FAMOUS CRIMES: Burke and Hare

FAMOUS CRIMES: Burke and Hare, Edinburgh crime

Here is a reprint of the classic true crime serial from 1902: Famous Crimes Past and Present.

It has 24 pages, is black and white throughout, and is comb bound with a card back and a plastic front cover.

This one is number 12 and the cover features ‘Helen McDougal pouring whiskey down the victim’s throat’, an episode from the Burke and Hare crimes in Edinburgh from 1828-29.

The first eight pages deal with Burke and Hare. In the 1820s criminals would dig up graves, stealing the bodies to sell to anatomists and medical schools. Burke and Hare cut out the middle man (ie natural death itself) and murdered sixteen people, selling the bodies to Dr Knox a famous Edinburgh doctor.

Although part two of the story, this deals with all of the important aspects of the case. The modus operandi, the death of Daft Jamie, Burke’s written confession is reproduced, an etching of Burke on the gallows, the mob chasing the suspect after a ‘not proven’ verdict, and many other illustrations are used to help us understand the case.

The Burke and Hare case is still written about to this day and Famous Crimes gives their Edwardian opinion on the suspects, the trial and on Dr Knox himself.

Following this, two pages are given to types of poison and how to detect them

Two and half pages are given on “The Brothers Davies”, brothers accused of murdering their father who beat their mother. It’s quite a sad episode, where it appears that the wrong man was hanged.

Three pages are given to Cadwallader Jones a murderer from Dolgelly, Wales, and an illustration shows the final moments of his crime where he attacks Sarah Hughes.

“In Times of Torture” gives details of rat torture and the rack with illustrations of the implements used, including some very hungry looking rats.

Brief mentions of Jack Sheppard and Thomas More are followed by an article on the life of a religious maniac “Charles Freeman”, who murdered his family and was almost lynched by a mob. An excellent illustration shows the police protecting Freeman from a hysterical crowd.

A further two pages are given to James Henry Gibb who murdered his lover in 1871. A page from this article is given to the right.

The high moral ground is taken on the back page where the author deals with Juvenile offenders. For his day the writer would have been quite enlightened, but by today’s standards the writer’s suggestion of the birch might not be seen as so politically correct.

Famous Crimes was a penny journal. It was published from 1902 and became an instant hit with its sensational journalism and gruesome illustrations. The illustrations really are superb.

Please see my other sales for other Famous Crimes including Charles Peace and Guy Fawkes.

If you have any questions please email me at goughsquare@hotmail.com