H.H.Holmes in Chicago 1893!

[Celesta]

Here is part one of a nice documentary on the Fair. It has gorgeous postcards and pictures and is narrated by Gene Wilder. So far I've found 3 parts to this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryZQEa5Tg7I&feature=related

[sdreid]

IMDb does list a movie by that title for 2009.

[Celesta]

Yes. I saw something about Tom Cruise, which doesn't inspire me much.

[sdreid]

Hi Cel,

Yes, I think I read somewhere that Cruz and Leonardo DiCaprio were in some sort of battle for claim to the title.

[Archaic]

2 Full-Length Docmentaries: HH HOLMES Murders

Hi, everyone. Here are links to two different FULL-LENGTH Documentaries on HH Holmes. Both are very good.

The first is 'H.H. Holmes: America's 1st Serial Killer', from 2004.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5166091386418298401&ei=WcpDSoziLYzCqAPI7OXBBg&q=H.H.+Holmes&hl=en

The second is National Geographic Channel's
'Madness In the White City'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP26FeqK7oM

HH Holmes was an incredibly sick human being; it amazes me that he is so little known today; maybe especially here in the U.S. Now that I know more, I wonder if we blocked him out on purpose- he was that ghastly! Regards, Archaic

[sdreid]

He was nowhere near America's first serial killer even if that means United States of America.

I think I'd give the Harpe Brothers during 1798-1804 that "honor".

[Archaic]

Hi, Stan. Sometimes I wish there were a limit to the number of books & movies that were allowed to be marketed with the same title... it does get old.

For all we know, there were serial killers among the Native Americans before "Whitie" even showed up!

It's a good film none the less. Regards, Archaic

[j.r-ahde]

Hello Stan!

Only now I notice you telling about the Harpe brothers.

A new name to me in this category, I have to admit!

Do you know any link presenting the case?!

All the best
Jukka

[Stewart P Evans]

From My Collection

I found the below book, from my collection, to be very useful -

[sdreid]

Hi Jukka,

If you Google "Harpe brothers" murder you will get numerous sites to choose from. They mutilated many of the victims and not all were related to their river pirate activities. Some of the victims were Harpe children as well.

[sdreid]

Micajah "Big" Harpe and Wiley "Little" Harpe are featured as residents of Hell in the old film The Devil and Daniel Webster. Newton's Encyclopedia of Serial Killers says they killed 40+ so they were in Holmes' range.

[Archaic]

Question for Stewart re: Holmes Case

Hi, everyone.

Stewart, may I ask you a question? I am truly baffled as to why we hear so little about Dr. H.H. Holmes when his crimes were so numerous and horrific. I don't know how it is the UK, but here in the US very few people would be able to tell you anything about him- including the fact that he was a serial murderer!

I really had never come across the subject of HH Holmes until a few years ago. I'm amazed that I knew so little about him despite being a voracious reader with a strong personal interest in History, particularly 19th C. History. When I attempted to find out more about him, particularly an in-depth analysis of his psychology and motives, I found there was very little available. In fact, most current references to Holmes are relegated to the online 'Horror'/'Urban Legend' genre, and very thin on factual analysis.

The thing is that even though his case went to trial & he was hung, his crimes took place very close in time to those of Jack the Ripper and the vast majority were never settled. A number of missing persons were never accounted for. Holmes' methods were so cruelly imaginative, varied & complex that I simply can't understand why he seems to have escaped the attention of most historians, psychologists, criminal profilers, sociologists- and even Hollywood!

Do you have any thoughts on why this might be? Did America and perhaps other nations deliberately "block him out" from our collective memory?
Thank you, Archaic

[Archaic]

1918 Remarkable Criminal Book w/Holmes on Google books

Hi; here's a quick Google Book link for those who might be interested.
Author Henry Brodribb Irving's 1918 work "A Book of Remarkable Criminals" is available for full viewing & downloading.

http://books.google.com/books?id=TL8qAAAAMAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s

There is an entire chapter on Holmes titled "The Mysterious H.H. Holmes" which states that it is compiled from the 1896 "Holmes-Pitzler" book Stewart showed us from his personal collection as well as another work.

Unfortunately, the 1896 Holmes-Pitezel book is not currently available for any preview on Google Books;
I'm looking to see if it is for sale online.

Best regards, Archaic

[rain]

.
Do you have any thoughts on why this might be? Did America and perhaps other nations deliberately "block him out" from our collective memory?
Thank you, Archaic

I think the philosophy back then was to not talk about 'bad things.'

[Celesta]

It seems like that was true, Rain. Or at least people tried to give the impression they were oh-so-scandalized, if you know what I mean. It didn't stop people from talking about the Ripper. I think Holmes' relative lack of fame is largely due to his being caught and the cases solved. But then so was Billy the Kid and other notorious types and they are famous. Hard to say.

Take it easy.