ATTACK ON POLICE OFFICIAL

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 218, 11 June 1936, Page 9

ATTACK ON POLICE OFFICIAL

Superintendent Gives Account

COMMISSION SITS AT MELBOURNE By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received June 10, 9.35 p.m.) Melbourne, June 10. His encounter with two masked men at a rendezvous prearranged with a member of the underworld was described by Superintendent Brophy at rhe opening of the Royal Commission which is inquiring into the shooting of Superintendent Brophy and the authenticity of police statements connected with it. Judge Macindoe is Royal Commissioner.

Mr. L. Stretton, who is assisting the commissioner, said that the whole incident was thick with confusion and mystery.

Superintendent Brophy, whose arm was in a sling, related that on the nigiit of May 22 he received a telephone message from a member of the underworld who offered to give information regarding “gunmen” operating around the city at Royal Park, in the vicinity of Parkville. Brophy agreed to meet at the spot arranged by the informer. Judge Macindoe asked for the man’s name, and Brophy undertook to supply the name privately in order to protect the informer from the vengeance of his companions. Later that evening Brophy sought the use of a private car belonging to Mrs. Orr, wife of the licensee of Tattersail’s Hotel, as it was undesirable to use police cars, with the numbers of which the underworld was familiar. A barman from Tattersail’s Hotel named Maher drove the car, and Mrs. Orr was a passenger. Man on Each Side. The car was stopped at the spot in Royal Park arranged by the informer, when suddenly Mrs. Orr exclaimed to Maher: “There's a man alongside the car, Billy.” Brophy said at that moment he noticed a man on each side of the car, one of whom was masked. The other flashed a torch into the car and called out “Hands up and keep quiet.” He also exclaimed, “It’s Brophy.” Brophy added: I dived for my pistol, which was a small calibre one, and a man shouted “Don’t shoot.” I did not hesitate. I fired and the man fired back, the bullet shattering my wrist. I fired again, and I am practically certain I wounded him. He continued firing, four bulets striking me. The other man disappeared. Judge Macindoe: Were they both shooting?

Brophy: Yes. One shot and punctured a tire.” Brophy explained that the men sped away in a car. Maher pursued them until he was compelled to stop by the flat tire. Brophy explained that the reason why he gave an incorrect account of the shooting in the first place was that he did not want to compromise Mrs. Orr and another woman friend of Mrs. Orr’s, nor did he want his own wife and daughter, who were practically invalids, to hear that he had been shot by bandits. Brophy said he was convinced that the informer was not associated with the shooting. Mr. Stretton asked: Didn’t it occur to you that it was unusual for a man of your rank to go out on ordinary duty? Did Ordinary Duty. Brophy: I do ordinary duty if necessary. It is done in other States. Mr. Stretton: Didn’t it occur to you that there was a certain amount of danger that night? Brophy: If I thought there was the slightest danger I would not have taken the two ladies. I believe it was as big a surprise to the criminals as to me. Mr. Stretton: Could you not have picked a trusted policeman to drive your car? Brophy: I would not trust brother detectives in a case like this.

Brophy added: It was no use calling local police or a patrol to search for the attackers as they would not know who to search for. Mr. Wilbur Ham, K.C., who is appearing for the Melbourne “Herald” and its reporters, said be was going to suggest that the original accident theory was a subterfuge to hide the fact that Brophy was out with women. Brophy interjected : “There was nothing sinister I was not in tlie car witli one but with two women.” He said he was not responsible for the accident story told a the reporters, and he had no Intention of deliberately deceiving the police chief. Sir Thomas Blarney. Mr. Ham suggested that Brophy did everything possible to help the assailants. to which Brophy replied that if he had given full information his assailants could have been in Hong-Kong before he was aware of their movements.

There had been several hold-ups at Royal Park, added Brophy, but some had not been reported in the interests of women whose reputations were at stake. The story told at police headquarters that lie had accidentally shot himself with bis own pistol was a stopgap excuse and a pure fabrication. It was realised that the real truth would have to come out, but not necessarily for the public. The hearing was adjourned

A Melbourne cable dated May 24 stated that Superintendent John O’Connell Brophy, who began duty as chief of the. Victorian criminal investigation branch a week earlier, had been shot in tlie fr.ee and right arm in some mysterious manner. The Police Department was exceedingly reticent. It was reported that four shots were fired bv a gangster from, a car. one bullet striking Mr. Brophy’s cheek, another his right arm. a third the back of his neck, and the fourth over the heart, but was deflected by something in his. pocket. A Police Press Bureau official in a statement declared Mr. Brophy was accidentally shot in the right arm while handling his own pistol at police headquarreporters, who are banned nt the detective office, however, were stated to have ascertained that Mr Brophy was shot by a hold-up gang who mistook him for a prominent Melbourne booKmaker who habitually carries a large sum of money and resides in Pnrkvilie suburb. An official police statement declared that Mr. Brophy went to Royal Park to try and catch some car bandits who had been operating in that locality and was himself held up by two armed men who apparently recognised him and fired three shots before Mr Brophy conld manipulate his own revolver, which jammed. One bullet passed through Mr Brophy ' lower jaw just missed a vital artery and emerged at the back of his neck. Another broke hts right wrist and a third was deflected from his heart by tn buckle of his braces.