William Burke (1792-1829)
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Life
1792-1829; b. Urney, Co. Tyrone; labourer; worked on Mediston Canal, Scotland;
living in Edinburgh lodging-house kept by William Hare, native of Derry,
in 1827; sold body of old pensioner to Dr Robert Knox for dissection,
29 Nov. 1827; lured wayfarers and killed them by suffocation when drunk;
murdered 15, aided by their wives; Hare turned Kings evidence and
Burke was hanged, 28 Jan 1829; Knox was exonerated by Burke. ODNB DIB
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