Thirty Eight

Robert Louis Stevenson's tale of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde may well have been inspired by a man called William Brodie. By day, he was a respected man of society and deacon of Edinburgh. At night, he frequented the dark parts of the town,  committing gruesome murders. He was caught and sentenced to hang for his crimes, but before visiting the gallows, he slipped a metal tuve into his throat to prevent his neck from snapping. After the hanging, his body was cut from the gallows and returned to his house by friends, where a private doctor was on hand to attempt to revive him. When later his coffin was re-opened following rumours of his trick, his corpse had vanished.