The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-02-26 00:00:00

THE MURDER OF AN OFFICER AT
CHATHAM.

The adjourned inquiry as to the death of Lieutenant Percy
L. 0. Roper, Royal Engineers, who was found dead on the
stairs leading to his quarters at Brompton Barracks,
Chatham, on Friday evening, the 11th inst., was resumed on
Monday by Mr. W. J. Harris, coroner, at Brompton Barracks.
The lecture-theatre, in w;iich the inquii 3, was held, was
again crowded

Mr. Blanchat'd Wontner, solicitor, again watched the case
on behalf of the family ui: the deceased.

The first witnesses called were Dr. Blood, Dr.
Butler and Dr. Jackson, who, with Dr. Weekes (pre-
viously examined), made the post-m,ortem examination
of the body. The three gentlemen agreed with Dr.
Weekes that it was almost impossible and highly im-
probable that the wound which caused death, and
which was caused by a bullet, could have been self-
inflicted.

William Gallagher' servant to the deceased, was re-
called. He said that when his attention was called to
the deceased on the stairs, he went up to him. He did
not see anything upon the stairs, and did not notice
any clothes near the window on the landing at the top
of the stairs. The window was closed. Witness did
not at the time miss any articles from the room oc-
cupied by the deceased, but he noticed that the drawers
were pulled out, and that the covering was taken from
i a box n which the deceased kept his money. The key
of the box was kept in one of the drawers. The poker
produced belonged to the deceased's room, and the
watch and case, the two gold rings, the key, and the
purse produced were the property of his master. On
the let of February witness cashed a cheque for £l9 for
the deceased.

By Mr. Wontner : Some clothes which the deceased
had worn during the day had been thrown from the
box on to the floor. The watch was usually kept on
the piano. The box had a lock, and it appeared as
though the covering had been removed to unlock the
box. Witness found the key in the usual place in the
drawer. When witness came from the officers' mess
that evening, and before the occurrence, he found that
his wife was out. Mrs. Garside, who lived opposite
witness, and whose quarters are in the basement of the
house where Lieutenant Roper lived, was in her room.
When witness took the deceased into his room, the
only light there was from the fire. There were two
candles and a lamp in the room, but they were not
alight. He could not see the state of the room by the
light from the fire. He believed all the drawers were
pulled out.
By the Coroner: The deceased was of a cheerful
disposition, and for a few days prior to his death was
even more cheerful than usual, as he was about
going on leave. He was not a gentleman likely to
commit suicide.
Mary Garside, wife of another servant, said that on
the night in question she was engaged in putting her
master's (Lieutenant Stotherd's) room in order. The
room was next that occupied by the deceased. She came
downstairs about twenty minutes past eight, and saw
no one about. She went down into the kitchen, and
about twenty minutes to nine heard a scuffling on the
landing upstairs, then a fall, and then a sound as
though something had fallen out of the hand. She took
no notice of it, as sho thought gentlemen were
"sky-larking." Soon afterwards, she heard moaning
and some dogs barking at the front door. She went up
to let the dogs in, and then saw tl-e deceased lying
upon the stairs. She called the witness Gallagher,
and they—with Mrs. Gallagher—got the deceased up-
stairs and into his room. Witness's daughter also
followed up the stairs. Gallagher sent for some of
the officers. At the time they carried the deceased up
the stairs, witness did not notice anything on the
stairs. Witness went downstairs, and when returning
she saw Gallagher running out of the house in a great
hurry. He met Colonel Duff, and they both went up
to the deceased. Witness followed, and on the land-
ing kicked against the revolver case produced. She
also picked up some cartridges which were lying about
on the landing. She also found the revolver produced
on the step next to the top .A. poker was lying under
the window at the top of the landing. She also saw
some clothes—four coats, a vest; a dressing-gown, and
a smoking cap—lying on the window-sill.

By the Foreman : Colonel Duff and those who re-
moved the deceased must have passed the revolver had
it been there all the time. She did not know whether
any one passed up the stairs except those she had
named.

By the Coroner: She recollected hearing footsteps
on the stairs before she heard the fall or noise.

By Mr. Wontner : When they took deceased up-
stairs she did not notice that the landing window was
open. Colonel Duff called her attention to the circum-
stance.

Amelia Privett, wife of the groom to Colonel Duff,
and living in the same house, said she heard a tussle
and hallooing upstairs on the landing. She heard
only one voice. There was a knock and soon after-
wards something fell. Somebody exclaimed, "Oh ;"
and groans followed. Mrs. Garside then went to let
the dogs in, and witness heard her tell Gallagher that
Mr. Roper was lying upon the stairs.,
Winnie Gallagher, wife of William Gallagher, said
it was her duty to keep the room of the deceased in
order, and she left it at about twenty minutes past
eight on the evening in question. Everything then
appeared safe, and the poker was in the fender. The
clothes produced were hanging on the pegs• in the
room or were in the drawers. After the discovery of
the body Mrs. Garside drew her attention to the
clothes on the window-sill and remarked, "They were
not there when we did the rooms." Witness replied,
"No." When she returned to the kitchen from the
town she heard a noise as though one of the baths in
the passage had been upset.

Colonel Duff, Assistant-Commandant of the School
of Military Engineering, who was examined on the
previous occasion, gave further evidence. He deposed
to going to the room of the deceased, having been
informed of the occurrence by Gallagher. When
Gallagher came running up to witness he said, "Oh,
Sir, my master, he has been stabbed." He mentioned
something else which witness did not hear, as the wind
was blowing very hard at the time, and he spoke in a
low, crying tone. When witness went into the room
Gallagher stayed outside, but witness at once called
out, "This is not a stab, but a shot; soma one has
shot him, or he has shot himself." Witness sent
Gallagher for a doctor. The following unfinished letter
witness found upon the table in deceased's room :
"Brompton Barracks, Friday evening, 11-2-81. My
dear Mrs. Evans,—l find we go up to the D,-A,-G."
(Deputy-Adjutant-General) "on Monday next and as
that will probably take the whole day—." The
deceased was in good spirits. He had finished his two
years' study at the school, and was leaving with the
highest possible character. He was not in pecuniary
difficulties.

----------
James Garside, servant to Lieutenant Stotherd,
whose rooms joined that of the deceased, deposed that
the revolver and case produced were similar to those
his master had hanging up in his room. Witness last
saw it on the morning of Friday, the 11th inst., be-
tween 10 and 11. He had oiled the revolver on the pre-
vious Monday. Witness had no doubt those pro-
duced were the same revolver and pouch. Witness
left the mess at nine that night to go to his master's
room, and when he was told Lieutenant Roper
was shot he missed the revolver and pouch from be-
hind the door in Lieutenant Stotherd's room. Witness
did not think the revolver had been used since it had
been in his master's possession ; nor had he ever seen
cartridges in his master's room or possession since he
had been in his service. Witness saw no stranger in
his master's room that day. His wife picked up the
watch and chain and gave it to him, and he handed it
to Colonel Duff.

By Mr. Wontner : He had never known his master
lend the revolver to any one, and he had never known
it out of his possession. On the 7th instant witness
oiled the revolver thoroughly, as there was rust on it.
Witness saw clothes on the window-sill of the landing
in a large bundle.
Sarah Garside, daughter of the last witness, said
she saw the deceased being carried upstairs, but saw
no one but Gallagher, his wife, and witness's mother
about. Witness left Gallagher in the room, but saw
nothing on the stairs.
The proceedings lasted six hours, and the inquest
was again adjourned until Monday, the 28th inst. .