strain,'t until he arrived at the police station, She aunt and the
grandmother o£ Miss Davis both testified that they had heard Knowles
threaten to kill her on two previous occasions and a doctor testified
that Knowles was "a responsible agent, though he is certainly a very
unstable. individual," The conviction was affirmed on appeal to the
Maryland Court of Appeals, and he was hanged at the Maryland State
Prison on August 12, 1949. He had no visitors on the day preceding
his execution and he went to his death imassively at 12:02 AM and was
pronounced dead fourteen minutes later.
BALTIMORE SUN, Baltimore, Maryland, 8-12-1919
65 ATLANTIC (2nd) 179
strain," until he arrived at the police station, Bhe aunt and the
grandmother o£ Miss Davis both testified that they had heard Knowles
threaten to kill her on two previous occasions and a doctor testified
that Knowles was "a responsible agent, though he is certainly a very
unstable individual," The conviction was affirmed on appeal to the
Maryland Court of Appeals, and he was hanged at the Maryland State
Prison on August 12, 1919. He had no visitors on the day preceding
his execution and he went to his death impassively at 12:02 AM and was
pronounced dead fourteen minutes laters
BALTIMORE SUN, Baltimore, Maryland, 8-12-1919
65 ATLANTIC (2nd) 179
strain," until he arrived at the police station, Bhe aunt and the
grandmother o£ Miss Davis both testified that they had heard Knowles
threaten to kill her on two previous occasions and a doctor testified
that Knowles was "a responsible agent, though he is certainly a very
unstable individual," The conviction was affirmed on appeal to the
Maryland Court of Appeals, and he was hanged at the Maryland state
Prison on August 12, 1949, He had no visitors on the day preceding
his execution and he went to his death impassively at 12:02 AM and was
pronounced dead fourteen minutes laters
BALTIMORE SUN, Baltimore, Maryland, 8-12-1919
65 ATLANTIC (2nd) 179
eisiy
65 sous m8) 179
KNOWLES, John Thomas
Knowles, a 26-year-old black resident of New York City, joined the
Merchant Marines during World War II and remained in their service
after the conclusion of the war, He had known Ruby Davis, 22<years=
old, for six years and he said that for two years they had lived to-
gether as man and wife and that during this period he had sent money
to her and to her mother as well as depositing other funds in a joint
bank account in both his and her names in anticipation of their being
married. When he returned from a voyage, he found that she had moved
to Baltimore, Mde, and that there was no money in the joint account,
In May, 1948, he went to Baltimore for the purpose, he said, of getting
some money from her and getting married, On Sunday afternoon, June 13,
1948, he met her at a theatre and when she refused to give him the
money for XAMXKKAWEK their admittance, they caught a bus to Druid Hill
Park where they went for a walk, He asked her for money again and
when she again refused to give it to him, he drew a Hnife and chased
her a short distance where, in full view of many witnesses near the
Columbus Monument he stabbed her 25 times, Knowles made no effort to
escape and was promptly taken into custody by the Park police, At
his trial, Knowles maintained that the murder was a ‘crime of passion!
and said that she had hit him over the head with her purse, After
that, he claimed, he remembered nothing, being "under deep emotional
KNOWLES, John Thomas
Knowles, a 26-year-old black resident of New York City, joined the
Merchant Marines during World War II and remained in their service
after the conclusion of the ware He had known Ruby Davis, 22-years-=
old, for six years and he said that for two years they had lived to-
gether as man and wife and that during this period he had sent money
to her and to her mother as well as depositing other funds in a joint
bank account in both his and her names in anticipation of their being
married, When he returned from a voyage, he found that she had moved
to Baltimore, Md., and that there was no money in the joint account,
In May, 198, he went to Baltimore for the purpose, he said, of getting
some money from her and getting married. On Sunday afternoon, June 13,
1948, he met her at a theatre and when she refused to give him the
money for X@WXKKAWEE their admittance, they caught a bus to Druid Hill
Park where they went for a walk, He asked her for money again and
when she again refused to give it to him, he drew a Wnife and chased
her a short distance where, in full view of many witnesses near the
Columbus Monument he stabbed her 25 times, Knowles made no effort to
escape and was promptly taken into custody by the Park police, At
his trial, Knowles maintained that the murder was a ‘crime of passion!
and said that she had hit him over the head with her purse, After
that, he claimed, he remembered nothing, being "under deep emotional
KNOWLES, John Thomas
Knowles, a 26-year-old black resident of New York City, joined the
Merchant Marines during Vorld War II and remained in their service
after the conclusion of the war. He had known Ruby Davis, 22-year:
old, for six years and he said that for two years they had lived to-
gether as man and wife and that during this period he had sent money
to her and to her mother as well as depositing other funds in a joint
bank account in both his and her names in anticipation of their being
married, Vhen he returned froma voyage, he found that she had moved
to Baltimore, Md,, and that there was no money in the joint account,
In May, 198, he went to Baltimore for the purpose, he said, of getting]
some money from her and getting married, On Sunday afternoon, June 13,
1948, he met her at a theatre and when she refused to give hin the
money for X@WKXXIGMEE their admittance, they caught a bus to Druid Hill
Park where they went for a walk, He asked her for money again and
when she again refused to give it to him, he drew a inife and chased
her a short distance where, in full view of many witnesses near the
Columbus Monument he stabbed her 25 times, Knowles made no effort to
escape and was promptly taken into custody by the Park police, At
his trial, Knowles maintained that the murder w: ime of passion!
and said that she had hit him over the head with her purse, After
that, he claimed, he remembered nothing, being "under deep emotional
SU ee eats
