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Benjamin Escreet

Age: 27

Sex: male

Date: 31 May 1927

Place: Normans Terrace, Campbell Street, Hull

Benjamin Escreet was found dead on his bedroom floor with a muffler around his neck.

His wife said that Benjamin Escreet had been in poor health for some time but had never threatened to commit suicide but that he had complained of terrible pains in his head and had been worried about being out of work. She said that on the afternoon he died that he had gone upstairs to read and that two hours later she had found the front bedroom door locked and that when she forced it open she saw him lying on the floor with his head near the skirting board.

His wife said that she then immediately went downstairs and called for some help.

A man that went to help said that a child had called for him and that on his way he had met Benjamin Escreet's wife who had said 'Will you come and look at Ben, I think he is in a fit'. He said that he then went in to look and saw Benjamin Escreet lying on the floor with his head crouched up against the skirting board. He said that there was a muffler round his neck which he then loosened but said that he could not tell whether or not it had been tight as he had been in a state of excitement when he had done so. He said that Benjamin Escreet's face was a little blue and that his eyes were staring.

When the police arrived they tried artificial respiration, but without success.

A doctor who examined his body said that he had two marks round his neck which could have been caused by the muffler. He said that it was possible that he had pulled the muffler very tightly around his neck and then got into such a position against the skirting board that it became tighter still. He stated that death was due to asphyxia caused by strangulation.

Normans Terrace has since been redeveloped but was approximately where Quantock Close is today.


*map pointers are rough estimates based on known location details as per Place field above.

see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

see Hull Daily Mail - Thursday 09 June 1927

see Hull Daily Mail - Friday 03 June 1927