In 1895, serial killer H.H. Holmes (aka Herman Mudgett) is sitting in Moyamensing prison on charges of insurance fraud while a thorough investigation is being made in to his murders. Detective Frank Geyer crisscrossed the US and Canada, locating evidence and bodies. Holmes appears unruffled to the point of calmly writing his autobiography and shopping it around. From prison. He knew he had to get his story to the press first (which was a possibility in the days before cell phones and internet) so he could put his spin on it.
Holmes didn’t quite finish in time. Detective Geyer’s findings were published in mid-July 1895. Indictments for Holmes’ crimes came through in mid-September 1895 along with Holmes’ memoir. This was a marketing coup, of course. People went wild for any information, from either side, of these crimes.
Image: Full page, multi-columned, illustrated articles like this appeared in many newspapers in 1895. However, these types of articles appeared in Dallas and Fort Worth as early as late 1894 due to the investigation in to Minnie and Nannie (Anna) Williams disappearance heating up – and their properties identified as being in Holmes’ possession.
