The abhorrent deeds of the resurrectionists evoked revulsion among the decent, law-abiding citizens. The act of pilfering bodies from churchyards was one thing, but the heinous act of taking lives was an entirely different matter.
Burke and Hare found their illicit work surprisingly effortless, much simpler than the toils of canal digging, cobbling, or peddling goods in the capital. Moreover, the financial gains were substantially superior. Entertaining the idea of expanding their gruesome enterprise, Burke contemplated a journey to Glasgow or perhaps even Ireland in pursuit of more unsuspecting victims. The plan was to transport the unfortunate souls back to Hare in Edinburgh and subsequently to Knox.
Before this sinister plan could materialize, a chance encounter altered the course of events. In Rymer’s grocery shop on the morning of Halloween in 1828, Burke engaged in casual conversation with the shop boy while enjoying a drink. A frail old lady, Mary Docherty from Innisowen, entered the shop seeking her son in Edinburgh. Burke, seizing the opportunity, claimed a fictitious kinship by adopting the Docherty name. A fabricated reunion unfolded, and the elderly woman was invited for breakfast, unknowingly sealing her fate.
In Burke’s residence, a seemingly convivial gathering took place, complete with music, dance, and merriment. However, the festivity took a dark turn when a scuffle erupted between Burke and Hare. Amid the chaos, Mrs. Docherty, inebriated, fell and was unable to rise. Seizing the moment, Burke and Hare mercilessly strangled her, concealed the body in straw, and enlisted the help of Knox’s porter, Paterson, in preparing the “subject” for anatomical study.
The following morning, the Grays, who had lodged with Burke, were invited back for breakfast. Upon their return, they discovered Hare behaving strangely, and suspicions arose when Mrs. Gray noticed peculiarities around a straw pile. The revelation of the lifeless body prompted a confrontation with Hare and McDougal, who attempted to hush the matter with monetary inducements. The Grays, however, refused to be silenced.
In a desperate attempt to dispose of the evidence, Burke and Hare purchased an empty tea chest, encased the body, and delivered it to Knox. Payments were made, but the noose of justice tightened around Burke and Hare. The question looms: Is this the end of the road for the infamous duo? Only time will reveal the outcome.
