Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén - “The Anatomy Murderers” Burke and Hare Pt. 2

Episode Date: May 13, 2021

By 1828, Burke and Hare’s scheme of murdering people and selling their bodies was making them rich. But eventually, one curious woman crashed their entire operation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Due to the graphic nature of this killer's crimes, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussions of murder and assault that some people may find offensive. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. In the summer of 1828, 36-year-old William Burke and his friend William Hare led a horse across Edinburgh. But just as the pair reached a crowded part of town, the horse skidded to a stop. His cargo was just too burdensome. He wouldn't take another step. The halted, whinnying horse attracted attention, and a crowd began to form.

Do-gooders and nosy neighbors alike offered to help, but Burke and Hare wouldn't let anyone near their cart. They couldn't risk someone discovering what they were hauling. To the bystanders, it looked like the men were transporting a barrel of single brine herring, but appearances can be deceiving. On the previous day, the men had killed two people and stuffed their bodies inside the barrel. Now they were en route to sell the corpses,

excited to line their pockets. But with their stubborn horse, the men stood helpless. People wanted to know why they weren't allowed to assist and how one fish barrel could possibly be so heavy. As the crowd grew into a mob, the murderous duo exchanged. changed a look. Was this it? Were they about to get caught?

Hi, I'm Greg Paulson. This is Serial Killers, a Spotify original from Parcast. Every episode, we dive into the minds and madness of serial killers. Today we're finishing up the story of William Burke and William Hare, infamously known as The Anatomy Murderers. I'm here with my co-host, Vanessa Richardson. Hi, everyone. You can find episodes of serial killers and all all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Last time, we explored how Burke and Hare met in Scotland and formed a partnership, murdering unsuspecting victims and selling their corpses to an anatomist and lecturer at the Royal College of Surgeons.

Today, we'll examine the height of Burke and Hare's murder-for-profit business. We'll also cover the murder that brought their entire enterprise to ruin. We've got all that and more coming up. Stay with us. This episode is brought to you by ZipRecruiter. Whether you're hiring for a role or searching for a killer, the hunt can be exhausting. When detectives looked and searched to find any kind of evidence to find the person they were looking for, like Jack the Ripper, the Golden State Killer, the Unit Bomber. It's tedious work to find what you're looking for. So, if you're hiring, I've got news for you.

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Steamy romances, irresistible love stories, and the book to screen favorites you've already read twice. Off campus, L, every year after, The Love Hypothesis, Sterling Point, and more. Slow burns, second chances, chemistry you can feel through the screen. Your next obsession is, waiting. Watch only on Prime. On or around April 9th, 1828, 36-year-old William Burke and his

partner in crime William Hare carted yet another dead body to an office near the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. The men had built a lucrative business selling corpses to anatomy professor Dr. Robert Knox. Recently, 37-year-old Knox had supposedly made a special request. He wanted more female cadavers. Eager to please, the men then laid the body of the approximately 18-year-old Mary Patterson on the examination table. When Dr. Knox and his assistants leaned in closely, assessing their new subject, Burke and Hare exchanged a small smile. The medical team appeared to be just as impressed with Mary as the killers expected.

Fresh female corpses were hard to come by, and Burke and Hare may have expected a pay pump. But instead, one of Dr. Knox's assistants told Burke and Hare that he recognized Mary. He had potentially used her services as a sex worker in the past, and he asked how she died. Burke and Hare shifted uncomfortably, unsure how to respond. In the five months since they've been bringing bodies to Surgeon Square, Dr. Knox and his assistants had hardly asked a single question. They operated under an unspoken understanding. As long as Dr. Knox received a steady supply of cadavers, he wouldn't make Burke and Hare explain how they got them.

Now they had no choice but to think on their feet. Burke adopted a look of nonchalance and told the assistant, they'd purchase Mary's body from an elderly woman. According to the woman, Mary had drunk herself to death. This wasn't an uncommon, way for sex workers to die at the time. And Mary's body did reek of alcohol. Of course, that's because Burke had plied her with drink before murdering her. But the medical team didn't know that. All in all, it was a decent lie. It accounted for almost everything. Everything, except for the

fact that any medical student worth his salt could see Mary had died just hours earlier. That left a slim window of time for her to be found by a stranger, be sold to Burke, and then transatlient. transported to Surgeon Square. But still, the assistants accepted Burke's explanation. Which raises the question, why didn't any of the students speak up? Even if they didn't know that Burke and Hare were murdering their subjects, the aspiring surgeons likely understood that Mary's death was somewhat suspicious. So by declining to question or comment on Burke's flimsy story, the students were essentially

colluding in her murder. Vanessa is going to take over on the psychology here. Please note, Vanessa is not a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, but she has done a lot of research for this show. Thanks, Greg. In the strictest sense, collusion is defined as a secret agreement or cooperation, especially for an illegal or deceitful purpose. According to political scientist Stefano Bartolini,

collusion and competition usually go hand in hand. In his paper entitled, competition and democracy, Bartolini asserts that collusion is an inevitable component of competitive interactions, and in the 1820s, the study of medicine could certainly be considered competitive. According to Bartolini, when an individual is presented with an opportunity to advance toward their goal, they will most often take it, even if it comes with some strings. And if one member of a group sees a path to advancement, others will often follow suit. lest they get left behind.

In this case, that action was saying nothing. No one wanted to be the one to pass up the opportunity to learn more or cause trouble for their mentor. Even still, it's likely Dr. Knox recognized that the body's burkin hair brought him might not be what the men claimed. That day, he reportedly only paid them eight pounds for Mary's body, two pounds less than usual. It's possible this was due to the time of year.

With no effective forms of long-term refrigeration, there was less demand for corpses during the warmer months. However, it's also possible that the reduced payment served as a warning for the enterprising killers. They needed to be more careful with the subjects they brought in. Whatever the reason was, after leaving Dr. Knox's office, Burke and Hare vowed to be more vigilant about their selections. They didn't want the medical team to recognize one of their corpses again. Meanwhile, Mary's friend, Janet Brown, wondered where, in the world Mary was. Janet was also a sex worker who had been lured by Burke to his brother's lodgings.

However, after witnessing a tense argument between Burke and his wife, Janet slipped away. When she told her landlord what had happened, they told her to keep away from Burke. As far as we know, Janet took the advice and kept her distance. However, she still wanted to find out what had happened to her friend. Janet kept searching, but no one had any. any clue where Mary was. Meanwhile, Burke had already moved on to his next victim. Shortly after killing Mary, he ran into an older woman called Effie, who'd recently sold small patches of leather to Burke for cobbling.

Burke figured Effie was the perfect victim, because she had no known family or close friends who would notice if she disappeared. He also guessed that the medical students wouldn't question the death of an elderly woman. So Burke offered her some drinks and food back at Hare's tenement, house in Tanner's Close. Once there, she became so intoxicated that Burke had to carry her into a nearby stable and lay her down on a pile of hay.

He left her there sleeping, then scrambled to get hair. The two returned to the stables and murdered Effie in their usual manner, with one of the men covering Effie's mouth and nose and the other laying across her body. Then they stuffed her corpse into a large tea chest and delivered her to Dr. Knox, This time they were prepared to explain the freshness of the body, planning to say they'd found her dead on the street less than an hour prior. But Dr. Knox and his assistants didn't inquire about Effie's death. They simply paid 10 pounds for the catapher and sent the men on their way.

Burke and Hare rejoiced the whole walk back to Tanner's close. Not only had they remained in the doctor's good graces, they had received a higher fee than expected, feeling like they were at the top of their game, perhaps they decided they were so good that they didn't need to be precious about it anymore. Over the next few months, Birkenhair murdered several people,

and instead of waiting for the cover of night, they began delivering corpses to Dr. Knox during the day. The citizens of Edinburgh watched with curiosity as the pair moved the same large tea chest back and forth between Tanner's Close and Surgeon Square. Naturally, rumors began to search. As far as everyone knew, Burke was a simple cobbler and Hare was a landlord. And yet, the two men were regularly dealing with surgeons.

Even more curious was the fact that Burke, Hare, and their wives dressed in the latest fashions and dined like royalty. Although they told people they'd come into a family inheritance, that story didn't add up. But Burke and Hare couldn't care less about all the gossip. They were too busy murdering for profit. In the late spring of 1828, Burke even felt bold enough to stop a pair of police officers who were dragging a drunk woman to jail. Burke claimed he knew the woman and offered to escort her home. Eager to be rid of the nuisance, the officers handed the woman over without a second thought. Burke promptly took her back to Hare's tenement house where he and Hare murdered her.

Then they carted her body over to Surgeon Square. The men were getting away with murder after murder. But success often leads to hubris, a feeling of invincibility. And by the summer of 1828, they took on their most reckless killing yet. That June, Burke was stopped by an elderly woman will call Anna, and her 12-year-old grandson will call John. Anna and John were new to Edinburgh and were having trouble finding their lodgings. Burke turned on the charm and told Anna he knew exactly where she needed to go.

In fact, he offered to take her there himself. He also mentioned that his house was on the way and that he'd love to offer the two some refreshments. When they arrived at Tanner's Close, Burke introduced Anna and John to Hare. Meanwhile, Burke and Hare's wives, Helen McDougal and Margaret Hare, ushered the group to a table and prepared a hot meal. The women were more than likely in on their husband's murderous scheme, and knew to ply Anna with whiskey. Eventually, Anna was so drunk that she couldn't speak in full sentences.

When she could no longer stand on her own, the men knew it was time. Burke and Hare gave their wives a nod, and Helen and Margaret whisked John over to the fireplace. Meanwhile, Burke and Hare each took one of Anna's arms and dragged her into a back room. They tossed Anna on a bed, then killed her in their usual manner. It took a few minutes, but Anna eventually. died. Then the men removed her clothes and left the room to grab their trusty tea chest. But as soon as Burke and Hare exited, they were confronted with a huge problem. Anna's grandson

was still alive and well. They couldn't exactly cart the boy's dead grandmother out in front of him, nor could they send John off alone. Pressed for time, Burke and Hare gave each other a knowing look. They had to kill the kid. up, Birkenhair's most heinous murder yet. Wayne Simmons spent 27 years undercover for the CIA. When he retired from spy work, he got a big break, terrorism analyst on Fox News. Then he met Kent Clisby.

So I'm a real CIA guy. This is total nonsense. I'm Alex French, and I'm here to figure out who's telling the truth. Was Wayne Simmons a spy, or was he nothing but a con man? Impostors is a Spotify original from Parcast, Follow and listen exclusively on Spotify. Want to support your gut health? Take Activia's gut health challenge by enjoying two Activia yogurt today for two weeks and see if you feel a difference.

With billions of probiotics and 20 years of scientific expertise, Activia is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to start your gut health ritual. Try Activia today. Enjoying Activia twice a day for two weeks as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle may help reduce the frequency of minor digestive discomfort, which includes gas, bloating, rumbling, and abdominal discomfort. Now back to the story. In June of 1828, 36-year-old William Burke and his partner, William Hare, faced a dilemma.

Having just killed an elderly woman named Anna, they had to decide what to do with her 12-year-old grandson, John. After thinking it over, the men realized that they had to kill John too. Fortunately for them, they had the element of surprise. John had no clue that his grandmother was dead in the next room. The men signaled their wives, who were keeping John company, and the women made themselves scarce. Then Burke and Hare led John into the back. It's possible that John saw his grandmother's body on the ground and attempted to scream,

but Burke was quick. He clamped a hand over John's face, and together the killers wrestled the boy onto the floor. But John was likely much harder to subdue than their usual victims. Even though he was smaller and younger, John was sober. He thrashed and kicked, trying desperately defend off his attackers. But after several minutes, the men prevailed. And the boy finally died. Burke and Hare took a moment to collect themselves before deciding what to do next. The tea chest they used to cart dead bodies wouldn't hold two corpses at once. And while they could make two trips to Dr. Knox's office, they worried the best.

back and forth would bring unwanted attention. The men agreed that they had to bring the boy and his grandmother together in one trip. Not only would it minimize their risk of getting caught, it gave the men a more plausible story about how the two had died. Looking around, their eyes narrowed on a large brine herring barrel. Although it was only slightly larger than their usual tea chest, Anna and John's bodies were still warm enough to manipulate. And the men stuffed both corpses inside.

The next morning, Burke and Hare heaved the barrel onto a cart. Then they prepared Hare's horse to take the load over to Surgeon Square. But the journey through Edinburgh was slow and arduous. The horse wasn't in great shape and the barrel was heavy. Burk and Hare coaxed the horse, rubbed his mane, and even allowed him frequent breaks. But it was no good. Just as they reached a busy area of the city, the horse suddenly refused to go any farther.

People saw the stubborn horse standing still and approached Burke and Hare with suggestions. Before long, a crowd had gathered around them. The men tried to keep everyone away, assuring them that they were fine. But deep down, they were terrified that someone would make them. Fortunately, a porter stepped forward and offered to finish the delivery for a fee. Burke and Hare happily accepted and pointed him in the direction of Surgeon Square. The man carted the barrel to Dr. Knox's office and left it on his stoop. No questions asked. While the men felt a wave of relief, they were still faced with another hurdle.

By the time the medical assistants opened the barrel, the corpses were cold and stiff. The students struggled to separate the bodies from each other, and Burke and Hare became increasingly nervous that the murders had been a mistake. The sudden death of a grandmother and her 12-year-old grandson was, newsworthy and should have caught the attention of the medical team. However, the demand for cadavers was so high that once again Dr. Knox and his assistants accepted the subjects without question. Burke and Hare were paid a total of 16 pounds and went on their way. The murderous duo were making a considerable amount of money and it seemed nothing could slow them down.

But then one summer day, Burke's wife threw a wrench into their plans. Helen wanted to go on a lengthy trip to visit some relatives in Falkirk, Scotland. As Burke and Helen had been together for years, she wanted him by her side. When the hares heard the news, they were extremely upset. Not only would this make it more difficult to keep the scheme running, they worried that Dr. Knox might find a new supplier while Burke was away. At first, Hare and Margaret asked Burke to let Helen travel alone, or to postpone the holiday altogether.

But Burke knew how important it was for Helen to see her family, and he didn't want her to go alone. He told his friends he was going on the trip. Days before Burke and Helen were set to leave, Margaret allegedly made a final, desperate plea. She pulled Burke aside and suggested that he kill Helen. Margaret figured that way they could continue with business as usual and even sell Helen's body for a profit.

Margaret expected Burke to be excited about her idea. but to her surprise, he was horrified. It's possible this is because, unlike female serial killers, male serial killers rarely target members of their own family. In their book, Extreme Killing, Understanding Serial and Mass Murder, professors James Allen Fox, Jack Levin, and Emma E. Friedel assert that over 70% of female serial killers murder people with whom they have a relationship. In particular, these women are drawn towards victims who are dependent on them.

This isn't just a reflection of personal preference. It's also indicative of the killer's ability to apprehend their target. Because they're not typically as physically strong as men, women are forced to be more selective in who they attack. Luring in a friend or family member makes for an easier assault than randomly surprising a stranger. Margaret and Helen may not have been the ones to actually kill any, victims, but they definitely took on active roles in the crimes. They helped Burke and Hair as much

as they could, coaxing people back to Tanner's Close or distracting witnesses while the men got to work. Though history remembers their partners as the villains, Margaret and Helen were just as cold and exacting, just as worthy of the title, serial killer. Fortunately for Helen, Margaret's killer instincts were slightly off in this instance. found her idea abhorrent and told her that the trip was proceeding as planned. The hares were just going to have to deal with it. As far as we know, that's just what happened, and Burke never told his wife about Margaret's idea. However, it seems this saga marked a turning point in the relationship between Burke and Hare. When Burke and Helen returned from their trip, they packed up

their bags and moved into new lodgings nearby. Despite the change of address, business continued as usual. With murder as their main source of income, Burke and Hare needed each other to stay afloat. Luckily for them, Burke's new home provided them with new victims. For the next few months, Burke and Hare met and killed a string of sick and elderly lodgers, but by the end of summer 1828, they'd run out of options. They needed new blood. They just had to be patient. That September or October, the cousin of Helen's former partner, Anne McDougal, visited Edinburgh. It's not clear who suggested it first, but ultimately, everyone agreed. Anne was the perfect next victim. Just like Margaret, it seems Helen viewed her loved ones as

nothing more than easy targets. She wasn't wrong, because Anne wasn't a local, no one at the medical school would recognize her body. Plus, if any family members questioned, Helen about her whereabouts, she could just say that Anne never made it to Edinburgh. With everyone in agreement, Brooke and Harris suffocated Anne to death. Afterwards, they stuffed her inside of a trunk and transported the corpse to Dr. Knox's office, where they were paid 10 pounds for the cadaver. Then they waited, but days turned into weeks and no one called to ask about Anne's disappearance. It seemed that they were in the clear.

With their confidence Boyd, Burke and Hare had selected victims regardless of their popularity within the community. They had targeted well-known sex workers and beggars, and still, no one said a word. The hares in particular felt untouchable. Hare and Margaret had always been bolder than Burke and Helen, and the gap between the couple's personalities was widening by the day. In October of 1828, the hairs proved just how daring they really were. were. One morning, Margaret came across 18-year-old Jamie Wilson, a beloved member of the Westport

neighborhood. Seeing an opportunity, she led him towards the Tanner's close tenement house, pleased with her choice. Jamie had a developmental disability. He was also known throughout the neighborhood for his charming quirks. For instance, no matter the weather, Jamie refused to wear a hat, socks, or shoes, and at church, he sang louder than any. else, though he didn't know any of the words to the hymns.

Crucially, he had a pleasant, trusting nature, which is likely why Margaret chose him. When Burke saw Margaret take Jamie into her lodging house, he knew exactly what she was up to, and he didn't like it. Jamie was too prominent, too loved, to disappear without people noticing. If nothing else, the medical students would certainly be appalled to see him on the table. As he sat across the street watching from a pub, Burke hoped that he was wrong. But a few minutes later, Margaret came running out of Tanner's close and straight into the pub. She gave Burke a previously agreed-upon signal. Jamie was sitting down for a drink with hair, and he needed to join them.

It was time to go to work. Coming up, Burke decides what to do about Jamie. Are you looking for support in your weight management? journey, Zepbound Terseptitide may be able to help. Zepbound is a prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with obesity, or some adults with overweight who also have weight-related medical problems to lose excess body weight and keep the weight off. Zepbound is approved as a 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, or 15 milligram injection. Zepound contains terseptide and should not be used with other terseptide contains.

or any GLP1 receptor agonist medicines. It is not known if Zepbound is safe and effective for use in children. Don't share needles or pens or reuse needles. Don't take if allergic to it, or if you or someone in your family had medullary thyroid cancer, or if you've had multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. Tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. Stop Zepbound and call your doctor if you have severe stomach pain or a serious allergic reaction. Severe side effects may include inflamed pancreas or gallbladder problem. Tell your doctor if you experience vision changes before scheduled procedures with anesthesia if you're nursing, pregnant, plan to be, or taking birth control pills.

Taking Zepbound with a sulfonel urea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and worsen kidney problems. Talk to your doctor. Call 1-800-545-99 or visit zepbounds.lil.com. Now back to the story. In October of 1828, 36-year-old William Burke followed Margaret Hare into her tenement house, where their next unwitting victim was waiting. But Burke was unhappy with her selection.

18-year-old Jamie Wilson was a beloved member of the Westport community, and people would notice if he went missing. Burke likely hoped his friend William Hare would feel the same way. But when Burke arrived, he was already having a drink with Jamie. He jovially beckoned his friend over, and Burke reluctantly sat down. Whether he felt pressured to kill Jamie, or whether he pushed his own feelings aside, we'll never know. But Burke joined Hare, and together they continued plying Jamie with drinks. It took all afternoon, but eventually Jamie got tired and asked to take a nap.

Burke and Hare led him into an empty room, and as soon as he laid down, they pounced. But Jamie wasn't nearly as inebriated as they thought. He was also much stronger than he looked. As soon as Burke attacked, Jamie fought back. At one point, he pinned Burke to the ground and pleaded with Hare for help. Unfortunately, Hare came to the aid of his friend and knocked Jamie off. Even against two grown men, Jamie held his own. The struggle lasted so long that Burke and Hare apparently considered stabbing him,

But eventually, the pair managed to pin Jamie down, and they suffocated him to death. After catching their breath, Burke and Hare shoved Jamie into the tea chest and took him over to Surgeon Square. But as they approached Dr. Knox's office, Burke became more and more nervous about the delivery. He was right to be. As soon as the medical students opened up the tea chest, the room fell silent. They were appalled to see Jamie in their life. lab, and they were sure their professor would be too. When 37-year-old Dr. Robert Knox arrived, his assistants immediately expressed their concern.

Although they didn't outright accuse Burke and Hare of murder, they were clearly upset that the healthy young man had turned up dead. But Dr. Knox remained silent. He looked over the body for a minute or so, then loudly proclaimed that it was not, in fact, Jamie. He said that he didn't recognize the corpse in front of him, and he pointedly told his assistants that they didn't recognize it either. It seems clear that Dr. Knox prioritized the quantity of his subjects over his own integrity, and his students had little choice but to follow his orders if they wanted to continue their education. Without saying a word, they paid Burke and

Hare and sent the men on their way. While Dr. Knox's students mourned the death of their beloved neighbor. Burke in Hare rejoiced. It seemed to them that Dr. Knox didn't care who they brought in. That meant the pair had free reign to bring in as many people as they could. Thinking to expand their venture, Burke suggested he and his wife, Helen, move about 45 miles away to Glasgow. There, he could kill plenty of people, then ship their corpses back for Hare to make the final exchange. More importantly, Burke likely wanted to put some distance between himself and Margaret.

It's possible he was still angry over her reckless choice and hadn't spoken to her in several days. However, before they could put any plans of a business expansion into effect, a new target fell into their trap. On October 31st, 1828, Burke ventured to a pub where he met Mary Docherty. She was old, Irish, and made money begging. Most importantly, she didn't have any friends or family in the area. Together, all of this meant she was the perfect victim. Recognizing this, Burke struck up a conversation with Mary, and before long, they were drinking together like old friends.

After several glasses of whiskey, he invited Mary back to his lodgings to meet his wife. He said they could all share a hot meal and reminisce about their days back in Ireland. Mary followed Burke back to his tenement, where Helen quickly caught on. At some point, Burke excused himself and went to alert Hare. When the hares arrived, they joined Burke and Helen, helping them entertain Mary, but after a couple of hours of food, drink, and merriment, the group had inadvertently attracted a crowd.

Nearby lodgers had heard all of the commotion and came over to join the fun. Much to the killer gang's displeasure, No one was in a rush to leave. Two residents, Anne and James Gray, were particularly reluctant to go, and were some of the last lodgers to see Mary that night. A little after 11 p.m., Mary started getting sleepy, but there weren't any available rooms at Burke's lodgings. To keep Mary from leaving, Burke had asked Anne and James for a favor.

If they let Mary sleep in their room, they could stay over at the Hare's tenement house. To sweeten the deal, Burke promised to. They promised them a big breakfast the next morning. Likely seeing the arrangement as a kind gesture to an elderly woman, Anne and James happily agreed. They followed Margaret back to Tanner's Close and slept there for the night. Meanwhile, Burke and Hare got to work. They helped Mary into Burke's room,

where they laid her down on a pile of straw and suffocated her. Then they stripped her body and rolled it underneath the straw. They were too exhausted to make a delivery just then, so they decided to drop Mary's cadaver off at Surgeon's Square the next day. Unfortunately, they weren't the only ones with morning plans. Anne and James returned to Burke's lodgings bright and early, excited for their free breakfast. But when they arrived at Burke's door, he seemed flustered. Trying to smooth things over, Helen started preparing a meal. Meanwhile, Anne and James grew curious and began asking about Mary.

Mary. Thinking quickly, Burke said that the older woman had become belligerent, and he'd had to kick her out shortly after the Grays left. But something in the way he told the story made Anne skeptical. So with her hosts, preoccupied preparing breakfast, Anne began snooping while smoking a pipe, just as she approached the pile of straw concealing Mary. Burke screamed so loudly that she became frightened. Furious, Burke explained that he didn't want her near the straw with a lit pipe. Anne promptly exited the room, now more suspicious than ever. Burke's reaction was completely unreasonable, and she was sure he was hiding something. After breakfast, she found another moment to sneak into the room and discovered Mary's body.

Anne ran to get her husband and whispered to James that they had to leave. But just as the Grays got to the front door, Helen stepped in and blocked their exit. she demanded to know where they were off to so quickly. James didn't want to play any games. He told Helen that Anne had found Mary in Burke's room, and he wanted to know what had happened to her. Helen froze. When it came to creative explanations,

she wasn't as quick as her husband. She also wasn't as vicious as hair, who might have tried to kill the grays right then and there. At a loss for words, Helen fell onto her knees and wept. When Anne and James said they were going to alert the authorities, Helen tried to bribe them to keep quiet, but Anne and James refused. They couldn't, in good conscience, keep quiet. Sensing the end was near, Helen tried to save herself. She grabbed Anne's hands, and through tears, claimed that there was nothing she could do to stop the killing.

Anne pulled away and calmly replied that Helen might at least have left the house. With that, the Grey's rush to the house. the police station. Meanwhile, Helen found Burke and told him everything. Alarmed, he and Hare stuffed Mary's corpse into their tea chest and hired a porter to take it over to Surgeon's Square. Then they haphazardly tried to clean up the room. By the time the police arrived, there was no evidence that Mary had ever been there. However, there was a little bit of blood right where the body had been hidden. But this time Helen was prepared and told the officers that another lodger had had her period in that room some time ago. The story seemed believable, but it didn't stop the investigation.

Anne and James had been so sure in their account, and the blood couldn't be ruled out as evidence of murder. As such, investigators looked deeper into Burke and Helen and began asking questions about Mary Dockertie. Officers decided the best course of action would be to split up Burke and Helen and then compare their answers. Burke told the police that Mary had spent the night with them, partying at their lodging. He then claimed that she had left early the next morning and said he hadn't seen her since. Helen, on the other hand, said that Mary had left around 7 p.m. the night before.

She clearly forgot about all the people who had witnessed Mary at the party. Had Helen managed to get on the same page as her husband, they might have walked. But because they told completely different tales, the police knew the couple was lying and took them to the station for further questioning. Meanwhile, more officers were dispatched to the crime scene to perform a more thorough search of the lodgings. In addition to more blood, they found Mary's clothes hidden beneath the straw. It was clear to all that Mary was dead. But while Burke and Helen seemingly took all of the heat for murder, the hairs weren't free and clear.

Within a few days, police arrested the couple, though it's unclear who implicated them in the crimes. It's possible Burke or Helen mentioned them during their interrogation. Or perhaps the Gray said something when they reported Mary's murder. Whatever the case, police rounded them up. At some point, Dr. Knox's participation was also discovered. An anonymous informant pointed the police in the direction of the surgeon's office. There, the tipsters said they would find a tea chest with Mary's body inside. When the police arrived at Surgeon Square, they were horrified to discover that the informant was telling the truth.

In fact, the information was so accurate that many believed it was made by one of Dr. Knox's assistants, perhaps moved by a guilty conscience. However, none of his students ever came forward. and no one was ever implicated. As the investigation continued, officers realized that several people had suspected the men were up to no good for quite a while. The comings and goings of Birken Hare had been making people at Tanner's Close feel uneasy, and yet no one thought to speak up before the police came knocking. It was curious, but not uncommon.

In 1968, psychologist John Darley and Bib Latiney coined the term for this term for this. puzzling phenomenon, calling it bystander apathy. Through controlled experiments, Darley and Latine found that the more people who witness a crime, the less likely an individual is to report it. In other words, the apathy is situational, not psychological. However, in 2018, psychologist Rude Hortensius and Beatrice de Gelder examined this concept and came to a slightly different conclusion. They asserted that bystander apathy is a reflexive emotional reaction, which is dependent on the personality of that particular bystander. Personal distress and sympathy both play vital roles in determining whether someone will become a helper or a bystander. People are more likely

to help if it will alleviate their own discomfort, or if they're naturally inclined to feel compassion for others. Ultimately, Hortensius and DeGelder posited, that bystander apathy isn't a choice. It's a reflex. However, in the case of Burke and Hare, it's possible no one had a full enough picture of the crimes to generate an immediate reaction. So it makes sense that they only spoke up when the police started asking questions. And once some people started talking, countless others followed suit. People who suspected the men of murdering their loved ones came forward with their concerns. Janet Brown was particularly vocal and told police that she believed Burke and Hare had killed her friend, Mary Patterson.

In addition to these accusations, the authorities found more damning evidence linking both Burke and Hare to the crimes. However, after weeks in jail, no one would confess. The police even tried separating the women from the men and offering them immunity, but Helen and Margaret maintained their silence. The authorities scrambled for new ideas. While they had enough circumstantial evidence to warrant criminal charges, they worried that the case would fizzle in the courtroom. They needed a confession. Fortunately, they had one last tactic at their disposal. Get the men to turn on each other. To authorities, hair seemed like their best bet. He had a volatile temper and a cowardly disposition. They figured he was the type of man who would turn against his friend to save his own skin. Their instincts were spot on. When they offered him a deal too good to resist,

Hare was all too happy to throw Burke under the bus. In early December 1828, Hare agreed to testify against Burke in exchange for his own freedom. He wrote a lengthy statement turning his partner in, but was careful not to implicate Margaret. His reported account of the crimes is largely considered unreliable today. The following week, both Burke and Helen were charged with the murder of Mary Docherty.

Burke was also charged with the murders of James Wilson and Mary Patterson. Later that month, Burke and Helen stood trial, while Margaret and Hare waited in custody to take the stand against their friends. But they weren't the only ones. In addition to the Hares, several other witnesses came forward to testify against Burke and Helen, including family and friends of the victims, neighbors from Tanner's Close, Dr. Knox's medical assistance, and porters who'd helped them move bodies. Before the year was up, William Burke was found guilty of murdering Mary Docherty.

Helen McDougal's verdict was not proven. Although not quite the same as a not-guilty verdict, it was enough of an acquittal to spare her life. Berk wasn't so lucky. In January of 1829, 37-year-old William Burke was hanged before a crowd of around 25,000 people. After he was pronounced dead, his corpse was taken to the medical school to be used for dissection by another anatomy professor. It seemed a fitting end, ringing with poetic justice. By early February, Hare, Margaret, and Helen had all been released from police custody. But while the trio had escaped with their lives, they faced retribution at the hands of angry townspeople. Wherever they went, crowds followed, and eventually they were forced to leave Edinburgh.

altogether. Helen reportedly escaped to England. Margaret is said to have moved to Ireland, and no one knows where William Hare finally ended up. After a police officer helped him sneak out of the city, Hare disappeared forever. Though Dr. Knox was never charged with crime, he wasn't exempt from public judgment. Mops of angry people waited outside his office and his home, outraged by his role in the scheme. However, Knox was unrattled. He stuck it out in Edinburgh for several more years until he moved to London to retire and write books.

As far as we know, Dr. Knox never produced any work commenting on the Birkenhair murders. However, their narrative lives on as a perplexing tale in the world of sadistic serial killers. Unlike most, their story is not of vengeance, mental illness, or even sheer malice, Burke and Hare didn't murder people for bloodlust. They did it for money.

At its core, the story of Burke and Hare is a chilling tale about the dangers of capitalism. Burke and Hare saw a market in front of them, one with great demand and a steady supply, and they pounced on the opportunity to get rich at any cost. Unfortunately, their countless victims were the ones who paid, the ultimate price.

Thanks again for tuning in to serial killers. We'll be back soon with a new episode. For more information on William Burke and William Hare, amongst the many sources we used, we found the infamous Birken Hare by R. Michael Gordon and Burke and Hare the Year of the Goals by Brian Bailey, extremely helpful to our research.

You can find more episodes of serial killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. We'll see. you next time. Have a killer week. Serial Killers is a Spotify original from Parcast. Executive producers include Max and Ron Cutler, sound design by Jay Cohen, with production assistance by Ron Shapiro, Carly Madden, and Bruce Katovich. This episode of serial killers was written by Ellie Reed, with writing assistance by Jane O. and Joel Callan, fact-checking by Bennett Logan,

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