William Cornelius Jones
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- Gender
- male
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Location
- Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
- Date of birth
- 1904
- Age at first offence
- 22
- Characteristics
- parricide
- Victim profile
- Winifred Jones, 18 (his pregnant wife)
- Method of murder
- Shooting
- Date(s) of murder
- July 10, 1926
- Years active
- 1926
- Date of arrest
- Same day
- Status
-
Executed
Executed by hanging at Leeds on January 5, 1927
Case record
Background
William Cornelius Jones was a young territorial soldier who shot dead his wife with his service rifle.
Winifred Jones was eighteen, and William Cornelius Jones was twenty two.
The couple married in late 1925.
In autumn of the following year, they moved into their first home on Crib Lane, Halifax.
Not long after, Mrs Jones went to see a solicitor regarding her husband’s cruel behaviour.
A letter was sent to Jones which caused him to mend his ways, and for the next few months they got along well.
By July, Jones was again mistreating his wife, despite the fact that she was now pregnant.
She left him and went to lodge with an aunt.
Her solicitor wrote to Jones and informed him that divorce proceedings were being taken out against him.
The offence
After the letter arrived, Jones called on the solicitor on 10 July and denied being cruel to his wife.
He was due to attend a Territorial Army meeting at a local rifle range.
After leaving the solicitor’s office, he changed into his uniform and met up with a number of fellow territorials.
While travelling to the range, he told one of the men that he intended shooting his wife with the live round he carried in his pocket, and his companions thought he was joking.
Later that afternoon, Mrs Jones was shot dead as she walked along Crib Lane.
Jones was seen firing the single shot.
He was soon placed under arrest.
Arrest
Jones was soon placed under arrest after he was seen firing the single shot that killed Mrs Jones.
Trial
Jones was tried before Mr Justice MacCardie at Leeds Assizes on 6 December.
At trial, he claimed that the gun had gone off accidentally.
The prosecution contested the point and claimed it was wilful murder.
The jury needed only minutes to return a guilty verdict.
Sentencing
Jones was hanged at Leeds.
Thomas Pierrepoint and Robert Baxter carried out the hanging.
Outcome
William Cornelius Jones was executed by hanging at Leeds on 5th January 1927.
Other details
Aunt of Mrs Jones is mentioned as the person with whom she lodged after leaving Jones.
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