Throughout history, murderers always seemed to captivate the public’s attention. Haunted victims, his calculated killers, and all the gruesome details of the crime seem to fascinate most people, and the trials are often sensational events that draw in the masses. The murderers who committed their heinous crimes during the 19th century were no different than they are today, but some of these criminals stand out in history.
Ferguson Field – Champ Ferguson’s story takes place in the mountains of Tennessee during the height of the American Civil War. For reasons that are not entirely clear, Ferguson became a staunch supporter of the rebel cause; some say that Union soldiers raped his wife and daughter, while others say that the Confederacy promised him clemency for an existing murder charge if he pledged their support. Whatever his reasons, Ferguson became one of the most notorious and feared guerrillas in Tennessee, and also one of the most prolific killers of Union soldiers and supporters in the area. Known for his sadistic tendencies when he found a new victim, Ferguson is estimated to have killed more than 100 people, though he was only tried for 53 murders. Ferguson was arrested and tried for murder in May 1865, creating something of a spectacle. for an audience eager to see him sentenced to death. Although Ferguson freely admitted to committing the many murders, he maintained that his acts were part of military activities and that he only killed those who would have killed him. Ferguson was convicted of war crimes and sentenced to hang on October 20, 1865. His death closed the chapter on one of the South’s most notorious guerrillas, feared by some and revered by others.
HH Holmes – Known to many as America’s first documented serial killer, HH Holmes is responsible for the deaths of up to 100 people, though he confessed to only 27 of those murders. Born in New Hampshire in 1860 as Herman Webster Mudgett, Holmes is best known for his time in Chicago during the World’s Fair of 1893. After graduating from medical school in Michigan, Holmes moved to Chicago to practice the pharmacy. However, dispensing drugs was not high on his priority list and instead he engaged in a series of shady deals that scammed people out of their money. In 1893, construction began on The Castle, which would serve as his home / office, a hotel for fair visitors, and ultimately his death camp. The building was three stories high, covered an entire block, and had a floor plan that would confuse even the most experienced architect. The third floor was a kind of maze, with rooms without windows, doors that opened to nowhere, stairs that led to nowhere, and many more oddities. This was where Holmes committed his murders, torturing his victims and sending their bodies down secret corridors to the basement where they were burned or stuffed and sold to medical schools. When the World’s Fair concluded, Holmes left Chicago in search of more opportunities to increase his wealth and his number of victims. When he was caught in an insurance fraud scheme with his partner Benjamin Pitezel, whom he had killed along with three of Pitezel’s children, Holmes was tracked down and eventually arrested in Boston. After his arrest, The Castle was searched and authorities began uncovering evidence of some of the most gruesome crimes ever committed. After a trial that lasted only five days, Holmes was found guilty of murder and sentenced to hang on May 7, 1896. The story of HH Holmes is perhaps one of the most disturbing, but fascinating, adventures in the mind of a assassin.
Octavius Barron – While Octavius Barron did not gain as much notoriety as the previous two killers, it is notable because at the young age of 18, he was responsible for the first murder in the city of Rochester, New York. William Lyman was a respected man in the city, with a successful job and a growing family. On the night of October 20, 1837, he left his office to return home to his wife and four children. He never made it. As Lyman walked home, he was shot in the back of the head at point-blank range, stolen several hundred dollars and left dead in an alley. Upon hearing the shot, a boy who lived in a nearby house alerted his father, who then called the police. While authorities were busy gathering evidence at the crime scene, Barron was at the local tavern waving Lyman’s money and bragging about the murder to his friends. However, it didn’t take long for this arrogant attitude to come to an end, as Barron was arrested within hours of pulling the trigger. The case against him was strong, and as he was already known in the city as a regular gambler and drinker, the young man was easily convicted of the murder. Octavius Barron was hanged for his crime on June 7, 1838, and with his death justice was served. But the story doesn’t stop here; Although William Lyman’s life was over, his story continued.
You can learn more about Octavius Barron, William Lyman and the surprising details of the fate of these men in the documentary “Visions: True Stories of the Supernatural” from Ad-Hoc Productions. Go to http://www.ad-hoc-productions.com/trailers.html for more information.