Harry Benjamin Jones

Harry Benjamin Jones was a gas worker who from time to time lodged with the family of Richard Harris at Aston. The two men had met three years earlier when they worked together, and when Jones became homeless his friend offered him a room. When he discovered that Jones was having an affair with his wife, he asked him to leave but was unable to get him to go. In desperation, Harris uprooted his family and moved to Gloucester. Soon afterwards, Jones tracked them down, and while Harris was out at work he went to see Mrs Harris, got into a row with her, then shot her. The wound wasn't serious but it was enough to land Jones in prison, and while he was safely locked up, the family took the opportunity to move back to Birmingham. Following his release from prison, an undaunted Jones also moved back to Birmingham, and again found the Harris'. With Richard Harris away working, Mrs Harris invited him to stay, and the affair began again. Rumours spread that he was the father of her youngest child. On 11 June, Harris returned home from working in Wales and told Jones to get out. This time he managed to evict the unwanted guest but three days later Jones returned to the house in a drunken rage and shot the family. All were wounded but a daughter, Florence, succumbed to her injuries. He was sentenced to death by Mr Justice Wills and was  hanged  by James Berry on the 28th August 1888 in Birmingham.