James Adams

James Adams was convicted of the murder of Mary Kane 29 and sentenced to death but reprieved. He cut her throat on 1 August 1919 at 29a Cameron Street, Glasgow. Mary Kane was also known as Mary Doyle and had been the wife of a soldier and had lived at 4 Cedar Street in Glasgow. She had been at 29a Cameron Street caring for her sister's children at the time. Whilst her sister was out, James Adams called and when the door was answered by a boy, he rushed in past him and entered the kitchen and then seized Mary Kane and attacked her with a razor. It was heard that James Adams, who was married, had been living with Mary Kane whilst her husband had been on service in Egypt. Mary Kane's sister said that Mary Kane had on several occasions told her that she had been very fond of James Adams, but that when her husband came home that she had been willing to return to him for the sake of her five children. Mary Kane's 11-year-old niece said that on the night of 1 August 1919 that her mother put her and the rest of the children to bed and then went out to the pictures. She said that shortly after that Mary Kane knocked at the door and that she let her in, saying that when she did, Mary Kane said, 'Hurry up and make me a cup of tea'. She said that there was then another knock at the door and that her 7-year-old brother answered it and that she heard James Adams ask if Mary Kane was there. She said that he told him 'no', but that James Adams pushed past him and went into the kitchen. She said that she didn't hear what James Adams said, but said that she heard Mary Kane say, 'I am back to hm', referring to her husband. She said that Mary Kane had been washing her face at the time, and had been going for a towel, but said that she never got it as James Adams sprung at her and put his arm round her neck, and that she then saw blood rushing to the floor. James Adams mother said that James Adams married in 1912 to his present wife and that they had four children, two of whom died. She said that James Adams had been a machine man but had latterly taken to drink. However, she said that his wife left him in 1918 because of his conduct with Mary Kane. She said that on the night of the murder that he called at her house, but said nothing about it. She said that he shook hands with his sister and bid them, 'Good bye', which she said she thought was rather strange. James Adams's wife said that James Adams called on her on the night of the murder, saying that he wanted to see his children, and wanted to bid them 'Goodbye', as he had got into a little trouble. When James Adams gave evidence at his trial he said that Mary Kane had told him that she was returning to her husband and that when he took out a razor to use against himself that she caught his arm and that he got a bit excited and lost his head. The Crown counsel said there never had been a case before in which the accused in a murder trial in evidence admitted that it was his own hand that deprived the deceased of life. When the judge summed up he said that the counsel for defence, in asking for a verdict of culpable homicide, had, in his view, urged nothing in law that would entitle the jury to take that course. The jury unanimously returned a verdict of guilty, and the judge then donned his black cap and passed sentence of death. James Adams was executed at Duke Street, Glasgow on 11 November 1919. His death was described as having been instantaneous, and a large crowd, mostly women, had assembled outside the prison to watch the hoisting of the black flag.