William Burke and William Hare - Grave robbings turn to murder

Back in the 1800's things were very different than they are now. Medical schools were being flooded with students and bodies to practice on were usually exicutioned prisoners or donated bodies. Because there were little of these, and demands were increasing, it let to grave robbers digging up bodies to "cash in" on them. Some... went further than that... some... went to murder.

Burke was 36. He'd spent a lot of time in the army he had a wife that he left in Ireland when he went to Scotland to do many careers, before finally settling down into a career of horror.

Hare on the other hand, was living with his wife. He was a hideous man to look at, especially when he smiled. He and his wife ran an inn in which Burke stayed one evening... this eventually led to perminant boarding and a development of friendships.

One of the residents of the inn died suddenly and Hare was annoyed as he owed rent. So they conducted a plan to steal the mans body and replace it with the same weighted wood in the coffin. They then contacted the medical school and arranged a meeting as they were in need of a body for students to work on in school classes.

They took the body down and got almost double of what the old man owed Hare. They were delighted at how easy it was to make good money. This was the beginning of a roller coaster of death, cruelty and greed.

Another of Hares boarders became ill days later. They decided the man must be suffering and they must put him out of his misery. They were kind to him, giving him whiskey and food. Then when he was drunk and passed out, the two suffocated him, pinning him down and covering his nose and mouth. The poor man was sold off to the medical school who said he died of illness or of drunkeness. No marks were on him to decide otherwise. This ritual of Burke and Hares continued many times for 11 months.

The boarders were healthy... wo where else would they go to get bodies? In 1828, the first of the disappearences occured. A woman was on her way home one night when stumbling across Hare. He invited her back to the inn for a warm drink and rest before the rest of her long journey home. They got her drunk and she fell asleep. They smothered her quickly and delivered her that evening. The medical school commented on the freshness of the corpse, and paid them more than they ever got before.

Because Hare and Burke did not spend their money wisely, they were looking for new victims very quickly to stock up on money again. To their luck, another tenant fell ill at the inn, he must need some relieving attention, they decided. He was cashed in as well as another lady that Hare's wife brought home. Although it was unsure whether she knew what was going on, she filled the woman with whisky and called for her husband. She too was on the medical schools door step within hours.

Burke picked up two prostitutes days later and brought them back for breakfast. One of them got angry and left but returned to fetch her friend later. She was told that her friend went out with Burke and would be back later, so she sat and waited. She soon gave up and left. Her friend had been killed and left for the medical school. It was a risky case however as many students recognised her but the authorities said the corpse was so fresh that even the art classes could sketch it, so they were payed, with little questions asked.

They killed another woman that Burke knew within weeks and were richer once again. Burke even saw police taking a woman into custody. She was very drunk and Burke insisted he knew her and could take her home. She didnt end up home - she ended up being an educational utensil for students.

They searched again and found an old woman and a young deaf boy with her. Burke took them back to the inn for drinks. They killed the old woman but debated over the grandson. They eventually broke his back (over Burkes knee) and handed them both in for cash.

Soon the were arguments as Burke learnt that Hare was actually killing and cashing in without Burke at all. Burke moved out. Despite not living together, they still needed money and continued their trips to the school to cash in victims. An old friend came to visit Burke and ended up on the operating slab. Another old friend soon followed.

Any prostitute was collected and murdered and her daughter that knew too much soon followed her mother in the medical schools lab. This particular lady was rather well known and people started to talk in her absence. Burke and Hare were sloppy here and chose another popular charactor for their next victim that got people talking even more. Daft jamie was a young boy who was found wandering the streets looking for his mother. Hare picked him up and although he faught, the two managed to kill the poor kid.

Jamies mother soon found him at the medical school and even though Burke and Hare denied it was him, other students verified that they were lying. There was public outrage then as poor Jamie was seen as defenseless. The police soon moved in and found evidence against Burke and Hare.

Hare testified against Burke and his wife in court. Burke was hung in 1828 and the public demanded that the doctor that accepted the bodies and Hare join him. Hare was released and was never seen again. The doctor continued at the school and was rejected from others he applied for. He eventually moved and worked in a Cancer research institute. 16 murders in total and despite what they did, their stories live on. There is talk of them today and how they were the best grave robbers ever to walk in Europe. Plays, musicals, and movies were made based on their horrific tales. And "to burke" was added to the dictionary and means to murder by smothering! Rhymes were made and now... its still told.. but more as folklore than fact.

Horror\\\\Buff

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