Execution of William Burke, Irish Resurrectionist

The execution by hanging is taking place on a platform in a crowded metropolitan street. Spectators are leaning out windows, sitting on roof tops and fill the street around the platform and on into the background. William Burke (1792-1829) was born in Ireland and emigrated to Scotland about 1817 leaving behind a wife and two children. The Burke and Hare murders (West Port murders) were serial murders perpetrated in Edinburgh, Scotland, from November 1827 to October 1828 by William Burke and William Hare, who sold the corpses of their victims (17) to provide material for dissection. Hare was offered immunity from prosecution if he confessed and agreed to testify against Burke. Hare's testimony led to Burke's death sentence in December 1828. He was hanged on January 28, 1829 and publicly dissected at the Edinburgh Medical College

Restrictions Only for Ireland and United Kingdom

1792 1817 1827 1828 1829 Body Snatching Body-snatching Burke Cadaver Convicted Corpses Disinterment Dissection Executed Gallows Hanged Hare Hung Illegal Knox Macabre Murderer Murders Resurrection Resurrectionist Robber Sell Sentence Snatcher Snatching Tried

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