POLICE INQUIRY

Evening Star, Issue 22367, 17 June 1936, Page 6

POLICE INQUIRY

WOUNDING OF SUPERINTENDENT FURTHER EVIDENCE TAKEN Pi-orb Association—By Telegraph—Copyright MELBOURNE. Juno 16. Tho Koval Commission which is inquiring into tho shooting of Superintendent J. Bronhy. of the Victorian Criminal Investigation Department, in Royal Park, near Parkville, on May 22 sat again to-day. Mr Justice Macindoe presided. Detective O’Keefe, resuming his evidence, said that, after seeing Mrs Orr, lie realised that the shooting was not accidental. Witness made no attempt to fpicstion the car driver, Maher, or Mrs Phillips. He was convinced from what Airs Orr told him that a crime had been committed. Mr Justiue Alacindoe asked Air Ham, K.C., where his cross-examination was leading. Mr Ham, who is appearing for the ‘ Herald ’ and the 1 Sun,’ replied that it was very necessary to find out whether tho police officers had some motive for falsifying the reports handed to the Press. His Honour: Your suggestion to date is that Bropby may have been shot by an infuriated husband? Mr Ham: That is what wo are here for. Bropby was in circumstances which could be regarded as indiscreet.

Therefore, he had something to hide. He gave a false account of tho manner in which he received his injuries, while anybody of ordinary intelligence would suspect that his account was false. His colleagues shared that suspicion, and the senior detectives lent themselves to the falsification of the facts. Frederick Millard, of West Coburgh, gave evidence that he was stopped on his way home in his car and was asked to drive Brophy to hospital. Brophy told him ho had been shot at Koyal Park. Witness was under the impression that the shooting was accidental. Dr Stanley O’Loughlin, of St. Vincent’s Hospital, said that Brophy was his patient on the night of the shooting. Brophy told him he had been shot, and witness gained the impression that it occurred while on duty. Next day Brophy asked witness to keep pressmen away. ~ , Dr O'Loughlin added tha., Sir Thomas Blarney also asked him to keep the pressmen away from Brophy, as he wanted to prepare an official statement for release to the Press. Dr A. Carroll, medical superintendent of St. Vincent’s Hospital, said that Brophy told him within a quarter of au hour of his admission that lie (Brophy) received a telephone message to investigate a case in Royal 1 ark. He went there with a friend, and two masked men fired at him. Douglas Gillison, a reporter on the ‘Argus,’ when shown a slip of paper relating to Brophy’s case, declared that it was certainly not the one placed before reporters by Detective Sloan. He and other reporters asked whether detectives were engaged on the affair, to which Sir Thomas Blarney replied, “ What can wc do? The men were masked v and a torch was flashed in

Brophy’s face.” Sir Thomas Blarney also said that he did not know wher* the first Press statement about Brophy had originated. The inquiry was adjourned.