The Body Suppliers: Investigating the Men Responsible for the Infamous West Port Murders
During the late 1820s in Edinburgh, Scotland, two men found that they could make good money selling cadavers to medical professionals. The problem arose when they began creating the corpses
Background
The infamous West Port Murders occurred in Edinburgh, Scotland, between 1827 and 1828. They were particularly noteworthy for their brutality and shocking motive: the trade and sale of human corpses for anatomical dissection purposes. At the center of these ghoulish crimes were two men - William Burke and William Hare.
William Hare was born in Ireland and relocated to Scotland as a young man to pursue better job opportunities. Not much is known about his upbringing and background; however, by the mid-1820s, we know he settled in Edinburgh, where he ran a boarding house.
Though he was not a wealthy man, Hare was able to support himself financially through this business. During this time, he crossed paths with William Burke, an Irish laborer. It is thought that Burke and Hare probably first bonded over money matters since they were both looking for ways to make a living in the city's growing economy.
However, their friendship would lead to one of Scotland’s most notorious murder sprees.
The West Port Murders
The motivation for the West Port murder spree started almost entirely by accident. In 1827, one of Hares's tenants—an elderly man—passed away from natural causes while still owing rent payments.
Meanwhile, it was well known that renowned surgeon and anatomy lecturer Dr. Robert Knox paid generously for cadavers since the legal supply of bodies was usually limited to executed criminals.
In an effort to recoup the loss of rent, the duo contacted Dr. Knox, who paid for the corpse, which was to be used for dissection purposes. This transaction would trigger a series of killings, which served to put money in their pocket while supplying Dr. Knox with more bodies for dissection.
At first, Hare and Burke chose to target victims who were in a position of vulnerability, like drifters, and those with limited means since they were less likely to be reported as missing.
Their preferred way of causing death was through suffocation so as to keep the body in good condition for potential sale. This technique later became known as "Burking," where the two men would restrain the victim and cover their mouth and nose to prevent them from breathing.
Over the course of a single year, Hare and Burke were responsible for at least 16 killings—all of which were motivated by financial gain.
Hare’s involvement in the killings was significant. Even though both men were culpable, it was Hare who supplied the place – the boarding house – where many of the murders were committed.
His wife, Margaret Laird, also played a part by attracting victims and concealing the crimes. Working closely with Burke, Hare was often engaged in subduing and killing their victims, though it's not always clear how their “tasks” were divided between them.
Nevertheless, by taking part in the murders, Hare became just as guilty as Burke.
As the killings continued and the need to supply corpses for Dr. Knox increased, it motivated the duo to continue in their murderous ways. While Dr. Knox never inquired about where the bodies came from, his pivotal role as a customer undoubtedly fueled the rising number of corpses.
Discovery and Arrest
The killings finally came to an end in November 1828 after the death of Margaret Docherty. This time, Burke and Hare’s actions were discovered when two other tenants of Hare’s boarding house noticed suspicious activity from the duo and reported their findings to the police.
When the police arrived to investigate their claims, they found Docherty’s body hidden under a bed. Further investigation soon unraveled the series of murders that had taken place over the previous year.
Trial and Hare’s Betrayal
At trial, both Hare and Burke were accused of committing multiple murders; however, Hare made a choice that would have a lasting impact on the rest of his life.
Hare decided to cooperate with the authorities to save himself by offering evidence against Burke in exchange for legal protection from prosecution. Hares's testimony played a key role in securing Burke's conviction by providing intricate details about the crimes and the pair’s methods of operation.
By betraying Burke in court with his testimony, Hare ultimately sealed Burkes's fate, resulting in his conviction and subsequent execution by hanging on January 28, 1829.
Aftermath and Hare’s Disappearance
In exchange for cooperation with authorities, Hare received immunity, which greatly angered the public. Following Burkes's execution, Hare was freed from jail but was forced to flee Edinburgh due to the widespread animosity towards him.
Public sentiment was drastically against him, resulting in a mob-like frenzy whenever he was seen in public. After being rescued by constables from an irate mob, Hare was escorted by a militia guard and told to head for the English border.
This is the last known historical account of William Hare. Though he was still a young man, William Hare essentially disappeared from the history books. His fate or whereabouts after February 1829 are unknown.
Legacy
The public outcry following the West Port murders and the implications of medical practitioners illegally procuring corpses prompted the enactment of the Anatomy Act of 1832.
This legislation transformed the process through which medical institutions acquired cadavers for dissection by allowing the use of unclaimed bodies from institutions such as workhouses and prisons. This effectively eliminated the financial motivation for grave robbing or homicide.
Even though Dr. Knox was not accused of any wrongdoing for buying bodies without investigating their sources, his actions have been a subject of ethical debate. This case emphasized the urgency in the United States for defined regulations on acquiring bodies for scientific research, resulting in improved ethical standards and procedures within medicine.
The brutal killings left an impact not only on Edinburgh but also on the medical field and the evolution of legal regulations about anatomy throughout the world. Despite its nature and implications, Hare's legacy, though grim, remains a significant chapter in the history of crime and medical science.
Sources:
Bailey, B. (2013). The Anatomy Murders: Being the True and Spectacular History of Edinburgh's Notorious Burke and Hare and of the Man of Science Who Abetted Them in the Commission of Their Most Heinous Crimes. Arcade Publishing.
Gray, J. (1981). Burke and Hare. Mainstream Publishing.
Fraser, A. (2006). A History of Burke and Hare. Edinburgh University Press.
Pound, R. (2010). Notorious Murders of the Twentieth Century. BBC Books.
We went to Scotland for our honeymoon and did a bus tour in Edinburgh. They took us by some of the places associated with Burke and Hare.