MR. BROPHY'S AFFAIRS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 289, 6 December 1929, Page 9

MR. BROPHY'S AFFAIRS.

DUNEDIN INTERESTED.

REASONS FOR RESIGNATION

ACTION IN" HIS OWN INTERESTS.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

DUNEDIN, this day.

Disappearing from a Coney Island hea/ch, where his clothes were left in a bathing shed, Richard Gale Brophy, late second in command of the Byrd AntarcticlExpedition, has been found in Omaha, but has now staged another theatrical disappearance. The report of drowning of r ßrophy at Coney Island, was like the , report of Mark Twain's death, slightly exaggerated. Those in Dunedin who had an opportunity of studying the bustling American, were not prepared to accept the. report as true. For theatrical actions Brophy has a penchant, and not a -few Dunedin citizens expected to see him return to life, if not in America, .then in New Zealand. • Characteristically sensational, a seclion of the American Press has been constructing motives for Brophy's disappearances and the relinquishing of his position with the Byrd expedition. The cables suggest that an intrigue wi£b_ a Broadway actress was responsible f° r the parting of the "ways by Commander Byrd and Brophy. That is absurd. No Broadway actress was in Dunedin at the time the ships were located here before their departure for the Antarctic. I there was any connection between Brophy and an actress it must have been only By correspondence; at no stage was any intrigue with an actress mentioned in the discussions which eventually ende in- Commander Byrd accepting Brophy s resignation. v • "Resigned at Least Twice." .Brophy was not dismissed, he resigned. In fact, he resigned at least twice before the final break occurred; but each time he withdrew his resignation as promp y as he had radioed it to Little America. A concise statement of the true portion, way made to-day by Mr. James J±. Duncan, of H. L. Tapley and Co who fcave acted as base agents for the expedition. . ... -

"There is no truth in the assertion that Brophy was dismissed owing to liis association with a Broadway actress. Brophy suffered a severe breakdown while he was in Dunedin, and during the period of his incapacity he was not fit to. handle the affairs of the expedition, and. his resignation was accepted by Commander Byrd for that reason. There is no question of misappropriation of funds or other misdemeanour. There was only foolish expenditure. The friction between him and Commander Byrd arose solely out of Brophy's affliction for the time being. "Commander Byrd has been, and still is, much concerned over Brophy's welfare. and future, should he be still alive, which we hope is the case. "Jn the early stages of the expedition Brophy proved himself a most efficient organiser, being of inestimable service to the expedition, and it was only when his health broke down that friction arose between him and Commander Byrd." Every Penny Accounted For. The Eleanor Boiling was forced to put back to port before reaching Little America as the ice was closing up, and shortly after her return Brophy changed his hotel. In the meantime he had been relieved of all financial dealings of the expedition, for the reason that he was incapable, in the opinion of Commander Byrd, of wisely administering funds. Brophy, however, had before that run up heavy bills, but au audit of accounts has revealed beyond doubt that he had accounted for every penny-of money which had passed through his- hands. Friends of the expedition have been asking pertinent questions about Brophv's gift of a car purchased with expedition funds, to Dunedin friend nf liis who was employed on the secretarial ' staff, before the ships first left for the South. When the car was purchased, Brophy did use the expedition s funds, on the understanding that he was to pay back the money so drawn. He did not fulfil that obligation before leaving Dunedin, but since then the agents have received the full amount drawn by Brophy for that purchase from a legitimate source. Faced With Two Alternatives. After living at the second hotel for some time Brophy's illness became so acute that he was removed for three days When .questioned about that incident,' Brophy's explanation was: 'J was S tired, what with parties and work that I went to the and slept for 72 hours on end." His explanation was not quite correct and only a little time elapsed Sore private proceedings were-taken in

the man's own interests. The result of those proceedings was that, following the evidence of certain people and two leading doctors in Dunedin, Brophy was faced with two alternatives. He chose one —of leaving immediately for his own country, the United States —and the following morning he departed from Dunedin and connected next day with the mail steamer for San Francisco. From that day his movements were . a xnystery, until the cables reported his disappearance from an American beach. People who knew him disregarded the suicide theories then being raised, and, although he has again faded, out of the limelight, Brophy probably will return in some other part of America.. "And we would not be in the least surprised even if he turned up in New Zealand again," said a member of the expedition to-day.