H.H.Holmes in Chicago 1893!

[sdreid]

Hi Arc,

No, I haven't been on any of the tours. Perhaps I'll take one in some day.

I'm a couple of hours away from Chicago and don't get up there too often. We're those hayseeds who live south of I-80.

[Archaic]

Hi, Stan, have you ever gone on one of the 'Haunted Chicago' tours? Do they go by the old site of the Holmes "Castle"?

I'm also wondering if anyone, perhaps the police, took photos of the interior before the building burned.

And is it true that it did not "burn to the ground" as is usually claimed?
Is there anything left of it today?

Thanks & Happy 4th of July! Archaic

[sdreid]

Yes, I love those wonderful old detective magazines with the water color covers. The golden age was actually the 1930s when the covers were works of art in my view. By the 1950s, they were more the illustration quality you see in this example.

I remember seeing The Torture Doctor in book stores back in the 70s and considered purchasing it but didn't. At least I have The Devil in the White City now.

Interesting that the site doesn't list Harold Schecter's book on Holmes, Depraved: ..., that came out in 1994.

I have a few examples of Lights Out on CD but unfortunately the Holmes radio program is not included. The Radio Spirits Catalog has two CD volumes of the show but I don't see it listed there either.

[Archaic]

Stan, I think Holmes is very little known outside Chicago; it's strange.

Celesta, thanks for that terrific link!

I especially love the 1954 "pulp" cover 'Castle of Horrors'...
nothing like a little historic realism, lol!

Best regards, Archaic

[sdreid]

Regarding Hollywood, I believe there's some speculation that the 1932 two-color film Doctor X might have been inspired by Doctor H.

[Celesta]

Here's the link to SPE's book. I thought it must have been written shortly after Holmes was caught. Dates to 1896. Thanks, Stewart.

http://www.hhholmesthefilm.com/memorabilia.html

[sdreid]

Perhaps it's because I'm from Illinois but I thought Holmes was fairly well known. There were several books about him.

Incidentally, some of the Harpes' murders occurred in what would become the future state of Illinois. The same holds true for the prospective state of Mississippi. Other slayings happened in Kentucky and Tennessee which were a part of the union at the time of the killings.

[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.

[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.'

[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=TL8...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

[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

[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.

[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.

[Stewart P Evans]

From My Collection

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

[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