James Johnson - for the murder of his wife.

43 year old James Johnson lived in lodgings at 68 Cannon Street in Newcastle upon Tyne with his wife 35 year old Mary Annie and daughters, 13 year old Nancy, 8 year old Jenifer and 3 year old Irene and five year old son James. He was a bookmaker but was also well known to the police for gambling offences, drunkenness, assault and petty theft. He began a two month prison sentence for the latter two offences in December of 1928.

While he was incarcerated Mary had been seeing one William “Billy” Ridley. She denied that the relationship was anything more that platonic but the two older daughters told a different story. This inevitably led to friction between Johnson and Mary. On the evening of the 9th of May 1929 Mary left the house after a row and sought out a policeman. Constable George Urwin accompanied her back to Cannon Street and “had a word” with Johnson, as was the typical procedure of the time. Johnson claimed that Mary had hit him with a rolling pin. Mary showed Urwin a razor that was in her husband’s coat pocket, telling the constable “This is what he keeps for me.”

At around 1 a.m. on the morning of Sunday the 12th of May Thomas Held, who lived in an adjacent lodging in the same building heard a thud followed by a moaning sound coming from next door. Thomas’ father William also heard the sounds and with the help of another neighbour, George Muckle, were able to force entry into the Johnson’s home. They were immediately confronted by a strong smell of coal gas. They were able to turn off the gas taps and fetch the police. Coal gas that was in use at this time was known to be lethal very quickly and was a common method of suicide. When the police arrived, they found Mary dead from having her throat cut and Johnson in another room semi conscious and with heavy blood staining on his hands. Fortunately the children all survived the gas.

Johnson was tried at Newcastle on 2nd and 3rd of July 1929 before Mr. Justice Finlay on charges of murdering Mary and attempting to murder the children. In his defence he claimed that Mary had turned on the gas and cut her own throat. This was rejected by the jury, particularly given the evidence of his blood stained hands. He lodged an appeal which was heard before the Lord Chief Justice and Justices Avory and Branson and dismissed on the 22nd of July 1929.

Johnson was hanged at Durham at 8.00 a.m. on Wednesday the 7th of August 1929, by Thomas Pierrepoint, assisted by Thomas Phillips. Prisoner 4872 weighed 146 lbs. and had a “stout and muscular” neck. Pierrepoint allowed a drop of 7’ 6”.

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