Page:West-Port murders.pdf/14

 with Burke on Halloween day, who told him to go to his house to see the shot he had got for the doctors, meaning an old woman whom he had got off the street. Understood by a shot that Burke was going to murder her. Witness went, and found Gray, his wife, M'Dougal, and the old woman, who was washing her shortgown. Was there in the evening, when they had some whisky. Quarreled with Burke afterwards. While they were fighting, witness pushed the old woman over a little stool, and she was so drunk that she could not get farther than to sit. She called to Burke to quit fighting, which at last he did, and witness lay still on the bed. Burke then got on the top of the woman, who was lying on the floor, laid himself down upon her, with his breast upon her head. She cried but not lout he held in her breath, and she only moaned a little after. He put one hand on her nose and mouth, and the other under her chin. He continued this for ten or 15 minutes, and said nothing all the while. He then got up from the woman, who did not move. Burke put his land upon her mouth again for two or three minutes, when she appeared to be quite dead. Burke then stript off the clothes, and put them under the bed, and doubled the body up, and covered it with straw. M'Dougal and Hare's wife were in the bed when Burke threw herself on the woman, but they both ran out of the house when she gave the first cry, and did not return till all was over. None of them attempted to save the woman. When the women came in, Burke went out and remained about ten minutes, and brought Paterson along with him, whom he asked to look at the body, but he would not do so, and told him to put it into a box. Fell asleep when Paterson was there. He awoke between six and seven. The two women and Broggan were in the bed, and Burke was sitting at the fire. Assisted Burke next morning to get a box and put the body into it. Paterson paid them five pounds, of which he got two pounds seven and sixpence, and