Fight With Pistols

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 151, 11 June 1936, Page 8

Fight With Pistols

GANGMER HOLD-UP How Melbourne Detective Was Shot INQUIRY INTO AFFRAY (By Telegraph—Press Asan.—Copyright.) MELBOURNE, June 10. His encounter with two masked men at a rendezvous prearranged with a member of the underworld was described by Detective-Superin-tendent J. O’C. Brophy at the opening of the Royal Commission which is inquiring into the shooting of Mr. Brophy and the authenticity of the poise statements connected with it. Judge Maclndoe is the Royal Commissioner. Mr. L. Stretton, who is assisting the Commissioner, said that the whole incident was thick with confusion and mystery. Mr. Brophy, whose arm is in a sling, related that on the night of May 22 ho received a telephone message from a member of the underworld, who offered to give information regarding “gunmen” operating around the city and Royal Park, in the’ vicinity of Parkville. Mr. Brophy agreed to meet him at the spot arranged by the informer. Judge Maclndoe asked for the man’s name, and Mr. Brophy undertook to supply the name privately in order to protect the informer from the vengeance of his companions. Later that evening Mr. Brophy sought the use of a private car belong ing to Mrs. Orr, the wife of the licensee at Tattersails Hotel, as it was undesirable to use police cars, the numbers of which the underworld are familiar with. A barman at Tattersalls Hotel named Maher drove the car; Mrs. Orr was a passenger. DIVED FOR HIS PISTOL.

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!” Mr. Brophy said that 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! Keep quiet!” lie also exclaimed: “It’s Brophy!” “1 dived for my pistol,” added Mr. Brophy, “which is a small-calibre one, and the 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 am practically certain that I wounded him. He con' tinued firing, four bullets striking me. The other man disappeared.” Judge Maclndoe: Were they both shooting! Mr. Brophy: Yes. One shot punctured the tyre. Mr. Brophy explained that the men sped away in a car. Maher pursued them until compelled to stop by a flat tyre. REASON FOR ‘ ‘STORY. ’ ’ Mr 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 triend of Mrs Orr’s, nor did he want his own wife and daughter, who are practically invalids, to heat that be bad been shot by bandits. Mr Brophy said he was convinced that the informer was not associated with the shooting. Mr Stretton asked: Did it not occur to you that it is iniusuai for a man of your iank to go out on ordinary duty ? Mr Brophy: I do ordinary duty li necessary. It is done in other States. Mr Stretton • Did it not occur to you that there was a ceitain amount of danger that night? Mr Brophy. If 1 had thought there was the slightest danget I would not have taken two ladies I believe it was as big a surprise to the criminals as it was to me. Mr Stretton Could vou not have picked a trusted policeman to drive your ear? Mr Brophy I would not trust brother detectives in a case like this. Air Brophy added that it was no use calling the local police or a patrol to search for his attackers, as they would not have known whom to search lor. ‘‘l thought 1 was doomed as I was unable to give them information,” he said. Mr Wilburham, K.C., who appearing for the “Sydney Morning Herald’’ and theii reporters, said he was going to suggest that the original accident theory was a subterfuge to hide the fact that -Mr Brophy was out with women. “NOTHING SINISTER.” Mr Brophy interjected that there was nothing sinister. ‘‘l was nut tit the ear with one, but with two women,” lie said. Ho was not responsible for the accident story told to the reporters and he had no intention of deliberately deceiving the Police Chief, Sir Thomas Blarney. Mr Wilburham suggested that Mr Brophy did everything to help his assailants, to which Mr Brophy replied that if bo had given lull information his assailants could have been in Hong Kong before lie wu »w»re of their movements. “There had been several hold-ups in Royal Park,” added Str Brophy, “hut some li ■'! not been reporter! -n the in.

terests of women whose reputation' were at stake.” The story told at the police head, quarters that he accidentally shot himself with his own pistol was a stop-gap excuse and a pure fabrication. 11 was realised that the real truth would h-ive to come out, hut not necessarily for public information. The hearing was adjourned. IJctcctivc-Supcrintcndent Brophy, w ho began duty as chief of the Victorian Criminal Investigation Brandi us May 17, was shot in the fare and the right arm on May 22. An official police statement, made after some delay, declared that Superintendent Brophy went to Royal Park on the night of May 22 to try to catch car bandits who were operating in that locality. He was himself held up by two armed men, who npparent.lv reeognisetl him and fired three sliols before Hie superintendent i- uilit manipulate, his own revolver, wliieh jammed. One bullet passed through Superintendent Brophy’s lower jnw( just missed a vital artery and emerged at the back of ’ the neck. Another broke Iris right wrist, and the third was deflected from his heart by his braces buckle.