Herman Webster Mudgett: America's First Serial Killer

Dr. H.H. Holmes

Herman Webster Mudgett, aka Dr. Henry Howard Holmes, was one of America’s first noted serial murders, also known as "America's first serial killer". In addition to murder, Holmes enjoyed performing extreme forms of torture and mutilation on those he lured into traps. He is perhaps best known for what would later be dubbed the Murder Castle, a two-story hotel designed by Holmes with numerous trap doors, hidden passages, and torture chambers. Many have looked for what could have led to his later gruesome atrocities and have found few answers. However as is often the case with serial killers, the childhood of Holmes was shaped by physical abuse, difficulties in socializing with his fellow peers, and cruelty towards animals. The

question is, are humans such as Herman born evil. Or are they made. I believe that it is both, genetics are half of the solution and upbringing is the other half.

Herman Webster Mudgett was on May 16th, 1861 in Gilmanton, New Hampshire to Levi Horton Mudgett and Theodate Page Price.

His father was a very violent alcoholic and his mother who had few if any maternal feelings, was a devout Christian who ruled her family with an iron hand and rigid religion. Born into an affluent family, Holmes had a privileged childhood and was said to be unusually intelligent at an early age. Still, there were signs of what was to come. As a six-year-old child, Herman was terrified of the village physician and gave Dr. Wight's office wide berth on the off chance that he had to pass it. To Herman's great misfortune this information got out to the bullies at his school and they forced him to view and touch a human skeleton, that was in Dr. Wight's office. Though horrified, he was also fascinated and would later credit this part of his youth, to his initial interest in the medical

profession.

At age eleven Herman's one and only friend Tom Eschler. Died from a mysterious fall, while they were playing in an abandoned house. Some accounts indicate that Herman was the culprit behind Tom's death and Tom his first kill. Shortly after Tom's death, Herman started practicing surgery and dissection on small animals. This shows that the inclination to kill and maim had, at such a young age already taken ahold on Herman.

Tired of the restricted life in his town, but unable to leave due to lack of funds.

Herman eloped with Clara A. Lovering and was married before a Justice of Peace in Alton, New Hampshire. His motive for marrying Clara was for her recently-acquired inheritance. "After having paid my college fees, bought my books and other articles necessary for my second year in college, I found myself hundreds of miles away from friends and relatives, and with about $60 in money with nine months of hard study before me..." (Snavely 14) Clara's money paid for his college fee into the University of Michigan Medical School, but not the lavish lifestyle that he craved. So, while he was enrolled there he began to explore a new area of expertise. He would steal bodies from the anatomy lab, disfigured the bodies and claimed that the people were killed accidentally to collect the life insurance money from policies he took out on each deceased person he had

stolen.

After he graduated in 1884, he briefly visited his family in Gilmanton, his wife Clara had given birth to a son, Robert Lovering Mudgett. The toddler became the subject of his Father's first human dissecting experiment. Though Robert did not die, Herman permanently disfigured him. In his confessions, Herman never said how he explained this cruel and malevolent deed to Clara.

Leaving New Hampshire behind him, Herman began his journey West to build the fortune that he so craved. After many unsuccessful jobs in different cities, Herman returned to his life insurance scams, but this time he had an accomplice.