POLICE INQUIRY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12890, 17 June 1936, Page 2

POLICE INQUIRY

WHO SHOT SUPT. BROPHY? WAS CULPRIT AN INFURIATED HUSBAND? (U.P.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright). (Received June 16, 8 p.m.) MELBOURNE, June 16. Detective O’Keefe, resuming Ms evidence, said that after seeing Mrs. Qit lio realised that the shooting was not accidental. Witness made no attempt to question the car driver Maher nor Mrs. Phillips. Ho was convinced from what Mrs. Orr told him that a crime had been committed. Tho Royal Commissioner (Judge Maclndoe) asked Mr Ham, K.C., whero his cross-examination was leading and Mr. Ham (who is appearing for the Herald and the Sun) replied: “It is very necessary to find out whether police officers had some motive for falsifying the reports handed to tho press.

Judge Maclndoe: “Your suggestion to date is that Brophy may have been shot by an infuriated husband.” Mr. Ham: “That's what wo are hero for. Brophy was in circumstances which could be regarded as indiscreet. Therefore, ho had something to hide and gave a false account of the manner in which ho received his injuries, while anybody with ordinary intelligence would suspect his account was false. His colleagues shared that suspicion and tho senior detectives lent themselves to the falsification of the facts.

Frederick Millard, of West Coburgh, gave evidence he was stopped on the way heme in his car and was asked to drive Brophy to a hospital. Brophy told him that ho had been shot at" Royal 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 that he had been shot and witness gained the impression that it occurred while he was on duty. Next day, Brophy asked witness to keep all pressmen away.

Dr. O'Loughlin added that Sitr Thomas Blarney also asked him) to keep the press away from Brophy as luv wanted v to prepare an olficial statement for release to the press.

Dr. A. Carroll, medical superintendent at- St. Vincent’s hospital, said that Brophy told him within a quarter of an; hour of Ms, admission that he (Brophy)- received a telephone message to investigate, a case in Royal, Park. He went- there with a friend. Two masked men. fired >t him.

Douglas Gi Ills on, a reporter on the Argos, when, shown a. slip of paper relating to Brophy’s case, declared that it celrtainly was not the one placed before the reporters by Detective Sloan. He and other reporters aisked whether detectives were engaged. on the affair, to which! Sir T. Blarney replied: “What, can we do? The men were masked and a torch was flashed' in Brophy’® face.” Sir T. Blarney said that he did not know where the first press statement about Brophy had originated. The inquiry was adjourned'.