OFFICIAL INQUIRY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 163, 11 June 1936, Page 7

OFFICIAL INQUIRY

SHOOTING OF POLICE OFFICER. SUPERINTENDENT’S STORY. ATTACK BY CRIMINALS. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.— Copvright.) MELBOURNE, June 10. His encounter with two masked men at a rendezvous prearranged with a member of the underworld was described by Superintendent J. O. Brophy at the opening of the Royal Commission which is inquiring into the shooting of Superintendent' Brophy and tho authenticity of police statements connected with it. Judge Mucindoe is Royal Commissioner. Mr L. Stretton, who is assiting the commissioner, said that the whole incident was thick with confusion and mystery. Superintendent Brophy, whose arm was in a sling, related that oil the night 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 vioinity of Parville. Brophy agreed to meet at the spot arranged by the informer. Judge Macindoe asked for the mail’s name, and Brophy undertook to supply tho name privately in order to protect the informer from the vengeance of his companions. Later that evening Brophy sought tlie use of a private car belonging to Airs Orr, wife of the licensee of Tattersall’s Hotel, as it was undesirable to use police cars, with the numbers of which tho underworld are familiar. A barman from Tattersall’s Hotel named Maher drove the car, and .Mrs Orr was a passenger. The car was stopped at the spot in Royal Park arranged by the informer, when suddenly Mrs Orr exclaimed to Mahir : “There’s a man alongside tho car, Billy.” Brophy said that at that moment ho noticed a mail on eacii side of the car, one of whom was masked. Tho other flashed a torch into tlie 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 hestitate. 1 fired and the man fired back, tho bullet shattering my wrist. I fired again, and I am practically certain I wounded him. He continued firing, four bullets striking me. The other man disappeared. Judge Macindoe : W ere they both shooting ? Brophy: A T es. One shot and punctured a tyre. Brophy explained that the men sped away in a ear. Maher pursued them until he was compelled to stop by the flat tyre. Brophy explained that tho reason why he gave an incorrect account of the shooting in the first place was that he did not want to compromise Airs Orr and another woman friend of Airs Orr’s, nor did he want his own wife and daughter, who were practically invalids, to hear that lie . had been shot by bandits. Brophy said ho was convinced that the informer was not. associated with the shooting. Air Stretton asked: Didn’t it occur to you that it was unusual for a man of your rank to go out on ordinary duty? Bropliy : I do ordinary duty if necessary. It is done in other States. Air Stretton : Didn’t it occur to you that there was a certain amount of danger that night? Brophy : If 1 thought there was the slightest danger 1 would not have taken the two ladies. 1 believe it was as big a surprise to the criminals as to me. Air Stretton: Could you not have picked a trusted policeman to drive your car ? / Bropliv: 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. Air Wilbur Ham, K.C., who is appearing for the Melbourne Herald ancl its reporters, said he 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 the ear with one but with two women. He said he was not responsible for tho accident story told to tho reporters, and he had no intention of deliberately deceiving the police chief, Sir Thomas Blarney. Air Ham suggested that Brophy did everything possible to help tho assailants, to which Brophy replied that if he had given full information his assailants could have been in Hong Kon" before he was awaro of their movements.

A Melbourne cable dated May 24 stated that Superintendent Brophy, who began duty as chief of the Victorian criminal investigation branch a week earlier, bad been shot in the face and right arm m some mysterious manner. The Police Department was exceedingly reticent. It was reported that four shots were fired b.y a gangster from a car, one bullet striking Mr Brophy’s check, another his right arm, a third the back of his neck,- and the fourth over the heart, but was deflected by something in bis pocket.. A Police Press Bureau official in a sfatomcfit declared Mr Brophy was accidentally shot in the right arm while handling his own pistol at police headquarters. 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 could manipulate bis own revolver, which jainbed.