POLICE SHOOTING

Hokitika Guardian, 17 June 1936, Page 5

POLICE SHOOTING

FURTHER INQUIRY EVIDENCE. (Australian Press Association.) MELBOURNE, June 16c At the police enquiry to-day Detective O’Keefe, resuming his evidence said after seeing Mrs Orr, he realised that' the shooting of Superintendent Brophy was not accidental. 'l'he Royal Commissioner, Judge Maclndoe> then asked Mr Ham, K.C. (representing the “Herald’’ and “Sun”) where liis (Mr Ham’s) hross-exahiina-tion was leading. Mr Ham replied that it was a very necessary to find out whether or not: police officers had some motive for

falsifying reports handed • to the press. Judge MaeJndoe: Your suggestion,! to date, is that Superintendent Brophy may have been shot by an infuriated husband ? ■

Mr Ham: That’s what we ar© here lor. Superintendent iorophy was; in circumstances which could be regarded as indiscreet, and, therelore, lie had somqtmng to hide, and gave- a false account of the manner in which lie received his injuries, while anybody of ordinary intelligence would suspect his account false. His colleagues snared in the that suspicion, and senior detectives lent themselves to a falsification of the facts.

Doctor Stanley O’Loughlin, of St. Vinciiat’s Hospital, said that Superintendent Brophy was his patient on the night of the shooting. Superintendent Brophy told him that he had been shot, and witness gained the impression that the shooting had occurred while Supt. Brophy was on duty. Next day; Supt. Brophy ’ asked-' witness to keep pressmen away. Doctor- O’Loughlin added' that' Sir Thomas Blarney had also asked him to keep the press away from Superintendent Brophy, as he wanted to prepare an -official statement for release to the press. Douglas Gillison, a reporter on the “Argus,” when shown a slip of paper relating to Superintendent Brophy’s case, declared it certainly was not the one placed before the reporters by Detective Sloan. He and other reporters asked whether detectives were e»gaged 1 on the affair, to which Sir Thos. Blarney replied; “What can we do- y ‘The men were masked, and a torch was flashed in Brophy’s face.,” Sir Thos. Blarney also said that he did not 'know where the first press statement about Superintendent Brophy had orig--1 mated. ■ . ' The'inquiry was adjourned.