The Blackpool Herald. — 1884-01-18 (Blackpool, Lancashire, England)

SHOCKING SUICIDE OF A SOLDIER AT  FLEET WOOD, YESTERDAY.  Early yesterday morning, a shocking and most determined case of suicide occurred at the barracks, Fleetwood, whereby a soldier named George Copar, a private in the Royal Lancaster regi iment, shot himself through the head. The tragedy took place in No. 6 Room, A block, and at a time when some 20 or 30 other soldiers were present. The men rose, and were going , through the usual routine work before breakfast, a: few of the men sitting round the fire chatting. This was about eight o'clock. Copar, who slept in the same room, had a Martini-Henri rifle in his possession, but nothing particular was thought lof this by his comrades, they naturally believing that he was cheaning the weapon. A private, named Murphy. saw Copar Icoking down the m uzzle of the rifle. Copar went towards the door, still keeping the firmarm in his possession, and without the slightest warning those in the room and the immediate vicinity were startled by a loud report. The men in the room turned round just in time to see the rifle fall to the floor, and Copar, after turning completely round and making an effort to clutch the half open door, fall heavily in a heap. Those present were almost too horrified to act at once, but when the first shock was over, assistance was soon brought. Dr. Ramsey was sent for, but he was of no avail, for on examining the body the medical gentlemen found that Copar was quite dead, d3ath having ensued almost instantaneously. . . _  Copar was very determined to destroy himself, and he went about the fatal deed in a very cool and deliberate nasnner. He attached a piece of string to the trigger of the rifle, placed the butt end on the floor, and put the end of the barrel to his forehead. He then pressed his foot against the string, and the next moment he was lying a corpse. The fearful velocity of the bullet may be gathered from the fact that it entered deceased's head close to the left eye, and went clean through and out at the back. It then altered its course a little, and went right through the ceiling, crashing through the slates and falling in the square outside the building, where it wns shortly afterwards picked up. P.C. Hickey and P.C. Wilson were soon on the spot, and they took into their custody the rifle and the bullet. These articles were taken to the police station, the former being bespattered with the brains. The body was conveyed to the Hutment Barracks, Poulton-road, directly after the police had seen it. How deceased got the cartridge is question net easily answered, but it is supposed that he took the opportunity of secreting it during volley firing practices on the previous day. Tne reasons for Copar committing suicide are not definitely known. Rumours are about to the effect that he has been an inmate for some time of an English asylum. He had only been in the regiment for the short spaee of three months, and during that time his comrades have noticed him on several occasions rather curious in his habits and peculiar in his manners, but nobody had the least idea of what was going to happen. Deceased was of German parentage, and on the previous night he wrote a letter and addressed it to his Mother in Breslau. The soldier who should have poited it forgot to do so, and after Copar had shot himself it was deemed prudent to open the letter. It was written in German, and on translation was to the following effect :  My Dar Mother,—On the 17th inst. I am going to shoot myself. As soon as you will receive this letter I will be dead already. My rifle is in a very good order, and as soon as I pull the trigger, instantaneous death will be the consequence. The life has become very tiresome to me and on 17, 1, 84, in the early morning I intend to !commit suicide on me. Don't weep about me, dear mother and sisters, for I am not worth any pity whatever. lam determined to shoot myself, so, good-bye, my dears. May the Almighty God have mercy and pity upon my poor soul, Amen. Many kisses to all of you from your pitiful William.