet.com hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/429518797 Larson , Erik. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America. Vintage Books , 2003.]]> 2020-01-09 15:40:46 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/429518797 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/429533009 H. H. Holmes was born on May 16, 1861. His birth name was Herman Webster Mudgett. On July 4, 1878 he married Clara A. Lovering, he eventually abandoned her and their son, Robert. They never technically divorced. He came to Chicago, Illinois sometime in August of 1886 when he was twenty-six. He would soon become one of America's famous serial killers, and possibly it's first. Throughout his life, he acquired many aliases and nicknames, including "Beast of Chicago". ]]> 2020-01-09 16:00:38 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/429533009 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/429705937 Shortly after arriving in Chicago, Holmes went to Englewood. There he met Mrs. Holton, her and her husband owned Holton's Drugs, a pharmacy at the corner of Wallace and Sixty-third. Mr. Holton died of cancer and Mrs. Holton sold Holmes the pharmacy. When customers asked where she'd gone, Holmes told them that Mrs. Holton had gone to California. ]]> 2020-01-09 20:12:07 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/429705937 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/429707674 Earlier in 1886, Holmes had met a women in Minneapolis, and became obsessed. As the pharmacy became successful, he began traveling more and more to see her. While still legally married to Clara, he married Myrta on January 28, 1887. Lots of young, pretty women would visit Holmes's store, which made Myrta jealous. Tensions grew between them and in 1888, Myrta moved in with her parents in Wilmette, Illinois, where she gave birth to their daugther, Lucy. Holmes started visiting again, though rarely. ]]> 2020-01-09 20:14:35 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/429707674 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/430250519 Across from Holmes's pharmacy was an empty lot and in 1888, he bought it using the name H. S. Campbell. His idea was to have retail shops on the first floor, the second and third would be apartments with an office/housing for Holmes himself on the second. He didn't talk to an architect because he wanted to add secret ways throughout his building. ]]> 2020-01-10 21:40:46 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/430250519 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431635679 To keep what his actual intentions were, Holmes continuously switched out who was working on his builing. However, there were three men that stayed with Holmes. The first, Patrick Quinlan, became the building's caretaker. Charles Chappell knew how to rid a body of flesh and reassemble the bones. Medical schools were always in need of a cadavar(for studying and teaching students). The third, Benjamin Pitezel, started working for Holmes in late 1889. He and three of his five children are proven victims of Holmes. In total, he and his wife, Carrie, had three daughters and three sons (one of which died after birth), but more on them later. ]]> 2020-01-15 00:12:34 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431635679 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431641931 Beginning of 1891, Icilius Conner (he went by Ned) took a job as "...managing a jewelry counter that occupied one wall of a thriving drugstore on...Sixty-third and Wallace." (Larson 100). This, of course, was Holmes's drugstore. Remember, this is when Holmes was adding his modifications, one of which he had Ned test. Holmes had added a vault in and needed to make sure it was soundproof. Along with himself, Ned had brought his wife, daughter, and his sister to Englewood. Holmes also hired Julia and Gertrude, the sister, and paid a lot of attention to them. Gertrude went back to Muscatine, Iowa. It wasn't long before Ned's friends began speculating Julia was having an affair with Holmes. Ned didn't believe them. Holmes, seeing an opportunity, offered Ned the pharmacy. This new status didn't help his marriage and they divorced. In the divorce, Ned failed to get custody of his daughter and Pearl remained with Julia in Chicago. ]]> 2020-01-15 00:40:04 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431641931 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431647304 In the 1890's, there was a high demand for corpses, and Holmes took advantage of that. "They frowned on murder as a means of harvest; on the other hand, they made little effort to explore the proveance of any one body. Grave-robbing became an industry, albeit a small one..." (Larson 150). He paid Chappell $36 (now about $1,000) to clean the bones and make him a skeleton. The skeleton went to Hahneman Medical College. ]]> 2020-01-15 00:57:58 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431647304 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431648805 When Ned left, Holmes promised Julia that they would get married. In November, 1891, she announced her pregnacy. Holmes agreed to marry her, but only if he could perform an abortion on her. They planned the operation for Christmas Eve. Julia Conner and her daughter were killed that night with chloroform. "The sensation, as always, was pleasant and induced in him a warm languor..." (Larson 148). ]]> 2020-01-15 01:03:19 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431648805 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431651167 In 1892, Dr. Keeley created a "gold cure". It supposedly cured alcoholism. Pitezel traveled to Dwight, Illinois for this cure. While there he met a lovely women by the name of Emeline Cigrand. He returned to Englewood sometime in April and told Holmes of her. Emeline came to work for Holmes as a personal secretary. The two went on many bike rides together and saw the World Fair being built. Emeline didn't live in the castle, but was there often. In May, the Lawrences moved into his building, where they met Emeline. "The Lawrences often saw Emeline in Holmes's company. 'It was not long,' Dr. Lawrence said, 'before I became aware that the relations between Miss Cigrand and Mr. Holmes were not strictly those of an employer and employee, but we felt that she was to be more pitied than blamed." (Larson 165), despite a few warnings to stay away from him, Emeline had fallen completely in love (same as many of the previous women). Soon, Holmes asked her to marry him, even though he had other plans for her. ]]> 2020-01-15 01:12:49 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431651167 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431652443 Almost a year after Julia and Pearl's deaths, Emeline stopped visitng the Lawrences. At the beginning of December, Emeline gave Mrs. Lawrence a Christmas present, she claimed to be going to spend Christmas with her family. When the visits stopped, Mrs. Lawrence asked Holmes what'd become of her. Holmes told them that she'd gone away to get married. He even presented a wedding announcement, she'd married a Mr. Robert E. Phelps. Phelps was the alias Pitezel had used when in Dwight. The Lawrences became increasingly suspicious of Holmes and even though there were many who were still owed money, no one went to the police. "No one did. Not Mrs. Lawrence, not Mr. and Mrs. Peter Cigrand, not Ned Conner, and not Julia's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Smythe." (Larson 189). So many people went missing in Chicago and the police didn't have the resources to find every single one of them. Maybe someone would have known Holmes was a murderer if they'd known that a few days later, Holmes requested Chappell's help once again and the LaSalle Medical College got a brand new skeleton. Later, when they did know what he'd done, they found something in that vault. A footprint, etched into the wall. When found, the police knew Holmes had a fascination with chemistry, theorized that acid had been poured onto the floor. A woman had stepped in it and while trying to get out, put her foot against the door, possibly Emeline Cigrand. ]]> 2020-01-15 01:17:53 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431652443 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431656618 Early in 1893, several families started asking questions. They wanted to know where their daughters had gone, the Cigrand and Conner families had both hired private eyes to search for the missing woman. Still, even with all the people asking the same person for information, no one really suspected him. They only wanted information and addresses of friends. All he needed now, was a new secretary. ]]> 2020-01-15 01:33:55 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431656618 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431657010 February of 1893 brought him this new secretary. Minnie Williams found herself moving to Chicago and wrote to the man she knew as Harry. He explained that she couldn't call him by the name of Gordon, but Harry was alright. Once again, another woman had fallen hopelessly in love with him and Holmes could take advantage of it. Asking her to marry him was the way to do it, and no surprise, she accepted. Anna found out about the engagement and worried about her sister,  "Anna was skeptical. The romance was advancing too quickly and with a degree of intimacy that violated all the intricate rules of courtship." (Larson 203). It was like all his other relationships with any woman, he touched too much and watched too long, breaking all rules of courtship. ]]> 2020-01-15 01:35:13 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431657010 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431659044 Minnie still owned the land in Fort Worth and Holmes wanted it. He convinced her to sign the land over to a man named Alexander Bond on April 18, 1893. Bond then signed the land over to Benton T. Lyman. Holmes served as notary for both transactions, Bond was actually Holmes and Lyman was his loyal assistant Pitezel. Minnie and Holmes had what Minnie believed to be a legal and real wedding, just them and a preacher. However, there is no record of their marriage in Cook County, Illinois. Technically, she was his third wife, he was still married to Clara and Myrta, and his two children. In order to shut down Anna's suspicions, Holmes told Minnie to invite her to stay with them for a little while, after all, the fair would be here soon. ]]> 2020-01-15 01:43:01 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431659044 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431661380 The Fair opened May 1, 1983. Holmes's castle was positioned fairly close to the fair. Holmes's building housed many women during this time and the building smelled of chemicals. "The vault deadened most of the cries and pounding but not all." (Larson 257), Holmes needed new ways to kill. He had put valves into rooms, all he had to do was fill the room with gas and then clean up. Chappell's usefulness continued but Holmes didn't use him for every body, he had a kiln for a reason and pits to flled with quicklime. 

]]> 2020-01-15 01:51:56 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431661380 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431664026 June of 1893 brought Anna Williams to stay with Minnie and Holmes. Anna fell for the facade too and she quickly trusted him. When asked to stay the summer, she was thrilled and had a trunk with her things shipped. Now that they'd seen the fair, Holmes showed her Englewood. He asked her to grab something from his walk-in vault. With Anna gone, Minnie was next. The footprint might also possibly be one of theirs. Holmes got some help moving a few boxes, one of which was coffin shaped and delivered to the Union Depot and taken somewhere else. The second item most likely ended up in the hands of Charles Chappell. Pitezel's family also got some gifts: "...a collection of dresses, several pair of shoes, and some hats that had belonged to his cousin, a Miss Minnie Williams..." (Larson 298). Quinlan also was given a pair of trunks, each with the MRW on the side. ]]> 2020-01-15 02:02:29 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431664026 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431674712 Creditors and families were getting to him. Minnie's guardians hired an attorney to look for her and protect her assets, Anna's guardian hired a private eye too. Among others, the Cigrands and Smythes continued to send letters out asking for any other information on the whereabouts of their daughters. Holmes needed to leave Chicago, so he set fire to the top floor of his castle and filed for a $6,000 policy. A man named Cowie had grown suspicious of Holmes and would only give the money to H. S. Campbell in person(the alias Holmes ran the building as). Cowie investigated Holmes and linked all of the creditors together, who'd hired an attorney George B. Chamberlin. Chamberlin met with Holmes along with about two  dozen creditors and a police detective. Holmes's charm came into play and he managed to get some creditors to shed a few tears for him. While discussing how to proceed, Holmes was told to wait outside. One attorney who had liked Holmes's solution to the problem went out and talked to him. No one is sure what happened but either way, the attorney went back into the meeting and Holmes went to Texas. With him he brought Pitezel and of course, his new fiancee, Georgiana Yoke. Before they left, however, Holmes "...insure(d) Pitezel's life for $10,000." (Larson 326). ]]> 2020-01-15 02:47:55 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431674712 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431676671 Holmes was arrested for insurance fraud in Boston on November 17, 1894. He had faked the death of Bejamin Pitezel in order to get the $10,000. He confessed to fraud and was now in Moyamensing Prison. In June of 1895, Detective Geyer was assigned to the case, it turned out that he had not faked Pitezel's death and now three of his children were missing. Alice, Nellie, and Howard Pitezel had been last seen in the custody of Holmes. Geyer was determined to find the missing children. Holmes though, claimed that the children were alive and safe with a Miss Minnie Williams. To commit the fraud, he'd burned Pitezel's body in a house, the coroner needed a family member to identify the body. Carrie, Ben's wife, was too ill to come, instead Alice, at the time fifteen, went with Holmes to identify the body. After identifying the body as her father's, Holmes convinced Carrie that Pitezel was in hiding and wanted to see his children. He kept Alice and "He took Nellie, eleven, and Howard, eight, and embarked with all three children on a strange and sad journey." (Larson 341). The girls wanted to send letters to their mother, they wrote them and gave them to Holmes. He promised he would send them out, obviously he never did and instead kept them in a box labeled "Property of H. H. Holmes". After his arrest, the police found all of the letters, these would soon lead them to the children. On June 26, 1895, Geyer began to follow the trail the letters created. From Cinicinnati to Indianapolis, Geyer reconstructed the children's journey. Not only was Holmes's moving the three children around, he was keeping his wife in the same city and when in Detroit, Carrie had her eldest daughter and the baby only three houses away from her children. "It was a game for Holmes, Geyer realized. He possessed them all and reveled in his possession. One additional phrase of Alice's letter kept running through Geyer's brain. 'Howard,' she had written, 'is not with us now." (Larson 350). Still following the letters, Geyer ended up in Toronto on July 7, 1895. It took some asking around, but soon he found himself at a house Holmes had rented. In the basement, three feet under, they found the girls. Of Nellie's body, her hair was the most intact part. Their mother came to Toronto to identify their bodies. ]]> 2020-01-15 02:56:59 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431676671 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431679734  Geyer's findings in Toronto caused the Chicago police to search his "castle". They began on July 19 and found Holmes's modifications. While some rooms were normal, some had no windows and airtight doors. "One room contained a walk-in vault, with iron walls. Police found a gas jet with no apparent function other than to admit gas into the vault." (Larson 364). This wasn't even the worst of what they found. His hotel also had a basement, instead of only two bodies though, they found Holmes's kiln, a vat of acid, quicklime, and a dissection table, along with surgical tools, bits of clothing, and so many bones. Charles Chappell even cooperated with the police and helped them get back four skeletons. Among the many peculiar things found in Holmes's castle, now dubbed the "murder castle", was a footprint so perfectly imprinted into the wall. When Geyer learned that in the cavern, they'd found a child's bones, he thought it could be Howard. Sadly, after examination, they found them to be of a girl's, possibly Pearl Conner. Geyer still believed that Howard never made it out of Indianapolis and searched every nearby town. In the middle of night, on August 19, the "murder castle" burned to the ground. Holmes was never in any of them, except Irvington. He arrived in Irvington on August 27, 1895 and learned of a house that Holmes had rented sometime in October of 1894. While sifting through the chimney flue, they found what was left of Howard. Carrie Pitezel confirmed it was her son by several possessions, including a little toy his father had bought him at the fair of 1893. ]]> 2020-01-15 03:12:11 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431679734 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431682682 In Indianapolis, the jury indicted Holmes for the murder of Howard and Toronto for Alice and Nellie's murders. A guilty charge from Philadelphia was all they needed, Holmes would be sentenced to death for the murder of Benjamin Pitezel. "He said of Pitezel, 'It will be understood that from the first hour of our acquaintance, even before I knew he had a family who would later afford me additional victims for the gratification of my blood-thirstiness, I intended to kill him." (Larson 386). In Holmes's confession, he claimed to have murdered 27 people, some of which were found alive. Only nine of these could be confirmed, but due to the amound of bones found under his castle, there is a possibility he killed around 200. On May 7, 1896 at 10:13am, H. H. Holmes was hung.  ]]> 2020-01-15 03:26:57 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/431682682 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/433311454 In 1891, debts began to pile up. Holmes could pay them, he was making enough maney, but he instead became friendly with the creditors and only paid a little for the building's transformation. This especially became a problem when he began his "...necessary modifications..." (Larson 85). Holmes soon learned that Myrta Belknap's great-uncle was coming to visit her and he was fairly rich. He started to visit Wilmette a lot more, bringing presents for Lucy and her mother. Belknap didn't fully trust Holmes, but Holmes soon asked him for $2,500 for a house. The house, he claimed, would be for him and Myrta. Back in Englewood, Holmes forged his signature on a new note for the same amount of money, this money went to Holmes's hotel. People in the neighborhood soon began calling his hotel "the castle", ]]> 2020-01-18 22:11:49 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/433311454 hallsar002 https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/433325372 While traveling in Boston on business under the name Henry Gordon, he met a woman named Minnie R. Williams. She called him Harry. Minnie had a younger sister, they'd been orphaned and sent to live with seperate uncles. When Minnie's guardian died, she unherited his estate. Holmes learned of this property, located in Fort Worth, Texas. He soon stopped visitng and his letters stopped. But she'd fallen in love. Soon, they'd find one another again and Holmes will find a purpose in his game for her. ]]> 2020-01-19 00:48:28 UTC https://padlet.com/hallsar002/b22wuccoq9bf/wish/433325372