19Th Century Serial Killer·S Descendant Claims

O ! S S R !"" S BY ROGER AMSDEN GILMANTON — A descendant of one of the first documented serial killers in American history says that an analysis of the handwriting of Herman Webster Mudgett, better known to history as HH Holmes, and that of Jack the Ripper, shows that they were the same person. Jeff Mudgett, author of ‘’Bloodstains’’, a fictional account based on his own coming to terms with the fact that he is descended from one of the most bloody serial killers in history, maintains that there is also evidence which shows that Holmes actually visited London in 1888, just at the time the five murders attributed to Jack the Ripper took place. Mudgett, the great-great grandson of Herman Mudgett, was in Gilmanton recently, taking part in a book signing and dinner event at the Gilmanton Winery. He later visited Mudgett’s childhood home, which is located across from Gilmanton Academy at the intersection of Province Road and Cat Alley. He said that at the invitation of the home’s owners he was able to visit the attic where Mudgett, who was born in 1861, had been locked up as a little boy and walk through the entire house, which he said is being remodeled in order to get it ready for a movie which will be partially filmed at the house in 2013. The movie, based on Erik Larson’s “The Devil in the White City’’, a best-selling 2003 non-fiction book that juxtaposed an account of the planning and staging of the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 with Holmes’s story of murder and mayhem. The movie rights to the book were sold at auction to Tom Cruise and then resold in 2010 to a group TU headed by Leonardo Dicaprio, who has said that he TU is reserving the role of Holmes for himself. Holmes confessed to at least 27 murders, many of which took place in a hotel that he had built for the are similar in style.” touch off a new round of interest in Holmes’ home- World’s Fair, which included soundproof rooms, tor- Mudgett says that degree of certainty is unprec- town and what may have happened in Gilmanton ture chambers and elaborate measures for disposal edented and maintains that Holmes had taken a that shaped his character. of the victim’s remains, including an incinerator and ship to London in 1888 and stayed there for around Herman Mudgett was born in Gilmanton in 1861 a basement lime pit. six months. He also maintains that the surgical to Levi Horton Mudgett and Theodate Page Price, Some have speculated that the actual number of skills which were evident in the Ripper’s removal both of whom were descended from the first non- Holmes’s victims may have been as many as 200 of his victim’s internal organs were something that native settlers in the area. According to the 2007 and his crimes received wide publicity at the time of Holmes was a master at. Most Evil profile on Holmes, his father was a violent his 1895 trial through a series of articles in William Mudgett says that he didn’t find out until he was alcoholic, and his mother was a devout Methodist Randolph Hearst’s newspapers, including memoirs 40 years old that he was descended from Herman who read the Bible to Herman. written by Holmes himself in which he wrote “I was Mudgett and that the secret had long been kept He claimed that, as a child, schoolmates forced born with the devil in me. I could not help the fact from the family by his grandfather, Bertrand, who him to view and touch a human skeleton after dis- that I was a murderer, no more than the poet can once the name of Herbert covering his fear of the help the inspiration to sing — I was born with the Webster Mudgett was local doctor. The bullies “Evil One” standing as my sponsor beside the bed uttered in his presence initially brought him where I was ushered into the world, and he has been “stood up, slammed his there to scare him, but with me since.” chair against the wall instead he was utterly Jeff Mudgett says that he doesn’t think that and yelled ‘that name fascinated, and he soon his infamous ancestor was in any way a victim of shall never be mentioned became obsessed with his upbringing. “I don’t think he had a psychosis. in this house again’.’’ death. He was born evil and I think that people like him He said that had his There is already one should be put down and put away,’’ Mudgett told a grandmother, who had movie out about the serial group of people who turned out for a book signing begun the search of the killer, “H.H. Holmes: and reading from ‘’Bloodstains’’ at Annie’s Book Stop family’s history because America’s First Serial in Laconia. she thought there was Killer’’ an hour-long Mudgett says after his book was published in a connection to General DVD produced by John 2011, he was visited by one of his readers who, like Robert E. Lee, would Borowski in 2003 for him, believed that Holmes and Jack were one and never have married his Waterfront Productions. the same. grandfather had she Utilizing a documen- He said that the reader’s forensic evidence, though known his true lineage. tary style, the film con- largely circumstantial, was astounding, and that Ms. Mudgett says his tains historic newspaper Margaret Webb of the renowned British Library had grandfather had moved to California many years ago photos and articles about Holmes’ castle, his child- concluded that letters written by Holmes and Jack in order get away from the stigma of being related hood home in New Hampshire, and his interviews the Ripper were absolutely from the same hand. Her to the serial killer and that ever since he found out with the press as he awaited his trial in Philadel- conclusions, released last July, were lambasted in he has been “trying to come to grips with being a phia. the press. descendant of the most evil man who ever lived.’’ Film critics say the movie which will be filmed in Mudgett, an attorney by trade, contacted experts He said that his great-grandfather was David 2013 should prove to be an intriguing movie with at the University of Buffalo, who had developed a Mudgett, who was the son of Herman Mudgett, born Oscar potential for Dicaprio as the anti-hero, a computer program to differentiate millions of styles in Loudon in 1880, and who would later become smooth-talking charmer whose dark side was well of handwriting, the so-called Cedar Fox program, town manager of a small city in Florida. masked enough to allow him to talk his way into which achieved a 96-percent degree of accuracy and A Wikipedia account of the life of Herman Mudgett people’s hearts, even those he had swindled or was was widely reported on ABC News. He says that the says that the son was named Robert and became a about to murder, while collecting property and life conclusion reached by these scientists was that the CPA and city manager of Orlando, Florida. insurance policies. classifier performance number, (97.95-percent) “can Mudgett says that the upcoming movie will focus Larson’s book describes Holmes as having been be taken to indicate the JTR and Mudgett classes a lot of attention on the town of Gilmanton and ! O" MMoultonMoouullttoonn FFarmFaarrmm Farm Market ~ Garden Center ~ Greenhouse Grower ~ 279-3915 ~ Route 25, Meredith OOpening O peniing FForFor TTheThe SSeasonSeason AAprilApriill 119th19tth Join Us In Supporting The Annie Forts Up Sydrome Fund April 19th, 20th and 21st! Purchase A “Moulton Farm Up Card” www.moultonfarm.com NOW FEATURING Truck Accessories & Installation! MPL `7 AUTOMOTIVE FULL SERVICE 38 South Main St., Laconia, NH REPAIR CENTER by the Hearst Newspapers for his about 5’6’’, 155 pounds and with mes- confession. On May 7, 1896, Holmes merizing blue eyes that were virtu- was hanged at Moyamensing Prison, REPAIRS & Hours: ally hypnotic. Even his creditors, who ending the life of one of the most cold- descended as a group on him around blooded killers ever to walk the earth. ACCESSORIES M-F, 8am-6pm & 1890, were so impressed by his pro- After Holmes was hanged, his body Sat, 8am-Noon fessed sincerity that some actually was encased in a concrete-filled coffin expressed sympathy for him. which was lowered into a 10 foot deep, 527-8145 Holmes, of course, had no sympathy concrete-filled grave. Call for Appointment for anyone and was a master manip- Jeff Mudgett says that he doesn’t ulator of other people, including all believe that the man who was hanged three of his wives and even his com- was actually Holmes, maintaining panions in crime, at least one of whom that it was a prison guard instead he killed. and that Holmes survived and traced Looking for Individual The grisly castle wasn’t searched down anyone involved in his arrest, by police until Holmes was on trial in trial and/or execution and caused Health Coverage? Philadelphia in 1895 for the murder their deaths. of his long-time associate Benjamin He said that he wants to raise Pitezel in another insurance fraud enough money to exhume the grave We offer Health Coverage that’s Ideal for ... scheme. He also murdered three of and have a DNA test taken compar- % "! % $ Pitezel’s children, as well as two Texas ing his DNA to that of the body, which % $! % "!# ! $" sisters who were railroad heiresses.

Load more