Page:Correct account of the life, confession, and execution of Willm. Burke (1).pdf/4

4 atrocities from Christmas 1827 till the end of October 1828; were you associated with Hare during all that time?” “Yes; we began with selling to Dr.—— the body of a woman who had died a natural death in Hare’s house. We got £10. for it. After this we began the murders, and all the rest of the bodies we sold to him were murdered.”

“ In what place were these murders generally committed?” “They were mostly commited in Hare’s house, which was very convenient for the purpose, as it consisted of a room and a kitchen; Daft Jamie was murdered there; the story told of this murder is incorrect; Hare began the struggle with him, and they fell and rolled together on the floor; then I went to Hare’s assistance, and we at length finished him, though with much difficulty: I committed one murder in the country by myself; it was in last harvest; all the rest were done in conjunction with Hare.”

“By what mean were these fearful atrocities perpetrated?” —“By suffocation. We made the persons drunk, and then suffocated them by holding the nostrils and mouth, and getting on the body; sometimes I held the mouth and nose, while Hare knelt upon the body; and sometimes Hare held the mouth and nose, while I placed myself upon the body; Hare has perjured himself by what he said at the trial about the murder of Docherty; he did not sit by while I did it, as he says; he was on the body assisting me with all his might, while I held the nostrils and mouth with one hand, and choked her under the throat with the other; we sometimes used a pillow, but did not in this case.”

“Now, Burke, answer me this question. Were you tutored or instructed, or did you receive hints from any one as to the mode of committing murder ?”—“No, except from Hare. We often spoke about it, and we agreed that suffocation was the best way. Hare said so, and I agreed with him. We generally did it by suffocation.”—Our informant omitted to interrogate him about the surgical instruments stated to have been found in his house; but this omission will be supplied.

“Did you receive any encouragement to commit or persevere in committing these atrocities?”—“Yes; we were frequently told by Paterson that he would take as many bodies