
Age: 43
Sex: male
Crime: murder
Date Of Execution: 7 Aug 1929
Crime Location: 68 Cannon Street, Newcastle
Execution Place: Durham
Method: hanging
Executioner: Thomas Pierrepoint
Source: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C4166310
James Johnson murdered his wife Mary Annie Johnson at 68 Cannon Street, Newcastle on 12 May 1929. He cut her throat.
They lived in a tennented building at 68 Cannon Street, Newcastle in which they occupied three room, a kitchen, and two bedrooms.
In December 1928 James Johnson went to jail for 2 months for gambling and theft offences. When he got out he discovered that his wife had been cheating on him. This led to them starting to argue. It also led to tension between James Johnson and his lifes lover who later threatened to kill him in a latter, see below.
On 9 May Mary Johnson reported James Johnson to the police and whilst talking to them pulled out of James Johnson's jacket pocket a cutthroat razor which she said James Johnson was keeping for her.
see National Archives - HO 144/11357, ASSI 45/89/5, PCOM 9/276