James Hutton Williamson

James Hutton Williamson was convicted of the murder of his wife 38-year-old Mary Williamson and sentenced to death.

He cut her throat at Houghton-le-Spring on 7 January 1922, nearly severing her head.

James Williamson had been a miner and until December 1921 had lived with Mary Williamson at Easington Colliery where he worked.

About the beginning of December 1921 Mary Williamson, owing to James Williamson's ill-treatment, left her home and went with her five children to reside with her parents at Houghton-le-Spring. Before they left Easington, the 14-year-old daughter heard James Williamson say:

On Saturday 17 December 1921, Mary Williamson obtained a separation order for persistent cruelty, and James Williamson was ordered to pay 30/- a week.

James Williamson resented Mary Williamson  leaving home and taking proceedings against him and on 19 December 1921, whilst hanging about near Mary Williamson's parents’ house, a neighbour heard him mutter:

Later there seemed to have been some sort of reconciliation between the pair and on 29 December 1921 James Williamson stayed with Mary Williamson at her parent's house, and they appeared to be on friendly terms.

However, she refused to return to Easington Colliery until some upstairs neighbours who were in the house had been put out.

James Williamson then left Houghton-le-Spring, but returned on 6 January 1922 and slept the night at the parent's house.

However, the following morning there was some trouble between them as to the payment of the 30/- under the order. James Williamson claimed that he had sent it, but Mary Williamson denied having received it.

Mary Williamson's parents then left the house about 11am.

James Williamson had been sitting by the fire whilst Mary Williamson and a daughter had been looking out the window when James Williamson suddenly  got up, seized Mary Williamson by the face, and, forcing her head back, sawed her throat with a razor until he had nearly severed her head from her body.

When neighbours came in, James Williamson said:

A doctor was summoned and James Williamson said to him:

James Williamson then ran away, but was caught by a police constable.

James Williamson had first pleaded guilty, but his plea was then withdrawn.

His only defence was a suggestion of insanity on the grounds that his father committed suicide by hanging himself, that one of his sisters died in an asylum and that another sister had been for a time in a mental home.

However, a medical officer that examined him said that he could find no trace of insanity about him and reported that his conduct in prison had been consistently quiet and good.

The jury, at his trial at Durham Assizes on 1 March 1922, after five minutes deliberation, returned a verdict of guilty without any recommendation to mercy.

The police report noted that it was one of the far too common cases in which a man, who had ill-treated his wife, resented her obtaining a separation order, and having to make a weekly payment in consequence, had avenged himself by taking the woman's life and that it was essential, in their mind, that in such cases the law should be rigidly enforced.

James Williamson was executed at Durham on 21 March 1922.