Jarrod explains that Cathy was the model for the sculpture. Her body mysteriously disappears from the morgue.Д¬athyвЂ™s friend Sue Allen visits the museum and is troubled by the strong resemblance of the Joan of Arc figure to her dead friend. Burke's fiancГ©e, Cathy Gray, is murdered soon afterward. In reality, Burke was murdered by a cloaked, disfigured killer who then staged the death as a suicide. Jarrod now concedes to popular taste and includes a 'Chamber of Horrors' that showcases both historical crimes and recent events, such as the apparent suicide of his former business partner Burke. He builds a new House of Wax with help from deaf-mute sculptor Igor and another assistant named Leon Averill.

Miraculously, Jarrod survives, but with severe injuries including crippled hands. Burke splashes kerosene over Jarrod's body and leaves him to die in the fire. In the process, he fights off Jarrod, who is desperately attempting to save his precious sculptures. That night, Burke deliberately sets the museum on fire, intending to claim the insurance money. Wallace, deeply impressed with Jarrod's sculptures, agrees to buy Burke out but will not be able to do so until after he returns from a continental trip. Jarrod then gives a private tour to renowned art critic Sidney Wallace. When his business partner Matthew Burke demands more sensational exhibits to increase profits, Jarrod refuses. He specializes in historical figures such as John Wilkes Booth, Joan of Arc, and one that he considers his masterpiece, Marie Antoinette. Professor Henry Jarrod s a talented wax figure sculptor with a museum in 1890s New York.

House of wax