William Jones

Name

William Jones

Background

William Jones was a 33rd year old unemployed labourer who moved with his wife Susannah, aged 28, and their three daughters, Polly aged seven, Susannah aged five, and baby Alice who was a year old, to Ailsbury Street, Millfield from Malvern Street, Southwick at the beginning of May 1910.

Jones was poor. Neighbours said Susannah was loyal to her husband and that she kept the house and the children clean. Jones was often seen drunk and shouting and raving a lot of nonsense. Despite being reduced to begging in the streets to keep the family fed, Susannah sometimes was forced to take her children and beg at the nearby colliery for pennies to feed the family.

Jones had lost his job some two years earlier and considered that his wife had not managed to beg enough money for that day. Jones also accused her of infidelity, although neighbours said she was loyal to her husband.

Susannah's sister, who lived nearby, heard the argument that night and heard Jones shout that if Susannah did not get the children into bed there would be a funeral. Jones was obsessed with the idea that his wife was unfaithful.

After the murders, police established that Jones had scrawled across the walls: "Revenge is Sweet".

The offence

On 22 May 1910, a passer by, Mr Hutchinson, saw William Jones at the front door with blood pouring from his throat. Jones pointed to inside the house. Mr Hutchinson went in and found Susannah and her three children brutally murdered.

Investigation revealed the battered body of a young woman lying on a bed next to the body of a baby. In another bed were the dead bodies of three other children. All four of the children had had their throats slashed.

Police established that the injured man was 33-year-old William Jones. The woman was his wife, 28-year-old Suzanna. The children were eight-year-old James, seven-year-old Polly, five-year-old Suzanna, and one-year-old Alice.

Investigation

Ralph Hutchinson passed along Ailsbury Street in the Millfield area of Sunderland where he lived at about 8am on Sunday 22 May 1910. A few houses down from where he lived, there was a man by the front door with blood flowing from a wound to his throat, pointing inside the house.

Mr Hutchinson ran for Dr Gray and stopped a passing policeman. They took Jones to the Sunderland infirmary to save his life.

When detectives went to the house to investigate the murders, they saw scrawled across the walls: "Revenge is Sweet".

Jones recovered from his self-inflicted wounds in hospital and was charged with the murder of his family.

Arrest

They took William Jones to the Sunderland infirmary to save his life.

Trial

William Jones appeared before Durham Assizes on 25 June 1910.

He pleaded Guilty but, on the advice of his barrister, changed his plea to Not Guilty. Another account states that he initially pleaded guilty to five counts of murder and that defence counsel persuaded him to withdraw the plea and the trial proceeded.

The defence was one of insanity. Witnesses spoke of a cry from the accused during the night of the killings of, "It's the comet." Expert opinion for the defence testified that Jones was insane as a direct result of "privation and poverty."

The jury returned the verdict of Guilty but Insane.

Sentencing

Jones escaped the hangman but was sent to a lunatic asylum to be held at "His Majesty's Pleasure". He was ordered to be detained during His Majesty's pleasure.

Outcome

The jury found William Jones guilty but insane.

Aftermath

The funeral of Susannah and her children was paid for by the parish.

William Jones was held in a lunatic asylum at "His Majesty's Pleasure".