In 1791, 41-year-old Czech composer Frantisek Kotzwara died unexpectedly in London. Was it an accident or murder? The reason behind his death was fairly prurient, and was revealed at the trial.
Standing trial for murder at the Old Bailey, Susannah Hill explained what happened. Hill was a sex worker, and Kotzwara was a client. On the 2nd of September, they had dinner and drinks together, then she took him back to her room, “where a number of most indecent acts took place.” So far so normal, but Kotzwara had a special request. He wanted Hill to hang him.
Claiming it would add to his pleasure, he asked to be hanged for five minutes, then released. He gave her money and sent her out to get rope, and she came back with two thin cords, placing them around his neck at his request. He hanged himself off her door, but when she cut him down after five minutes as he had told her to do, Kotzwara collapsed and died.
The circumstances of Kotzwara's demise made sensational gossip, but it was only notable because it was so public. There are other historical archives on the practice of erotic asphyxiation, detailed at Dirty Sexy History. -via Strange Company
