One hundred years ago
A remarkable murder has been committed at Chatham. Lieutenant P.L. Roper, R.E., a young officer of high character and promise, left the mess in Chatham Barracks shortly after 8.25 p.m., and went to his quarters. Immediately after, Mrs Gerside, wife of the servant of another officer, Lieutenant Stothert, hearing a noise on the staircase, went up, and found Mr Roper lying dying from a bullet wound received from a revolver. He lingered an hour unconscious, and then expired. The revolver, which was found on the stairs, a trophy revolver belonging to Lieutenant Stothert, had never been loaded before, and was loaded with bullets not belonging to it. Medical evidence proved that Leiutenant Roper could not have shot himself, and the police theory is that he saw a thief rummaging his drawers and carrying off his watch — which was found — that he stepped on the stairs to intercept him, and was shot from above, with the revolver just stolen by the escaping criminal. No stranger, however, either entered or left the barracks, and no noise was heard, except from the dogs, which barked loudly. There is reason to suppose that Mr Roper, who
was just starting for Germany, had a sum of money in his possession; but this has disappeared. The police appear to have absolutely no clue to the affair, although it is difficult for those who have read the minute reports in the Daily News, to avoid forming a definite theory, which, of course, it would be unjust, as well as illegal, to indicate.
Spectator, 19 February 1881
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