A strange case of 'murder by request'

Adams was 17-years-old in 1919 and had been befriended on a Thameside bench by 60-year-old George Jones. Jones had taken the young man in and had bought him meals and drinks. The pair were drinking in a pub in Tooting on the evening of 10th June 1919 with a third man, Charlie Smith. The three of them left together.

On their way home Adams stabbed Jones with a shoemaker's awl, three times in the chest and three times in the throat. Jones was found wandering around covered in blood  and was taken to hospital. Before he died, three days later, he told police that he had no idea why Adams had attacked him.

Adams was arrested. His story was that Jones had told him that he was worried about a huge tax bill he had received and that he could not pay. According to Adams, Jones had asked the younger man to kill him. He had thought about the request for a week and had then agreed. As they walked home they passed through Sutton park and Jones had removed his hat and coat. He had laid down and given Adams the awl, telling him to stab in the left side of the neck.

After he had stabbed the man several times he had taken the man's shirt and wrapped it around the wounds to try and staunch the flow of blood. He had then taken the man's money and left with Smith who had said and done nothing throughout. Despite extensive enquiries the police could find no trace of Charlie Smith to corroborate the story and Adams was charged with murder.

His trial took place at Guildford Assizes in July 1919. The jury disbelieved his story, found him guilty and he was duly sentenced to death. The sentence was later commuted by Home Secretary, Edward Shortt, to life imprisonment.