The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-29
THE BURKING BUSINESS.
THE AWFUL MURDERS TE ATsTIRRED
EDINBURGH IN 1877.
Two Fiends In Partnership to Supply
Dead Bodies TO a Lecturer on Anato-
my--Cases Similar to Those Of White
chapel.


A sensation akin TO that which has been
developed in London blythe recent White
chapel murders was created just sixty
years ago in Edinburgh by the discovery
OF series Of crimes which stood forth,
then as now, wholly without example in
any age or country.
Two fends in human shape, William
Burke and William Hare, deliberately
entered into a partnership to decoy per-
sons to their houses to murder them IN
cold blood and sell the bodies to DIR. Knox,
lecturer on anatomy at the University OF
Edinburgh.
William Burke was born in County Ty-
rome, Ireland, 1902. His parents We're
poor but respectable cotiers. lie was
brought up Roman Catholic and received
a fair education. lie married early and
subsequently deserted his wife, who bore
him seven children. Later on he met a
woman, Helen Mclougal by name, while
lac was in Scotland. They remained to-
gether up 10 the day OF their arrest.
Burke worked in Scotland as q laborer, and
after the harvest OF 1927 he, still accompa-
MED by the woman McDougal, went TO
Edinburgh and there met Hare. This
man, his future partner IN the series OF
fearful crimes they jointly perpetrated, Mt
this time kept low lOdglng-houst in Tan
ncr's close, Westport Burke and the Me-
Dougal woman went 10 live mt Iare's
clearinghouse, which was managed by a
woman who passed rs his wife. Her
maiden name was Laird, and she was the
widow of n man mined Log.
The first idea OF carrying out The series
of crimes afierward pcfPetrated by Burke
and his associate appears to have arisen
when one OF Hare'a dodgers died natural
death. The man was a pensloner His
dobauchcd habits sufficiently accounted
for his sudden death. Burke and Hare
managed to abstract the corpse from the
collin after the undertaken had left the
house, and, filling up the empty casket
with bricks packed in tan-bark, the collin
was borne TO the grave ut the appointed
time with all due solcnnity. That night
Hare went to the college OF Surgeons and
offered the body for sale. lie was re-
ierrcd 10 DIR. Knox Of 10 Surgeons
square. Here he saw some young stu
dents, by whose directions he carried the
pensioners corpse To the dissecting-room
Tor the subject
The death Of the pcnsioner and the
profitable disposition Of the remains APP
pcar TO have suggested 10 the two miscrc-
ants the carrying uut OF the vilginous
business IN which they forthwith engaged.
Within the space at q lew months they
murdered no lee than sixteen persons.
Burke used to- frequent the low public
houses OF the nuighbornO0l, and when hc
found some wayiarcr without home or
the means OF obtaining q shelter he would
oiler thom lodgius ut liarc's house or
his own. The yirum was industriously
piled with liquor tai he or she became un.
conscious. Then the two partners in
crime would fall upon them, and while
Haze usually chokrd the poor wretch 10
death, Burke would throw himself upon
the body and thus hasten the end. The
two women were undoubtedly privy TO
the crime, but they invariably LEFT tho
rooms while the murders were being per.
pctn'od. ii
Burke WIS man Of thirty.fyc, rather
below the mld1N sizc. but sloutly built
and OF q determined east OF countcnnnce.
Ills ince was round, check-bones high,
with gray eyes deeply sunk in the head,
short, stub nusc, and round chin. Ills
hair ani whiskeH we're Of light. sandy
color, and his complexion lair and slightly
irpcklcd
Helen McDougal IL described as having
been woman OF medium hight, thin
aud sparely made. Her features were long,
bu, by no means displcasing, aud were
rendered somewhat expressive by pair OF
large. full black eyes.
Hare was about thirty five. and Is said
20 have boon one OF the most squllid.look.
ing wrolchos ever seen in a dock. with 4
sinister expression, which rendered his up.
pearancc peculiarly revolving Ills wife
was u short, stout. T1uud-inccd ami lrcsl-
compoxionrd woman. with look oI
coarse and determined brutality.
Hare appears 90 have been rude boor,
with all the outward Appearance OF ruf
| Han. Drunken. iotociOns and pr0iligIic
| lac was Ear likclicr 10 Upcl than cnsnarc
victims 20 their muidcrous liar. lie ~
pears, however. 90 have been the NOR
/ deeply designing man Of the two, aud 1,
/ have oycrrcicllpd his associate, whom h,
succeeded la always thrusiing forward
probably with the view Of disp0sing o
him a. hc ultimately did. sending hlin 6,
the rllows. and thereby saving his owl
Wreichcd neck. Burke managed tho out
I door business II The Partnership. Tor lac u
| was who always vent on thg prowl ane
I victims. Ia his outward manners hc wa
I entirely the rcycrsc ol Hare. Quiet in hi
/ drmcauor lac mover gave way % Cur,ln
/ aud sWcaring even when the Wunsc 10
! drink. lie was awning In hia addrc h
I aud was GENERAL iNorito among th
| rhi.dun ui the uclghhurhoDd, any ono Il
whom would chcorIully run upon his cr
mui. Tho quarrcls which were apparent,
~ often happening boz hi. house Wcrv prob
ably only make believes o. drown Ia
dying crios OF The unhappy victim.
The iist ol the fCficH ul sixteen murder
was committed IN Janlary. 1898, and thu
last. that OF tic old woman, MARY noch
erty, In October oi The Kime wear. Til
last crime led 10 the detection ~ tho muir
dcwm, their arrest, and thg Trial, couyic
ton aud execution al burke. The wOm1l
McnOunl WIS acquitted. llnW saved hi
neck hy turning Queens evidence, nu,
his wife was nlsouspl as witness In th
case. The muulsr pi Mrs nochurly W.
discovered 10y Ne aud Nina Gray, Nh,
lodged IN llarcF house. They heard
noise a. Of Qunu.hug and lighting ate
they had retired. oug night, and the mex
lay Mn. Gray ind Dochcuy's bod.
concealed under 'thGnp Of straw In Hare
bedroom. After burkc's conviction h
made n iuIl confession. inWhich, however
he sought 10 shoN that in each caso liar
was the actual rlpnlrrcr. ~ be had bccl
the tint one to sugg,tl the execution of tl
crimes. AccordinstH Burkes statement th
first victim wasy ont Abigail simpson,
middle aged wouiaa, Intiocdl TO the hon,