166 HUMAN DISSECTION. ITS DRAMA AND STRUGGLE 



by the recipients of the subject although it may have been recog- 

 nized. The absence of Daft Jamie was quickly noted and his 

 mysterious disappearance took a remarkable hold on the mind 

 of the populace, not only in Edinburgh but throughout the entire 

 country, and it remained so until the reason was solved. 



The final murder committed by Burke and Hare was that 

 of a woman named Mary Docherty, who had traveled to Edin- 

 burgh in search of her lost son. Burke contacted her in the vicinity 

 of a grocery store, located near his home and started a conver- 

 sation. On learning her name, he informed her that his mother 

 was also a Docherty and intimated that they were of the same 

 clan. By this means, he obtained her good will, which was aided 

 by a few glasses of whisky at a neighboring pub. She accompanied 

 him home. A hilarious party followed with Hare and his wife, 

 Burke and his mistress and a couple named Gray being present. 

 She was "burked" in the usual way the ensuing morning. Her 

 naked body was then put under the bed, and partially covered 

 with straw, until a tea crate could be found. 



The next morning Mr. Gray inquired for the old lady and 

 was given an evasive answer by Mrs. Hare. During the breakfast 

 meal, which was served in the room with the corpse. Burke be- 

 haved peculiarly. With a bottle of whisky in his hand, he threw 

 some of its contents under the bed, on top of it and up to the 

 ceiling of the apartment; on occasion, he put drops of it on his 

 breast opening his shirt for this purpose, and then he would take 

 some sips. When Mrs. Gray wanted to search for some potatoes, 

 which were under the bedstead, she was forbidden to do so by 

 Burke; instead he reached for and obtained the bag. This com- 

 bination of events made Mrs. Gray suspicious; when the others 

 left the room momentarily, she bent down and lifted the straw 

 and in so doing, caught hold of the arm of the dead woman. 

 She motioned silently to her husband, who had also remained; 

 they investigated further and were able to identify the subject 

 as being tliat of the elderly woman they had met the night before. 

 They departed immediately and informed the police of their 

 discovery; the four persons, Burke, Helen McDougal, Mr. and 

 Mrs. Hare, were apprehended, imprisoned and indicted. The news 

 of their capture spread like wildfire and set off one of the greatest 



