The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-10-14
DEAD IN HIS ROOM
Capt. William J. EsGldga AsphySiated
by Gas at Hotel Norfolk.
SUPPOSED TO Be A CASE OF SUICIDE
IIe Came Here From laurel. Dele
wnre, nnd was a Retired Sen Cap.
lain i'm Good CircuIns nstnnceS2tlnee
Finding of:hc Body
md Subsequent Investigations.

About 10 o'clock Monday night large
man. comfortably clad, and evidently
parily rnde; the Influence of liquor,
walked into the lobby of Hotel Norfolk
and registered as ''W. *. Eskridge. of
Delaware" The night clerk, MIR. Reid.
assigned him to room No. 81 on the third
6oo!
The night passed. ana al o'clock yes
terday morning the chambcrnad. Gym
ma Jewell. In making the rounds of
the building. stopped at the door OF No.
81, and thinking the room vacant, opened
the door few inches and hastily closed
1t again. She had caught 81 glimpse of
man lying fully dressed, with the eX-
ception OF his coat, OH the bed. 1t WAS
EskridGe. Several times during The day
she stopped at the window which opens
out from No. 81 into the hall tilted the
Stats and looked in. Each time she did
60 she saw :he mctionless form Of the
PROSTATE man upon the bed. 1t had not
changed lis position an inch.
And yet, though she confessed after
wards she had detected faint odor OF
escaping gas in one OF these trips Cyn-
tha Jewell did not suspect that anything
was wrong until about o'clock. when,
finding that the inmate of No II had not
apparently moved during the day, she
guessed he was sleeping unnaturally
sound and she called the bell hoy. The
two openedsth door and were met by a
gust of gas which almost overpowered
them. The bell boy hastily rushed to he
jet ana turned off the fatal stream that
was flowing with full force into the
room. Cynthia raised the windows, and
when the atmosphere OF the apartment
had been somewhat purified they en-
tered.
LIKE ONE ASLEEP
Eskridge lay upon the bed stone dead.
He had been dead many huurs-suffo-
Gated by the gas-just how long may
~ 1n loo L..
possible that ii could have happened be-
Iore O'Clock In the morning. for Cyn-
-thia Jewell says that when she opened
the door at that hour she perceived no
odor OF gas. though the door was apart
wide enough for her to see the man on
the bed. On the floor lay the coat of
the dead mau. 1t had been showed
against the crack between the side and
tie door, apparently with the intention
or closing the crack Near by lay n
pocketknife. y half pint bottle of whis-
key was on the floor n foot away. II
had hardly been touched. In u bureau
drawer was found another flask of the
same SIZE and nearly empty. This II
Is almost positive, belonged to ano. her
ANA previous occupant of the room A
comfortable overcoat lay across the back
or chair His hat and necktie were to-
gether upon the bureau
THE CORONER NOTIFIED.
The frightened couple immediately
gave the alarm. and Coroner Ch3rters
vas notified a; once. The latter arrived
ana ordered me body removed to the city
Morgue. which WAS done. the patrol
wagon being called into requistioul
Here. by the dim light of n lantern. the
doctor made a superficial examination
OF the corpse. but found no marks upon
It. II was the body OF a man pe,hans
feet II inches high, and weighing doubt
less 1870 pounds. broad across the should
cfs and thick through the breast II
was the body Of what was unquestion-
nbly iwenty-four hours before an un-
usually healthy man. His black hair
.hecked with gray. lay thirlv upon
his head. His weather. ten face and
seamy fingers. hronzed hands and gener-
al build marked him for a seafarine
man. His clothing was good. but not
costly y common cotton red and blue
str!led shirt was covered by n neat
black vest. The trousers were of good
mater ial and black.
In the vest pocket was n gold watch.
worth at least $40. and attached to /.
a handsome chain. \ handkerchief was
IN the coat pocket and another in the
same hip pocket, from which was taken
we'll worn leather pocketbook con tain
Ing four $40 bills. 81 h!ll and receipt
ed bill for IS worth of -four from 70. w.
Twllley & Co. Laurel Del. marufac-
turers of flour etc. to Capt. William
Eskridge
This seemed to settle the question as
TO the Identity OF the dead man. and the
!nNeStlgat ton proceeded. -Four or five
dollars of small change. pair of gold
spcctaclss, tobacco, cigarettes cigar.
two chunks OF oakum. a pipe. n small
purse were among the articles found
ana then the business card of Mr. r. r.
EnrFnson architect and builder. No. 12l
WINDSOR avenue. Bramble.on Ward.
1T MUST HAVE BEEN SUICIDE.
UP TO this time two theories had been
formed. one was that the deceased had
peen intoxicated and had turned on the
gas. either Intentionally or otherwise,
and did not realize the situation surlci-
emily to turn II off. The other was that
IT was a case of deliberate suicide. and
the position In which the coat was found
would seem to indicate that the latter
supposition was true
A STRANGE CONVERSATION
This belief was soon strenr bonaa /,
one quarter at least. for a Virginian re-.
porter AZ once proceeded to Bramhloton
and aroused Mr.. Ferguson from his
slumbers. Mr.. Ferguson dressed ard
came down. Yes" said he. II knew
Capt. Eskr.dge. II was this wav: He
used to he captain for my brother
John Q. Ferguson, who was n shin hro'
ker on Camphells wha.f NV brother
died Suddenly in 1891 from an oynrdos,
OF morphine. He was found dead with
a handke rchief over his mouth. He toni,
the drug to alleviate the pain he suffsr.
ed. Well I hadn't seen Eskrldge for