THE TRUE LIFE AND CRIMES OF A BODYSNATCHER.

Paperback. A chronicle of the activities of the notorious resurrectionist Thomas Vaughan, also known as Thomas Goslin. Vaughan was born in 1790-91 in Limerick, Ireland, but came to London where he became well-known as a petty criminal operating in the south of the capital. His work as a stonesmason's labourer brought his attention to the money to be earned from robbing graves - a disgusting business, but it paid well. Surgeons and anatomists paid between 42shillings and £14 for a dead body and grave-robbers could raise several a night. During his time as a grave-robber, travelling all over the country, Vaughan never stole the clothes from the bodies, as the punishment for what was called 'severe larceny' was transportation. For some unknown reason Vaughan, or Goslin as he was known by then, disregarded his own rule and was charged, along with Louisa Goslin, John Jones, Richard Thompson and Mary Thompson of disinterring 2 dead bodies from the burial ground at Stoke Damerel (Exeter)and stealing a shift and a pair of white stockings. For the stealing of bodies, the sentence was 2 weeks imprisonment in Bridewell; for the felony of stealing clothes, the sentence was transportation for 7-yrs. A fascinating story. With Appendices and Bibliog. 67pp. p/back. New.