WILLIAM BURKE (1792-1829) y WILLIAM HARE
Asesinos irlandeses.
Después de una disputa, Burke abandonó a su esposa y se marchó a Escocia donde trabajó como obrero del Canal Unión. Se unió a una mujer llamada Helen Dougal en Edinburgo en 1827. Allí conoció a William Hare que regentaba una casa de mala nota.
Murió uno de sus inquilinos y como los anatomistas necesitaban cadáveres, decidió venderlo al famoso anatomista Robert Knox que tenía su estudio en la calle "Surgeons Square, 10". Knox le pagó 7 libras 10 chelines. Burke y Hare decidieron continuar el negocio. Atraían a su casa a algún viandante y allí le asfixiaban. Llevaban el cuerpo a Knox que les pagaba de 8 a 14 libras por cada uno. Así asesinaron a 15 personas por lo menos sin levantar sospechas. Pero un soldado y su esposa que se alojaban en la pensión de Hare, se dieron cuenta y los denunciaron.
Detenidos, Burke confesó sus crímenes siendo colgado el 28 de enero de 1829. Hare se libró de la horca y se marchó a Inglaterra. Helen Dougal se libró de ser linchada y se fué también a Inglaterra donde vivió y murió con un nombre supuesto.
El cadáver de Burke fue diseccionado por el Profesor de Cirugía de Edinburgo ante un numeroso público. Más tarde fue esqueletizado y aún el esqueleto se conserva en aquella Universidad.
La casa del Dr. Knox fue atacada por una muchedumbre enfurecida y tuvo que huir de Edinburgo falleciendo en Hackney en 1862.
William Burke (1792 - January 28, 1829) was an Irish-Scots serial killer who, with William Hare, committed a notorious series of murders in Edinburgh in the 19th century.
Burke was born in Urney, County Tyrone. After trying his hand at a variety of trades there and serving as an officer's servant in the Donegal Militia, he left his wife and two children in Ireland and emigrated to Scotland about 1817, working as a navvy for the Union Canal. He acquired a mistress, Helen MacDougal, and afterwards worked as a labourer, weaver, baker and lastly a cobbler. By 1827 he was living in a lodging-house in Edinburgh kept by Hare, another Irish labourer, and Maggie Laird.
Main article West Port murders
Condemned by Hare's evidence, Burke was found guilty and hanged at Edinburgh's Lawnmarket on January 28, 1829. According to a report in The Scotsman "During the time of the wretched man's suspension, not a single indication of pity was observable among the vast crowd: on the contrary, every countenance wore the aspect of a gala-day, while puns and jokes were freely bandied about."
The Anatomy Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh holds his death mask and a book allegedly made of his skin. His skeleton is on display within the medical school.
The Police Information office on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh (located just a few yards from where Burke was hanged) also houses a business card case made from the skin of Burke. This is located at the back of the office opposite the entrance.
From Burke's method of killing his victims has come the verb burking. By leaving no visible injury on their victims they were able to sell the body to surgeons.
Burke was born in Urney, County Tyrone. After trying his hand at a variety of trades there and serving as an officer's servant in the Donegal Militia, he left his wife and two children in Ireland and emigrated to Scotland about 1817, working as a navvy for the Union Canal. He acquired a mistress, Helen MacDougal, and afterwards worked as a labourer, weaver, baker and lastly a cobbler. By 1827 he was living in a lodging-house in Edinburgh kept by Hare, another Irish labourer, and Maggie Laird.
Main article West Port murders
Condemned by Hare's evidence, Burke was found guilty and hanged at Edinburgh's Lawnmarket on January 28, 1829. According to a report in The Scotsman "During the time of the wretched man's suspension, not a single indication of pity was observable among the vast crowd: on the contrary, every countenance wore the aspect of a gala-day, while puns and jokes were freely bandied about."
The Anatomy Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh holds his death mask and a book allegedly made of his skin. His skeleton is on display within the medical school.
The Police Information office on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh (located just a few yards from where Burke was hanged) also houses a business card case made from the skin of Burke. This is located at the back of the office opposite the entrance.
From Burke's method of killing his victims has come the verb burking. By leaving no visible injury on their victims they were able to sell the body to surgeons.
fuente: Wikipedia.
2 comentarios:
¡Qué miedo la estrangulación!
Excelente mini-documental. Excelente site.
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