1. "Lizzie's close call"
Posted by harry on Jan-23rd-03 at 9:20 PM

After her acquittal in 1893 Lizzie attended the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.  Living in that city at the time was one Herman W. Mudgett (a.k.a. Dr. H. H. Holmes).

Holmes was certainly one of the most prolific killers ever. When asked how how many people he had killed he said 133. No one knows for sure.

Holmes was thought to have visited the same Exposition.  Several people vanished from the Exposition and it was thought they had been murdered by Holmes.

Holmes was eventually caught, convicted and hung on May 7, 1896.

A great book on Holmes is "The Torture Doctor" by David Franke.

I've never heard about this one, sounds like
great bedtime reading though.

"H. H. Holmes

Born Herman Webster Mudgett, Dr. Holmes started his criminal career as a medical student by stealing corpses from the University of Michigan. He used them to collect insurance money from policies taken out under fictitious names.

When he moved to Chicago he started a drugstore empire from which he made a fortune. He built a hundred-room mansion complete with gas chambers, trap doors, acid vats, lime pits, fake walls and secret entrances. During the 1893 World's Fair he rented rooms to visitors. He killed most of his renters and continued his insurance fraud scheme. He also lured women to his "torture castle" with the promise of marriage. Instead, he would force them to sign over their savings. After he would throw them down an elevator shaft and gas them to death. In the basement of the castle he dismembered and skinned his prey and experimented with their corpses. When police grew suspicious about H.H's activities, he torched the castle and fled. In the burnt hulk of the building, authorities found the remains of over two hundred people. H.H. was caught and hanged on May 7, 1896, leaving behind an impressive trail of blood unequaled for almost eighty years. "

http://www.uky.edu/~uk00121/nwbl/bios.html

--Cool find, Harry!
Now we have Lizzie somewhat *linked* to Jack the R. and H.H. Holmes!


(Message last edited Jan-24th-03  2:23 AM.)

I've read about this guy before, pretty creepy!  Oooo, and you forgot one link between Lizzie and Holmes, Rick Geary's next book will be about Holmes!  Woo Hoo!

LBVML: Are you currently at work on any new graphic crime novels or other projects that we should be on the lookout for in the near future?

I'm currently finishing up work on my latest graphic novel in the Victorian Murder series: "The Beast of Chicago," the story of the serial killer H. H. Holmes, who ran a small hotel during the 1893 World's Fair and probably killed dozens of people. It's a pretty juicy tale.

Can't wait to get a look at this one. 

Maybe you could provide him the info.
He might want to stick Lizzie in a Street Scene...kind of like Hitchcock putting in a cameo appearance in all his movies...

Can do, sounds like it might be something fun to add, that is if he isn't too far along into it. 

I am a world's fair enthusiast and I have heard of Holmes.  From what I understand about the World's Columbian Exposition, Holmes operated a boarding house near the Midway Plaisance.  This was the site of The Ferris Wheel, "Little Egypt," and all of the wonders of the amusement area of the Fair.  Today, that long narrow stretch heading westward from Jackson Park (site of the Fair) is still called the Midway Plaisance.  The University of Chicago is found along one side of this vast boulevard.  I understand that the site of Holmes boarding house is well known by local historians and people often ask to see the spot.

The building stood until the 1930's or 1940's.  At the time it was demolished, a series of tunnels and underground chambers were unearthed and evidence of murders committed by this guy.  It is true that young women were reported missing after they had travelled to Chicago in 1893 to see the Fair.  I would have to look back at the information, but I believe physical evidence was linked to Holmes and he was responsible for dozens of murders--all women.  (I have heard that the number of victims was over 200 but have never read actual confirmation of such a figure in any reliable historical source).

One other interesting fact, perhaps.  Just off from the Midway Plaisance is an area known as Hyde Park.  In the early 1920's, this exclusive residential area was home to Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold, the self-appointed teenage geniuses who tried to commit the perfect crime.  It was here that they kidnapped 12 year old Bobby Franks and murdered him.  They typed a ransom note to the family and then stupidly dropped the typewriter into a lagoon (left over from the Fair) in Jackson Park where it was later discovered.  The Loeb-Leopold case is a strange and creepy story of the decadence of the rich and the evil of two sick minds.

I never knew that Lizzie visited the World's Columbian Exposition.  That is actually quite remarkable for several reasons.  It was not an inexpensive trip.  While nearly 25 million people did visit the Fair, Chicago is a long way from New England and such a trip would be quite costly in 1893.  Secondly, the Fair was held the same summer of her trial.  This means that she certainly recovered rapidly and headed westward to the Fair for a little fun.  Does anybody know if she attended any of the other great Fairs of that era:  Buffalo's Pan American Exposition in 1901 or the St. Louis Louisana Purchase Exposition in 1904?

(Message last edited Jan-28th-03  9:53 PM.)

That's a really good question about Lizzie and a really good post, about an extremely interesting topic--H.H.Holmes & The Fair.

Am awaiting more info, can anybody contribute?

We know that Uncle John Morse had Chicago ties (a friend), and lived a long time of his life in Illinois.

And that Lizzie went first to Newport to recover.

(Message last edited Jan-29th-03  12:25 AM.)

I found this site:

http://www.prarieghosts.com/holmes.html

It is an excerpt from a book by Troy Taylor.  I believe the title is Ghosts of The Windy City.  Oddly enough, it contains very detailed information on Holmes and his activities in Chicago at the time  of the World's Columbian Exposition.  Now, wouldn't it be interesting if Lizzie had made reservations....

Shoot!
As Harry is cringing hearing me say for years:
I can't get there from here!

But I have read a big thick paperback on Mudget(?).

Lizzie and H.H. together in Chicago...this sounds like a Sherlockian story and William can write it!

(Message last edited Jan-29th-03  9:50 PM.)

I apologize.  I spelled prairie incorrectly.

Here is the website:

http://www.prairieghosts.com/holmes.html

I think this should work.

Wow!  Thanks for the link, Jim.  Very interesting reading. 

For those interested in Lizzie's trip to the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, there is a new book entitled The Devil in the White City.  It is, evidently, devoted to establishing and clarifying the facts in the strange case of H. H. Holmes, the lunatic and serial killer who evidently took so many lives while operating a boarding house on the edge of Jackson Park, the site of the fair.  I have not seen the book and I believe it was just published but I was contacted by a friend in Chicago who was invited to a presentation of the book at the Chicago Historical Society and he said the discussion was excellent.  Wouldn't it have been interesting if Lizzie had actually booked a room with Holmes?  I have a feeling Holmes might have met his match if he pulled any of his violent stunts with ol' Lizzie.  My money would be on the gal with the axe.

I think Lizzie won that trip to the Chicago World's Fair. 

I think I read a novelization of the Holmes case in the 1980's called "The Scarlet Mansion".  It was hard to believe, but I guess it really happened.

The Leopold & Leob case is a good one to study.  I think Bobby Franks was 14 - he was kinda small for his age.  I wish they would remake that movie.  All we have to date is "Compulsion".  The book, which is excellent and was written by the Martin Milner reporter character in the movie, had to use fictional names because of Nathan Leopold going after them to sue at the time.  I knew a guy who knew one of the reporters who was in the courtroom during the case.  He told me the reporter told him the most horrible facts that were revealed and were not let out to the public.  To this day he won't tell me what was said.  Grrrrr ... Another good book on the case is "Crime of the Century".  I have Nathan Leopold's "Life Plus 99 Years" but haven't read it yet.  He was eventually paroled, married and lived in like Puerto Rico or something.  "Dickie" Leob was stabbed to death in the prison showers early on in his stay.

As with Lizzie's trial, their attorney referred to them as "boys" - like Robinson called Lizzie a "little girl".  It's like the Menendez Brothers wearing those schoolboy sweaters in court after mowing down their parents in cold blood.

Didn't the winning of something happen while she was in jail.  And didn't it involve housewives filling out coupons or something in a Woman's magazine and didn't she decline acceptence?
Let's Play Dueling Memories...
Eventually one of us will have to look this up...

Was the Leopold/Loeb case Chicago?

Found an interesting link for the Chicago's World Fair of 1893.

http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/acs/1890s/chicagowfair/worldsfair.html

(Message last edited Mar-22nd-03  1:00 PM.)

I am confused here, maybe I missed something from previous
posts...but I have never read that Lizzie attended the
Chicago World's Fair.. I spent some time this morning since
I have the day off work, looking for this info and came up
empty.  All reports I am finding say that her every move
was followed and reported in the papers...  Can anyone tell
me more about "Lizzie's trip to the Expo".. or have I
misread this post??

Jim knew about the fair itself and we learned cool stuff.
It was a surprise to him as well, that there was any info that our Lizzie did visit the fair.
Tonight I looked in the Sourcebook for later articles on Lizzie, and the Casebook, and any mention of Lizzie in Chicago in Did She Didn't She?  Evening Standard articles, but did not find a reference.

Can you mention where you looked nj?  It sounded like news items?

(Message last edited Mar-25th-03  1:32 AM.)

I am still looking this up, can't find anything in my
books. The authors I have generally describe Lizzies life
after the trial the same. I guess it doesn't matter really
if she went to the fair or not but it was bugging me!  I
enjoyed reading the previous posts about Chicago references,
I want to delve more into that also.  Uncle John certainly
stayed-around at a lot of places, he is the Kato Katlin of
this case!

Well, the original question was just as interesting as yours.  It was if Lizzie went to the Chicago Fair, did she also go to the others listed?
I can't stop wondering about that!
Did our Lizzie become a fair-addict?  I mean, I can just see her foot-loose-and-fancy-free shuffling off to Buffalo in 1901!!?
It's really something to imagine THAT!

Lizzie became a recluse, her every move was reported in the
papers, I would think if she went to the Chicago Fair it would
be bigger headlines than ol Grover Cleveland got!   I really
don't think she went to the fair or any other fairs....

My problem is I can't find any source of Newspapers that extend past the trial.  They may cover the Tilden-Thurber affair, the break-up of the sisters, a few "Annual Articles" and one Interview upon her death and re-cap of her story.
That's using, DidSheDidn'tShe?  Sourcebook   & Casebook. & 2 Volumes of Victorian Vistas.
Unless someone has a bigger access to newspapers I don't know how we'd find out for sure.

I don't have access to any other than the usual newspapers; however, I do recall reading about Lizzie's attending the Chicago Exposition.  That means the item must be in one of the fairly common sources that I have.  I can't vouch for its authenticity, however.  I doubt that I'll be able to find it myself, because I'm experiencing a lot of trouble with my eyesight these days, and reading fine print is pretty much an impossibility.

Rebello (p.187-8)has an article from the Fall River Daily Globe (Tuesday, October 3, 1893:8)which states that: "'Unbeknown' to Chicago:  Miss Lizzie Borden has been doing the World's Fair with Miss Caroline Borden, formerly of this city, and Miss Alice Buck as traveling companions."

This is followed with a prior article from the July 19th, 1893 edition of the Fall River Weekly News which states that Lizzie won a trip to Chicago sponsored by the Boston Globe as a result of a concerted effort by her friends to collect a number of the coupons required for the win. However, according to the FR News, Jennings sent a letter to the Boston Globe declining the prize on his client's behalf and asking that the prize go to someone else.

That one line from Rebello seems to be the only reference
of Lizzie going to the fair. As with so many other little
questions we have on this case, we have to accept any tidbit
at all! 

Now I want to know, like Jim, did she go to the other fairs?
That's better than T.V.

I bet they had balloon ascensions!
Do you think Lizzie would go up in a balloon?


(Message last edited Mar-28th-03  12:34 AM.)

So the stories of her being "shunned by everyone" are not true.
Don't most grown-up today have a small circle of friends after leaving high school? Except public people who try to cultivate the most people?

If you notice, that trip was soon after the acquittal.  Lizzie was on a high.  There was still some support for her position.
But, after a time, she dropped or lost or left untended her old friends, and made new ones.
Those she left money to, included her cousin Howe, but the rest were post 1893, mostly.
Apparently she even lost the support of Mrs. Brigham who actually testified at her trial as a defense witness.  This last is what I have been told.
Emmer did keep most of her associations, tho, I believe.

(Message last edited Mar-29th-03  12:33 AM.)

Right, she may have gone to the fair and it just wasn't
reported, people were still protecting her, even the media
after the acquital.  These days we'd see headlines and
pictures of Lizzie on the ferris wheel. 

That is so weird that you said that, nj, cause Augusta had recently posted after you, a link to that very Ferris Wheel!!!!!