BM, this matter has been discussed at length also in various other sites on the Net. For example, try the old-time music archives [put 'burglar's wine' without quotes in the search box] HERE or in the 'search the archives' link in the ballad list HERE. It should keep you amused for some time with entries such as:

Well, I know that several singers have altered "burglar's wine" to "Burgundy wine" (most notably Charlie Monroe in his influential late 40s recording). But the early versions are unanimous in saying the former. And frankly "burglar's wine"--i.e., wine that's been poisoned or spiked with a sedative to incapacitate someone you plan to victimize--makes much more sense to me. I think scholars too often patronise folksingers by emending "errors" they've made when the folk damn well know what they mean. There's a Jack Tale in which the hero steals a rich man's horses by offering the guards a drink from his wine bottle, which has been spiked with "cloryform" or some such. Also a cheerful Canterbury Tale where the would-be-burglar puts poison in the wine: but his would-be-victim has already planned to murder him first and then celebrates his crime by taking a swig from the bottle over his corpse....Would make a great end to a film noir. What the man did was knock Rose out with drugs and then finish her off by stabbing her and dump her body in the river. Standard M.O. in the British Isles in the 19th C. Personally, I found Burgundy wine very ineffective in murdering women I know. Most of them prefer white Zinfandel and can drink me under the table. [From the old-time music newsgroup].

Back in the days BP (before penicillin), everyone knew of the powers of herbs and minerals. Life often depended on use of purges, cordials and other concoctions. There was a famous concoction devised and employed by four theives in the plague years which allowed them to steal from plague victims without catching the plague. When captured, they won their freedom by revealing the recipe, which has since been known as the "four thieves vinegar." (Hmm. I ought to look it up again. Might prove useful if Sadam decides to let loose with what we think he might have concocted in his basement.) Another useful means for thieves and other devious persons was to drug the wine and have the household thoroughly asleep while they conducted their business in a leisurely manner. How either of these related to this song is pure fantasy, but a drugged person is undoubtedly easier to kill than an alert one.[From the ballad list].

Other texts quoted in the article by DK (he lists 71 in it - JAFL 92 (1979) pp172-195) have "burglar's" "the burglar's" (Grayson Whittier) "burgundy" (Charlie Munroe and his Kentucky Pardners, March 24 1947 released on RCA Victor 20-3416 and 48-0222) "bourbon" (Kentucky, 1961) "burglan's" (Kentucky, ca 1937). At one point Wilgus comments that aspects of the story, such as the weapon with which the deed was done, are too scattered to provide a coherence - he also indicates that there is wide variation in the description of the wine. [From the ballad list: 'DK' is Dr D.K. Wilgus].

--Stewie.