Friends (and lovers) called him Jimmy Read, however, he used multiple names to disguise his several relationships, and fabricated other false characters to help excuse his absences to his various partners.
[1] He was born in Kentish Town in north London the son of John Canham Read and his wife Eliza Fanny Gosbee from Dublin.
Read worked as the cashier at the Royal Albert Dock, London and lived at 57 Jamaica Street in Stepney.
Read had met Florence whilst with Bertha at Clapham Common (explaining himself as a friend) in September 1890 when she was only 18.
Florence became pregnant by Read around October 1893 but his preference was for yet another woman: Beatrice Kempton who he was also "married" to, with a six month old child.
He had met Beatrice working in a sweet shop at Gloucester Road and she knew him as "Edgar Benson" and believed him to be a commercial traveller which required long absences.
[5] By this time, from October 1893 onwards, Read had a weekly pattern of spending Monday to Friday with his true wife Emma, and Saturday and Sunday with Beatrice.
Neither queried this, but Florence's pregnancy could destroy this happy arrangement, as could Bertha's knowledge of any part of the tangled web.
[9] On Sunday 24 June 1894 Read had organised to meet Florence Dennis in Prittlewell, a village one mile north of Southend.
He missed the last train and walked home on the London Road (A13) asking several people en route for directions (including a policeman at Benfleet at 1.15am).
[12] Later that day, as Florence had not returned home, he received a telegram at 3pm in the docks from Mr Ayriss asking "Where is Florrie?".
Here he hoped to live under the name Edgar Benson with Beatrice and their young son Albert (Bertie).
[14] Florence was found by a youth, Frederick Rush, just after 6pm on the evening of Monday 25 June lying in a ditch at the edge of the field, shot through the head.
[17] On 27 June he left Mitcham, again fearing arrest, and telegrammed Beatrice regularly asking if all was okay (expecting word of police).
[18] Southend police (led by Sgt Alfred John Marden and Inspector Baker[19]) had watched the Jamaica Street house and intercepted an outgoing letter from Harry to "Mr Benson, Rose Cottage, Mitcham".
Read was arrested by Inspector Baker accompanied by Sergeant Alfred Marden of Southend on 7 July.
[22] The murder trial began on 12 November at Essex Assizes in the Shire Hall and was judged by Charles Edward Pollock.
Harry claimed no knowledge of the telegram written on Friday 22 June despite it being in his handwriting and in a distinctive purple pencil which he used.
The defence greatly criticised the influence of the press which had preceded and surrounded the case in what would now be called trial by media.
The sound of the small revolver would have carried no more than 200 yards and could easily have gone unnoticed, indeed the choice of site was suitably remote not to be heard.
Read and his defence had not explained what happened to the revolver known to be in his possession and no witnesses had been produced to evidence that he was anywhere else but Southend.
[28] The poet Robert Williams Buchanan actively campaigned for Read's release and proclaimed his innocence in columns of newspapers at his own expense.
[31] However, a final letter from James to Harry asked him to find more evidence supporting his whereabouts on the night of 24/25 June.
Several residents and primarily a Mr Sicely stated that Read had gone to bed just after 10.30pm and risen for breakfast at 7am taking the 8am train back to London.
The landlady, Mrs Clothier had apparently confirmed to police that Read 'had been there that night but placed his time of return at 11.15pm.
Doing the maths he could have realised the first train could get him to Leytonstone and could arrive at work slightly late with no great query without a huge walk.
[32] The bullet (a 7-Eley) which killed Florence Dennis is part of the collection of the Crime Museum at New Scotland Yard.
[33] "Mrs Benson"'s (Beatrice Diva Kempton's) father died of a heart attack during the course of the trial due to the stress.
Mrs Emma Read lived the rest of her life impoverished and shamed but her children largely fared well.
[34] There was a strong implication that Bertha knew more about the shooting than was revealed and she admitted seeing Read on the day of the murder.