Page:Correct account of the life, confession, and execution of Willm. Burke (1).pdf/3

3 absent from that city for long periods. He pretended to be a cobbler, but how he learnt the trade, or whether he ever learnt it, is known to no one. When he was upon the canal, he engaged in the trade of resurrectionist, and practised it more or less until he entered upon the more horrible one of murder, the one, from its brutalizing tendencies, being fitting preparative for the other. Previously to 18 months ago, he lived at Peebles, and went daily to road-making in the neighbourhood of Inverleithen. He then came to reside Hare’s house, and it was there, we believe, he was first initiated by him in the mysteries of kidnapping and murder. After having a dispute with Hare, Burke went to reside in the house of a relation of the name of Brogan, the father of the witness of that name. Brogan being unable to pay the rent, Burke became tenant of the house; and it was there that the crime was committed for which he died.

He was asked how long he had been engaged in this murderous traffic? To which he answered, “From Christmas, 1827, till the murder of the woman Docherty, in October last.” “How many persons have you murdered or been cerned in during that time? Were they thirty in all?” "Not so many; not so many; I assure you.” “How many?” answered the question, but the answer was, for a reason perfectly satisfactory, not communicated to us, and reserved a different quarter.

"Had you any accomplices?"—“None but Hare. We always took care, when we were going to commit murder, that no one else should be present—that no one could swear saw the deed done. The women might suspect what we were about, but we always put them out of the way when we were going to do it. They never saw us commit any of murders. One of the murders was done in Broggan’s house, while he was out; but before he returned, the thing was finished, and the body put into a box. Broggan evidently suspected something, for he appeared much agitated, and entreated us to 'take away the box,’ which we accordingly did; but he was not in any way concerned in it.”

"You have already told me that you were engaged in these