When Diana Thomas met Irishman William Adams her husband had been transported to Australia and Adams was already married. Nevertheless they began living together until she, escaping from his physical abuse, ran away to London.
When she eventually returned to Liverpool, Adams met her by chance on the corner of Lever and Friday Streets. They started to argue, whereupon Adams produced a pistol and shot her dead in front of a patrolling policeman.
He handed the weapon to the officer, saying: Be careful with it. Its loaded. I had actually intended to exterminate myself.
He was hanged outside Kirkdale Prison on Saturday, September 16th, 1848.