PARK HOLD-UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 139, 13 June 1936, Page 9

PARK HOLD-UP.

WOMEN'S EVIDENCE. Wounding of Melbourne Police Chief. COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. United Press Association. —Copyright. MELBOURNE, June 12. The Royal Commission which is inquiring into the shooting of Superintendent J. Brophy, of the Victorian Criminal Investigation Department, in Royal Park, near Parkville, on May 22 sat again to-day. Mr. Justice Macindoe presided. Mrs. Madeline Orr, widow of the late licensee of Tattersall's Hotel, which is near the detective headquarters, gave evidence that she had known Mr. Brophy and his family for years and often visited them. Witness corroborated the story of the shooting. Cross-examined by Mr. L. Stretton, who is assisting the commissioner, she said the lights of the car were switched off while it was parked in Royal Park. Mr. Stretton: Did it not seem a mysterious way for an old friend like Mr. Brophy to act? Witness: No. What did you do ? Did you have a pleasant chat in the dark? —We did not have time. It was only a matter of minutes when the bandits appeared.

Yon passed the police station after Mr. Bropliy had been injured. Why did you not give information? —We were acting under Mr. Bropliy's instructions, which were to save us women. Mr. Bropliy asked us to leave it to him. Mr. Stanley Lewis, who is also appearing for the "Sydney Morning Herald," asked Mrs. Orr whether she treated the barman Maher, who was driving the car, more as a friend than an employee. Witness replied: He is merely an employee in niy bar. You and Mrs. Phillips were in the back seat of the car, but when it stopped Mrs. Phillips changed places with Mr. Bropliy. What was the reason ? —There was no particular reason. Mr. Bropliy's last words were: "You leave this to me. I think they have got me. I am riddled with bullets." Detective Who Did Not Detect. Mrs. Elsie Phillips, of Middle Park, gave similar evidence. She added that when the firing began Maher cried to her: "Bob down," and pushed her head down. Witness said she did not scream when she heard the shots fired, nor did Mrs. Orr. Mrs. Phillips' husband then entered the witness-box. He said he was still on good terms with his wife and there was 110 dissension as the result of the car incident. William Maher related a conversation i when Mr. Brophy asked for the use of Mrs. Orr's car on the night of May 22. He said that Mesdames Orr and Phillips 011 the same evening wanted to be driven to Clifton Hill, whereupon witness told them Mr. Brophy wanted the car. Mrs. Orr exclaimed: "Oh, dash it." Malier then described the happenings in Royal Park.

Maher said lie had not reported the shooting to the police because he was "leaving everything to Mr. Brophy." Altogether, about 10 shots were fired, he said. Detective W. E. Boulton, who was subjected to a searching cross-examina-tion as to why the police did not immediately make inquiries into the shooting, said that soon after the affair he saw Mr. Brophy in hospital, when he told witness his wounds were accidental. Mr. Lewis: Was it not perfectly clear to you that Mr. Brophy had not been accidentally ' shot ? Witness: No. You are a detective, and your powers of observation as a detective should have enabled you to decide whether it was accidental ?—Mr. Brophy told me it was an accident and I believed him. Was it the fact that Mr. Brophy is your superior officer that prevented you making inquiries?—lnquiries have been made. The hearing was adjourned.