jla33083 asked this question on 4/26/2000:

Can you tell me about a famous serial killer before 1950's. Please send me asap. Thanks

serial_interest gave this response on 4/26/2000:

Dr. H.H. Holmes: Also known as "Saucy Jack" was our countries' 1st documented serial killer.Real name ...Herman Mudgett. Born in New Hampshire. As a child he liked conducting :medical experiments" on small living creatures. He was a scammer...insurance fraud was 1 of many...obtain a corpse, turn in to insurance company claiming "this" was the so called insured, and claim the money. With the accumulated money, he purchased a place he called "The Castle". The place he had built was full of secret passageways and such. Some of the rooms were lined with asbestos, had gas pipes run to them, trap doors...etc. A number of tourists would visit here and never be seen again. Also he was married a number of times without the luxury of divorce.He even provided local medical schools with human skeletons ...no q asked. He was finally arrested for the murder of Ben Pitezel during 1 of his famous ins. scams and was caught. He confessed to 27 murders. He was hanged in Philly on May 7, 1896.