The History of Burke and Hare, And of the Resurrectionist Times

01 - Ch.1 Early Prohibition of Dissection—Shakespeare’s Tomb—The Progress of Anatomy—Curious Incident in Edinburgh—An Old Broadside Ballad on Body-Snatching—Tumults in Edinburgh and Glasgow—Female “Burkers”

02 - Ch.2 Tales of the Resurrectionists—The Students at Work

03 - Ch.3 Tales of the Resurrectionists—What the Doctors did

04 - Ch.4 Tales of the Resurrectionists—The Professional Body-Snatchers—A Dundee Resurrectionist Ballad—A Strange Experiment in Glasgow

05 - Ch.5 The Early Life of Burke and M‘Dougal—Their Meeting with Hare and his Wife—Some Notes Concerning the Latter

06 - Ch.6 Death of Donald the Pensioner—Hare’s Debt—Negotiations with the Doctors—A Bargain Struck—Sale of Donald’s Body

07 - Ch.7 New Prospects—Description of Hare’s House—The Murder of Abigail Simpson, the Old Woman from Gilmerton—The Two Sick Men

08 - Ch.8 Qualms of Conscience—The Murder of Mary Paterson, and Escape of Janet Brown—Preservation of the Fallen Beauty

09 - Ch.9 Unknown Victims—The Two Old Women—Effy the Cinder Raker—“A Good Character with the Police”—Burke and Hare Separate—The Murder of Mrs. Hostler

10 - Ch.10 Old Mary Haldane—The End of her Debauch—Peggy Haldane in Search of her Mother—Mother and Daughter United in Death

11 - Ch.11 A Narrow Escape—The Old Irishwoman and her Grandson—Their Murder—Hare’s Horse rising in Judgment

12 - Ch.12 Jealousy—An Undeveloped Plot—Hare Cheats Burke, and they Separate—The Foul Work Continued—Murder of Ann M‘Dougal

13 - Ch.13 James Wilson, “Daft Jamie”—Some Anecdotes concerning him—Daft Jamie and Boby Awl

14 - Ch.14 Daft Jamie Trapped into Hare’s House—The Murder—The Body Recognised on the Dissecting Table—Popular Feeling

15 - Ch.15 The End Approaches—Proposed Extension of Business—Mrs. Docherty claimed as Burke’s Relative—The Lodgers Dismissed—The Murder of Mrs. Docherty

16 - Ch.16 An Ill Excuse—Strange Behaviour—Discovery—The Threat—Unavailing Arguments—The Last Bargain

17 - Ch.17 The Arrest of Burke and M‘Dougal—Discovery of the Body—Hare and his Wife Apprehended—Public Intimation of the Tragedy—Burke and M‘Dougal give their Version of the Transaction

18 - Ch.18 Public Excitement at the West Port Murder—The Newspapers—Doubts as to the Disappearance of Daft Jamie and Mary Paterson—The Resurrectionists still at Work

19 - Ch.19 Burke and M‘Dougal amend their Account of the Murder—The Prosecution in a Difficulty—Hare turns King’s Evidence—The Indictment against Burke and M‘Dougal

20 - Ch.20 Public Anticipation of the Trial—Appearance of Burke and M‘Dougal in the Dock—Opening of the Court—The Debate on the Relevancy of the Indictment

21 - Ch.21 The Trial of Burke and M‘Dougal—Circumstantial Evidence—Hare’s Account of the Murder of Docherty—What he Declined to Answer—Mrs. Hare and her Child

22 - Ch.22 The Trial—Speeches of Counsel—Mr. Cockburn’s Opinion of Hare—The Verdict of the Jury

23 - Ch.23 The Last Stage of the Trial—Burke Sentenced to Death—The Scene in Court—M‘Dougal Discharged—Duration of the Trial

24 - Ch.24 The Interest in the Trial—Feeling as to the Result—Press Opinions—Attack on Dr. Knox’s House

25 - Ch.25 Burke’s Behaviour in Prison—Liberation of M‘Dougal, and the Consequent Riot—Visitors at Burke’s House in the West Port—Burke’s Idea of the Obligations of Dr. Knox—His Confessions

26 - Ch.26 “The Complicity of the Doctors”—Numerous Disappearances—Dr. Knox and David Paterson—Paterson Defends Himself—“The Echo of Surgeon’s Square”—The Scapegoat

27 - Ch.27 The Legal Position of Hare and his Wife—Gossip about Burke—Mrs. Hare and her Child—Constantine Burke—Anatomical Instruction—Mrs. Docherty’s Antecedents

28 - Ch.28 Burke’s Spiritual Condition—The Erection of the Scaffold—The Criminal’s Last Hours—Scene at the Execution—Behaviour of the People

29 - Ch.29 Lecture on Burke’s Body—Riot among the Students—Excitement in Edinburgh—The Public Exhibition—Dissection of the Body of the Murderer—Phrenological Developments of Burke and Hare

31 - Ch.31 Hare’s Case before the High Court of Justiciary—Speech by Mr. Francis Jeffrey—Opinion of the Judges—A Divided Bench—The Decision of the Court

32 - Ch.32 Popular Feeling against Hare—His Behaviour in Prison—Withdrawal of the Warrant—His Liberation and Flight—Recognition—Riot in Dumfries, and Narrow Escape of Hare—Over the Border—Ballad Version of the Flight

33 - Ch.33 The Confessions of Burke—The Interdicts against the “Edinburgh Evening Courant”—Burke’s Note on the “Courant” Confession—Issue [Pg x]of the Official Document—Publication of both Confessions

34 - Ch.34 Burke’s Confession before the Sheriff—A Record of the Murders—The Method—Complicity of the Women and the Doctors—Murderers, but not Body-Snatchers

35 - Ch.35 The “Courant” Confession of Burke—Details of the Crimes—Burke’s Account of his Life—The Criminals and Dr. Knox

36 - Ch.36 The Fate of Hare—Mrs. Hare in Glasgow—Rescue from the Mob—Her Escape to Ireland and Subsequent Career—Helen M‘Dougal—Burke’s Wife in Ireland

37 - Ch.37 Dr. Knox’s Connection with Burke and Hare—His Egotism—Knox’s Criticism of Liston and his Assistants—Hanging Knox’s Effigy—Popular Tumults—Demand that he should be put on Trial

38 - Ch.38 Inquiry into Dr. Knox’s Relations with Burke and Hare—Report of Committee

39 - Ch.39 English Newspapers on the West Port Tragedies—The “Sun,” and its Idea of the Popular Feeling—Gray and his Wife

40 - Ch.40 The Relations of the Doctors and the Body-Snatchers—Need for a Change in the Law—A Curious Case in London—Introduction and Withdrawal of the Anatomy Bill

41 - Ch.41 “Burking” in London—Apprehension of Bishop, Williams, and May—Their Trial, Confession, and Execution—Re-introduction and Passing of the Anatomy Act

42 - Ch.42 The Passing of the Anatomy Act—Its Terms and Provisions

43 - Ch.43 Conclusion—Review of the Effects Produced by the Resurrectionist Movement—The Houses in Portsburgh—The Popular Idea of the Method of Burke and Hare—Origin of the Words “Burker” and “Burking”

44 APPENDIX - The Case Against Torrence and Waldie

45 APPENDIX - Interview with Burke in Prison

46 APPENDIX - Confession of Bishop and Williams, the London “Burkers”

47 APPENDIX - Song and Ballads