The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
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Arrived today from a fellow paperbackswap member.
A history about two remarkable men working in Chicago at the same time. One an architect, the other a serial killer.
Daniel Burnham was half of the architectural team of Burnham and Root when the country was choosing the city that would host the next World's Fair: the date for the fair was 1893. In this case it would be a celebration of Columbus coming to the new world. A handsome, likable man, Burnham at the time was considered the promoter and money manager while Root was the designer.
At the same time, a man calling himself H.H. Holmes moved into the city. Also attractive and personable, he manipulated his way into the purchase of property on which he built a three-story building that took up a whole block, not far from the location chosen for the World's Fair. Holmes had a way with words. He could confront creditors and before they realized it they were feeling sorry for him and even extending more credit. He was especially taken by young women and they by him, for he was charming and seemed direct, honest, warm.
While Burnham, chosen to be the chief architect of the fair, was working his magic to entice great architects to join him and to overcome one obstacle after another, Holmes was working his magic to bring young ladies into his parlor, where they would ultimately be dispatched to a vault, where they would either run out of air or be gassed to death. He did not confront his victims directly in most cases, choosing these rather neater methods of killing.
The book gives us the play-by-play of each man, as much as the historical record shows. While Burnham's visibility increased daily, Holmes managed to stay under the radar in spite of numerous disappearances from the apartments in his building. The police force at the time had not put anything together.
The story of the building of the fair is incredible. With wind and storms and difficult soils, difficulty obtaining materials, not enough time, challenges with the architects and the famed Frederick Law Olmstead, brought on board for the landscaping, it was a miracle that the fair opened at all. When it finally did open as planned not everything was complete. Most notably the engineering attraction that drew the most attention (which I will not identify in case you don't know what it is) did not open for another couple of months. While open, attendance was a concern, driving boards and commissions to try to reign in the expenses. This caused yet more of an issue, given that special events at the fair drew the largest crowds and these events cost money.
The fair story is enough, really, for a book. But alongside we had our killer. The two men never met but they were undoubtedly at the fair at the same time at least once. The tie between them is thus tenuous - Chicago and the World's Fair - but makes an interesting contrast. The story of how Holmes was finally caught includes some mighty fine detective work. At times it does seem like fiction.
Daniel Burnham was half of the architectural team of Burnham and Root when the country was choosing the city that would host the next World's Fair: the date for the fair was 1893. In this case it would be a celebration of Columbus coming to the new world. A handsome, likable man, Burnham at the time was considered the promoter and money manager while Root was the designer.
At the same time, a man calling himself H.H. Holmes moved into the city. Also attractive and personable, he manipulated his way into the purchase of property on which he built a three-story building that took up a whole block, not far from the location chosen for the World's Fair. Holmes had a way with words. He could confront creditors and before they realized it they were feeling sorry for him and even extending more credit. He was especially taken by young women and they by him, for he was charming and seemed direct, honest, warm.
While Burnham, chosen to be the chief architect of the fair, was working his magic to entice great architects to join him and to overcome one obstacle after another, Holmes was working his magic to bring young ladies into his parlor, where they would ultimately be dispatched to a vault, where they would either run out of air or be gassed to death. He did not confront his victims directly in most cases, choosing these rather neater methods of killing.
The book gives us the play-by-play of each man, as much as the historical record shows. While Burnham's visibility increased daily, Holmes managed to stay under the radar in spite of numerous disappearances from the apartments in his building. The police force at the time had not put anything together.
The story of the building of the fair is incredible. With wind and storms and difficult soils, difficulty obtaining materials, not enough time, challenges with the architects and the famed Frederick Law Olmstead, brought on board for the landscaping, it was a miracle that the fair opened at all. When it finally did open as planned not everything was complete. Most notably the engineering attraction that drew the most attention (which I will not identify in case you don't know what it is) did not open for another couple of months. While open, attendance was a concern, driving boards and commissions to try to reign in the expenses. This caused yet more of an issue, given that special events at the fair drew the largest crowds and these events cost money.
The fair story is enough, really, for a book. But alongside we had our killer. The two men never met but they were undoubtedly at the fair at the same time at least once. The tie between them is thus tenuous - Chicago and the World's Fair - but makes an interesting contrast. The story of how Holmes was finally caught includes some mighty fine detective work. At times it does seem like fiction.
Reserved for paperbackswap.
