Age: 44
Sex: male
Crime: murder
Date Of Execution: 12 Jul 1898
Crime Location: 25 Denmark Terrace, Sprowston, Norwich
Execution Place: unknown
Method: hanging
Executioner: unknown
Source: http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/1837.html
James Watt was convicted of the murder of his wife Sophia Watt and sentenced to death.
They had for some time been living apart, but on 14 April 1898 James Watt went to see his wife and after a short conversation he shot her three times.with a revolver, once in the body and twice in the head, killing her immediately.
James Watt then fled, but was caught a few hours later.
James Watt had been a labourer from Sprowston near Norwich. He and his wife had been living apart owing to his brutal conduct to her at 25 Denmark Terrace in Sprowston.
A shoemaker that lived next door to Sophia Watt in Denmark Terrace, said that on the Thursday afternoon between 2.30pm and 3pm that he heard shots fired and that when he ran out to the bottom of his yard he saw James Watt kneeling over his wife and firing at her. He said that he heard three shots and had been about five yards off and that he called out.
He said that James Watt then jumped a fence and that he pursued him for about 200 or 300 yards, but that James Watt stopped dead and threatened him with the revolver and that he didn't follow him any further.
A married woman that had lived at 24 Denmark Terrace said that she saw James Watt taling to Sophia Watt as though he wanted to be reconciled with her, but that she told him that she wanted nothing more to do with him as she had heard his promises so often. She said that, that after Sophia Watt hung up a mat and was about to pass him, that James Watt fired at her.
She said that she didn't see the pistol, but heard several shots fired at Sophia Watts's head and that she afterwards saw James Watt bending over his wife and banging her head with the pistol.
She said that she had been within 3 or 4 yards of him and that he then jumped some palings and ran off.
When James Watt was arrested he said he knew nothing about the murder.
A letter was found that James Watt had written to his wife, which read:
I hope you and the children are in good health. I cannot say I am. Will you tell me what I am to do. You had my £4 10s and my home. You and my children gone. I have got the street. Is your heart that hard you cannot forget it? I love you with all my heart. I have got no work, no home. God bless you all. Think, no home. - G Watt.
The jury at the Norwich Assizes found him guilty without retiring and the judge, when passing sentence, told him he had nothing to hope for.
see National Archives - HO 144/274/A60146
see Guernsey Evening Press and Star - Friday 24 June 1898
see Northampton Mercury - Friday 24 June 1898
see Shrewsbury Chronicle - Friday 18 November 1898
see Illustrated Police News - Saturday 23 April 1898
