4. Holmes built the hotel which became known as the Murder Castle
While working for the Holtons Holmes bought the lot across the street from the drugstore in 1887, and began construction of a two story retail and residential building, which became known as the Castle in the neighborhood. The first floor was initially designed for retail spaces, including another drugstore, with the upper floor designed to contain residential apartments. Both the architects for the structure and Holmes’s contractor eventually sued him for non-payment in 1888. Four years later Holmes solicited investors to add a third floor, with Holmes presenting the idea of the building being used as a hotel during the upcoming World Columbian Exposition in 1892, an international celebration held in Chicago to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the exploratory expedition of Christopher Columbus. At least, that’s what his legend says.
Holmes had several secret rooms built in the hotel, which was never completed, which he later claimed to have been built for the purpose of his killing spree, though in reality the rooms were mostly used for the purpose of hiding supplies and furnishings for which he never paid his suppliers. By 1890, Holmes was living on the premises, operating his own drugstore on the first floor, with several tenants living on the upper floor, including Julia Smythe, who worked at his drugstore selling jewelry. Smythe’s husband abandoned her and their child after learning that his wife was involved in an affair with her employer. Smythe remained at the drugstore and resided in the hotel with her child until vanishing sometime in 1891, last seen on Christmas Eve. What became of her and her child has never been determined with certainty, Holmes later claimed that she died during a botched abortion, though he never explained what happened to the child.