H.H. Holmes: The Devil in the Keystone State

H.H. Holmes is notorious for the creation of his “Murder Castle” in Chicago, IL, where he lured victims to stay at his hotel during the 1893 Columbia Exposition/World’s Fair. Chicago wasn’t his only target. Holmes spent quite a bit of time in other states, including Pennsylvania, and he is suspected to be responsible for murders in the Keystone State.

The Creation of H.H. Holmes

H.H. Holmes, born Herman Webster Mudgett on May 16, 1861, was a master of deception and manipulation. After abandoning his first wife and young child, he fled to Illinois, where he changed his name to Dr. Henry Howard Holmes, aka H.H. Holmes, in hopes of avoiding being found.

His most infamous creation, the “Murder Castle,” was a hotel designed with hidden rooms, trapdoors, and a maze-like structure to torture his guests. Between 1893 and 1895, Holmes lured victims to his hotel under the guise of providing lodgings, only to meet them with a horrifying end. And ever the planner, he had chutes and trapdoors built within the structure to help with ease of transport of the bodies to his kiln, where he would incinerate some of his victims.

Holmes’s known victims were often those who came into his orbit: young women, business associates, and even children. His ability to evade detection for so long contributed to his notoriety, but it is his potential connections to Pennsylvania that have brought us here today.

The Pennsylvania Connection

While the majority of Holmes’s crimes occurred in Chicago, his nefarious activities extended to Pennsylvania. He grew up in Gilmanton, New Hampshire, but spent time in Pennsylvania, including time committing insurance fraud with his associate, Benjamin F. Pitezel, after the World’s Fair had ended. It was in Philadelphia that Holmes murdered Pitezel. This also led to Holmes eventually murdering three of Pitezel’s five children in hopes of keeping the authorities from learning of the fraud.

Suspicious Deaths and Disappearances

There are theories suggesting that Holmes may have been responsible for several disappearances and deaths in Pennsylvania. Historical records from the 1880s show a series of mysterious deaths in the region, which some researchers speculate could be linked to Holmes’s early criminal activities. Of course, this is speculation. But it makes sense that he could be tied to the disappearances.

Some of Holmes’s victims were reportedly from Pennsylvania or had ties to the state. This has led some to wonder if Holmes might have targeted individuals from this region before or after his infamous Chicago spree.

One such suspected victim is John Davis. Davis was from Greenville, Pennsylvania, a small borough roughly 80 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. Davis was visiting Chicago for the World’s Fair and was never heard from again.

The theories connecting Holmes to Pennsylvania have been explored by various researchers, although concrete evidence remains elusive, aside from the murdering of his associate in Philadelphia.

Travel and Trial

Holmes’s profession and criminal activities necessitated frequent travel. During his work as a pharmacist, he was known to have traveled through and worked in Pennsylvania.

Shortly before Halloween in 1895, Holmes’s trial began in Philadelphia for the murder of Pitezel. He was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. On May 7, 1896, Holmes was executed at the gallows of Moyamensing Prison in Philadelphia, PA.

The Legacy of H.H. Holmes

The story of H.H. Holmes is one of America’s darkest chapters. His criminal activities have left a lasting impact on the field of criminal investigation and popular culture. While much of the focus has been on his crimes in Chicago, the possibility that his malevolent reach extended to Pennsylvania adds a new dimension to his infamous legacy.

H.H. Holmes remains a figure shrouded in horror. As research continues, the dark shadows cast by Holmes’s actions may reveal even more about one of America’s most notorious criminals.

By Bianca Labrador

Sources:

Jenkins, John Philip. “H.H. Holmes”. Encyclopedia Britannia, 26 Apr. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/H-H-Holmes.

“H.H. Holmes: Biography, Serial Killer, Murderer.” Edited by Staff Editors & Writers, Biography.Com, www.biography.com/crime/hh-holmes.

Larson, Erik. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America. Crown Publishers, 2003.