Henry Julius Jacoby

Case overview

Henry Julius Jacoby was executed by hanging at Pentonville Prison on 5th June 1922.

Background

Lady White was the 65-year-old widow of a former London County Council Chairman. Henry Julius Jacoby was 18-year-old and worked as a pantry boy in the Spencer hotel. He was described as one of the youngest men to suffer at Pentonville, and he was one of four teenage boys to be hanged there.

Jacoby quickly confessed to the murder.

The offence

On 14th March 1922, Lady White was found lying on her bed in the Spencer hotel dying of head wounds. Police noted there were no signs of a forced entry, and they surmised that the killer had some connection with the hotel.

Jacoby told police that he had intended to steal from the hotel rooms where he worked and had taken a hammer with him to "use if necessary". He told police that he had found the door to Lady White's room unlocked and entered. He said she woke up and he had beaten her to stop her raising the alarm. At the Old Bailey in April 1922, he was found guilty with a recommendation to mercy and sentenced to death.

Investigation

Police surmised the killer had some connection with the hotel because there were no signs of a forced entry.

When Jacoby was interviewed, he put forward theories as to the murder. Police were not satisfied with his answers. He had lied about his background.

When police searched him, two bloodstained handkerchiefs were found.

Arrest

No separate arrest event was stated. Jacoby was interviewed by police and searched, leading to the discovery of two bloodstained handkerchiefs.

Trial

At the Old Bailey in April 1922, Jacoby was found guilty, with a recommendation to mercy, and sentenced to death. His trial took place at the Old Bailey on 28th of April 1922.

The jury recommended mercy because they were not convinced that he had intended to kill but rather that he did so in panic when Lady White woke to find him in her bedroom and screamed.

Sentencing

Jacoby was sentenced to death despite the jury's recommendation to mercy.

Appeals

No appeals information was stated.

Outcome

Jacoby was executed at Pentonville Prison by John Ellis on 5th June 1922.

After the jury's recommendation to mercy, he was executed at Pentonville Prison by John Ellis.

Aftermath

Pentonville Prison, London was where Jacoby was hanged.

Jacoby was hanged by Ellis on Wednesday, the 7th of June 1922 for the murder of 66 year old Lady Alice White, for whom he had battered to death in her hotel room in the course of trying to rob her.

Jacoby worked as pantry boy in the hotel and quickly confessed to the murder.

Ellis recalls that Jacoby seemed completely unconcerned about his impending fate and was playing a makeshift game of cricket with one of the warders in the exercise yard on the afternoon before, when Ellis went too have a look at him.

After Ellis had pinioned his wrists in the condemned cell, Jacoby made a point of thanking the governor and waiting prison officers for their kindness to him in Pentonville. He went on to the execution shed and was described by Ellis as the calmest person there.

Jacoby was one of 4 teenage boys to be hanged at Pentonville. The others were 18 year old Arthur Henry Bishop on Friday, the 14th of August 1925, 19 year old John Frederick Stockwell on Wednesday, the 14th of November 1934 and 19 year old William Henry Turner on Wednesday, the 24th of March 1943.

Forty (33.3%) of the men who were executed were under 25 at the time of their crime.