West Port murders, or an authentic account of the atrocious murders committed by Burke and his associates; containing a full account of all the extraordinary circumstances connected with them. Also, a report of the trial of Burke and M'Dougal. With a description of the execution of Burke, his confessions, and memoirs of his accomplices, including the proceedings against Hare, &c.

William Burke

Date:: 1829

Credit: West Port murders, or an authentic account of the atrocious murders committed by Burke and his associates; containing a full account of all the extraordinary circumstances connected with them. Also, a report of the trial of Burke and M'Dougal. With a description of the execution of Burke, his confessions, and memoirs of his accomplices, including the proceedings against Hare, &c. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$By the Court. Am I to understand she said, “ My God, I cannot help it,” after you said you did not wish to make money by dead people ? A. Yes. [Here she recapitulated her evidence in a very dis- tinct manner.] Q. Did the woman make no reply, when you said the woman was dead, whom you saw well and singing the nightbefore? A.No. Q. What did you say after ?- A. I said, if she could not help it, she ought not to remain in the house. Q. Were these words, “ My God, I cannot help it,” used after M‘Dougal had spoken to your husband of ten pounds a week, and he had refused to be silent ? A. Yes, it was after the offer of money ; and 1 said, did she mean to bring a family to disgrace, that prisoner replied, “ My God, how can I help it.” JAMES GRAY, Labourer, Husband of the foregoing Wit- ness, Examined. Q. You lodged at the prisoner’s house? A. Yes, for a few nights at the end of last October. Q. Do you remember Burke having any conversation with you about sleeping out of his house on the 81st of that month ? A. Yes, Burke said we must go out that night, that he had provided a place for us, and that we might come back in the morning to breakfast. Q. Did he give any reason for desiring you to leave his house that night? A. No, not that I recollect. He took us to Hare’s, and pitched on a bed he used to occupy himself. Q. Did you know that Burke brought in a strange woman that morning before, and ordered breakfast for her ? A. Yes. He said, he suspected she was some relation of his mother’s, as she had the same name, and was from near the same place. Q. Did you return the night you left Burke’s ? A. \ es, about nine, with my wife, where we saw a good number of people at Burke’s ; we stopped a few minutes. Next morn- ing Burke came, and my wife and I went down to breakfast. Q. In the course of that Saturday, was you present when your wife found a dead body ? A. Yes, it was covered with straw, and lying near the head of the bed. Q. Was it the woman you saw there the night before ? A. Yes. I then packed up my things that were there, and was$

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