Murder
Whilst at home at Honingham Hall, his estate in Norfolk, England, Teichman heard the sound of gunfire nearby. He went out to confront two poachers (Private George E. Smith of Pittsburgh and Private Leonard S. Wijpacha of Detroit) who were trespassing in the grounds of his estate. Both intruders were American soldiers based at a nearby USAAF airfield and each was armed with an M1 carbine. Sir Eric was shot during the confrontation, receiving a fatal gunshot wound to the head.
Private Smith was subsequently arrested, court-martialled at RAF Attlebridge, convicted of murder and executed by hanging at HMP Shepton Mallet on 8 May 1945 (i.e. VE day), despite appeals for clemency, including one from Lady Ellen Teichman. His companion, Private Wijpacha (sp. Wojtacha?), was charged with being an accessory to murder, but was not sentenced to death.
Read more about this topic: Eric Teichman
Famous quotes containing the word murder:
“I cannot beat off
Invincible modes of the sea, hearing:
Be a man my son by God.
He turned again
To the purring jet yellowing the murder story,
Deaf to the pathos circling in the air.”
—Allen Tate (1899–1979)
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—Joseph O’Donnell. Clifford Sanforth. Mrs. Houghland, Murder by Television, reassuring her friends after the houseboy has pointed out a sign of ill omen (1935)
“You can’t murder a man who’s been dead for five centuries.”
—Garrett Fort (1900–1945)