The History of Burke and Hare, and of the Resurrectionist Times / A Fragment from the Criminal Annals of Scotland

by George Mac Gregor

“He was then asked how long he had been engaged in this murderous traffic, to which he answered, ‘From Christmas, 1827, till the murder of the woman Docherty in October last.’ ‘How many persons have you murdered, or been concerned in murdering, during the time? Were they 30 in all?’ ‘Not so many; not so many, I assure you.’ ‘How many?’ He answered the question, but the answer was, for a reason perfectly satisfactory, not communicated to us, and reserved for a different quarter.

“‘Had you any accomplices?’ ‘None but Hare. We always took care when we were going to commit a murder that no one else should be present; that no one could swear he saw the deed done. The women might suspect what we were about, but we always put them out of the way when we were going to do it. They never saw us commit any of the murders. One of the murders was done in Broggan’s house while he was out, but before he returned the thing was finished and the body put into a box. Broggan evidently suspected something, for he appeared much agitated, and entreated us to take away the box, which we accordingly did. But he was not in any way concerned in it.’

“‘You have already told me that you were engaged in these atrocities from Christmas, 1827, till the end of October, 1828. Were you associated with Hare during all that time?’ ‘Yes, we began with selling to Dr. —— the body of a woman who had died a natural death in Hare’s house. We got ten pounds for it. After this we began the murders, and all the rest of the bodies that we sold to him were murdered.’

“‘In what place were these murders generally committed?’ ‘They were mostly committed in Hare’s house, which was very convenient for the purpose, as it consisted of a room and kitchen. Daft Jamie was murdered there. The story told of this murder is incorrect. Hare began the struggle with him, and they fell and rolled together on the floor; then I went to Hare’s assistance, and we at length finished him, though with much difficulty. I committed one murder in the country by myself. It was in last harvest. All the rest were done in conjunction with Hare.’

“‘By what means were these fearful atrocities perpetrated?’ ‘By suffocation. We made the persons drunk, and then suffocated them by holding the nostrils and mouth and getting on the body. Sometimes I held the mouth and nose, while Hare went upon the body; and sometimes Hare held the mouth and nose, while I placed myself on the body. Hare has perjured himself by what he said at the trial about the murder of Docherty. He did not sit by while I did it, as he says. He was on the body assisting me with all his might, while I held the nostrils and mouth with one hand, choked her under the throat with the other. We sometimes used a pillow, but did not in this case.’

“‘Now, Burke, answer me this question:—Were you tutored and instructed, or did you receive hints from any one as to the mode of committing murder?’ ‘No, except from Hare. We often spoke about it, and we agreed that suffocation was the best way. Hare said so, and I agreed with him. We generally did it by suffocation.’

“‘Did you receive any encouragement to commit or persevere in committing these atrocities?’ ‘Yes; we were frequently told by Paterson that he would take as many bodies as we could get for him. When we got one he always told us to get more. There was commonly another person with him of the name of ——. They generally pressed us to get more bodies for them.’

“‘To whom were the bodies so murdered sold?’ ‘To Dr. ——. We took the bodies to his rooms in —— ——, and then went to his house to receive the money for them. Sometimes he paid us himself; sometimes we were paid by his assistants. No questions were ever asked as to the mode in which we had come by the bodies. We had nothing to do but to leave a body at the rooms, and go and get money.’

“‘Did you ever, upon any occasion, sell a body or bodies to any other lecturer in this place?’ ‘Never. We knew no other.’

“‘You have been a resurrectionist (as it is called) I understand?’ ‘No. Neither Hare nor myself ever got a body from a churchyard. All we sold were murdered, save the first one, which was that of the woman who died a natural death in Hare’s house. We began with that: our crimes then commenced. The victims we selected were generally elderly persons; they could be more easily disposed of than persons in the vigour of health.’