Trial of William Burke and Helen M'Dougal : before the High Court of Justiciary, at Edinburgh, on Wednesday, December 24. 1828, for the murder of Margery Campbell, or Docherty / Taken in short hand by Mr John Macnee, writer. With an illustrative preface.

  • William Burke
Date:
1829
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Trial of William Burke and Helen M'Dougal : before the High Court of Justiciary, at Edinburgh, on Wednesday, December 24. 1828, for the murder of Margery Campbell, or Docherty / Taken in short hand by Mr John Macnee, writer. With an illustrative preface. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    preface. xiir The following particulars have been gathered from a conversation with an old man, James Maclean, a hawker, also a native of Ireland, residing in the Hammermen's Land, West Port, who appears to have been most intimately acquainted with all the parties, and yet no par- ticipator in their crimes. The narrator having left Edinburgh for Glasgow on the 12th of October, for the purpose of hawking an ac- count of the woman M'Menemy, who was to be executed there for murder on the ]4th, and from the privacy with which he left the town, (to which he did not return till after the murder of Campbell), —it was rumoured amongst his neighbours in the West Port that he also had fallen a victim to their diabolical arts. William Burke is a native of Ireland, the son of Niel Burke, a labourer, residing in the parish of Urney, within two miles of the town of Strabane, in the county of Tyrone, and is about thirty-six years old. He served in the Donnegal militia either as a fifer or drummer, and plays well on the flute. He was discharged from the regiment after the battle of Waterloo, and he came to this country in 1817 or 1818, and was employed as a labourer at the formation of the Union Canal. His original trade was that of a shoemaker and cobbler; and for about two years previous to Whitsunday last, he lodged in Hare's house in Tanner's Close, and followed his occupation in a cellar attached to the house, in which was kept a cuddy belonging to Hare. Like most of his countrymen, he seems to have turned his hand to anything— sometimes trafficking in pedlary ware, old clothes, &c.—and occa- sionally wielding a reaping-hook, as he assisted in getting in the last harvest at Mr. Edington's, a farmer near Carnwath, along with his wife and Hare; Maclean having engaged them and several others of his countrymen for that purpose. He describes Burke, when free from liquor, as a peaceable man, and steady at his work; and even when intoxicated, rather jocose and quizzical, and by no means given to quarrel, without considerable provocation. Helen M'Dougal is a native of Bedding, near Falkirk, where she married, and had two children by her husband, a boy and girl; while residing there,* she became acquainted with Burke, during the * It is reported that she had two husbands; and that the last is still alive. b