The Infamous Burke and Hare: Serial Killers and Resurrectionists of Nineteenth Century Edinburgh

by R. Michael Gordon

Overview

Body snatchers and grave robbers were the stuff of Victorian lore, but two real-life culprits took the crimes out of shadowy cemeteries and into criminal court. William Burke and William Hare aided Scottish surgeons competing for anatomical breakthroughs by experimenting on human corpses. As the duo evolved from petty theft to premeditated murder, they unwittingly brought attention to the medical practices of the era, leading to Burke's death by hanging. This account not only explores the work of the resurrectionists, it reflects the nature of serial killers, 1820s criminal law, and Edinburgh's early role as a seat of European medical research. Readers interested in the legal aspects of these crimes will find the trial testimony included to be a valuable resource.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786454563
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	10/21/2009
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	273
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

R. Michael Gordon is the author of several books, and has written extensively on Victorian London and the Ripper phenomenon. He lives in Long Beach, California.
R. Michael Gordon is the author of several books, and has written extensively on Victorian London and the Ripper phenomenon. He lives in Long Beach, California.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction     

I—The Field and the Players
1. Of Supply and Demand in Old Edinburgh     
2. Of Medical Men and Resurrectionists     

II—The Many Works of Burke and Hare
3. The Merchandise of “John and William”     
4. The Risky Murder of Mary Paterson     
5. The Pace Increases     
6. The Murders of “Daft Jamie” and Mary Docherty     
7. Rumors of Murder as the Investigation Begins     

III—The Legal System Does Its Work
8. A Trial for Burke, But Not for Hare     
9. Into the Night as the Testimony Continues     
10. The Testimony of a Serial Killer     
11. The King’s Justice for a Serial Killer     

IV—A Postscript for Resurrectionists
12. It Was a Hanging Affair—January 28, 1829     
13. The Press Takes Center Stage     
14. The Aftermath of Serial Murder     

Appendix 1. Witness List for the Trial of William Burke and Helen McDougal     
Appendix 2. The Complete Testimony of William Hare     
Appendix 3. Report of the Committee of Investigation as to the Dealings of Dr. Knox with the West Port Murderers     
Appendix 4. A Chronology of Serial Murder     
Appendix 5. The Caledonian Mercury—January 1, 1829     
Appendix 6. The Word on the Street—January 28, 1829     
Appendix 7. Broadsheet on Burke’s Execution—January 28, 1829     
Chapter Notes     
Bibliography     
Index