POLICE ENQUIRY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 13 June 1936, Page 13

POLICE ENQUIRY

SHOOTING OF SUPERINTENDENT BROPHY

evidence of women in MELBOURNE CASE

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

(Received 13th June, 2 p.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. At the continuation of the inquiry into the shooting of Superintendent Brophy and the authenticity of police statements connected with it, Mrs Madeline Orr, widow and licensee of Tattersall’s Hotel, near the detective headquarters, gave evidnece that she had known the Brophy family for years and often visited them. Witness corroborated the story of the shooting, and during cross-examination by Mr L. Stretton, who is assisting the Royal Commissioner, said that the car lights were switched off while the car was parked at Royal Park. Mr Stretton: “Did it not seem a mysterious way for an old friend like Brophy to act?” Wtiness - “No.” Mr Stretton: “What did you do—ihave a pleasant chat in the dark?’ | Witness: “We did not have time. It 1 was only a matter of minutes when the bandits appeared.” Mr Stretton: “You passed the police station after Brophy was injured. Why didn’t you give information? Witness: “We were acting under Brophy’s instructions, which were to save us women. Brophy asked us to leavxe it to him.” Mr Stanley Lewis, who is appearing for the “Herald,’ ’asked Mrs Orr .whether she treated Maher more as a friend than an employee, to which ' she replied: “Pie is merely an employee in my bar.” _ Mr Lewis: “You and Mrs Philhpi were in the back seat of the car, but when it stopped Mrs Phillips changed places with Brophy. What was the reason?

“I AM RIDDLED WITH BULLETS’

Witness: “There, was no particular reason.” Witness added that Bro phy’s last words were: “You leave this to me. I think they have got me lam riddled with bullets. Mrs Elsie Phillips, Middle Park, gave similar evidence. She added that when the firing began Mahei cried to her to bob down and pushed her head down. Mrs Phillips added that she did not scream when she heard the shots fired, nor did Mrs Orr. Mrs Phillips’s husband then entered the witness box and declared that he was still on good terms with his wife and there had berji no dissension as the result of the car incident. Wililam Maher, who is a barman at Mis Orr’s hotel, detailed the conveisation when Brophy asked for the use of Mrs Orr’s car on th& night of 22nd May Maher said that Mrs Orr and Mrs Phillips on the same wanted to he driven „o Clifton HU, whereuoon Maher told tnem that Liophy wanted the car. Mrs Orr exclaimed: “Oh, dash it.” Maher then related the happenings in Roya. Paik. Maher added that he had not reported the shooting to the poLce■be cause he “was leaving everything to Brophy.” Altogether about 10 ..hots were fired, he said. DETECTIVE EXAMINED Detective W. R. Boulton, who was subjected to a searching cross-exami-nation as to why the police did not immediately make inquiries into the shooting, said that soon alter the a fair he say Brophy m hospital, when Brophy told him his wounds were accidental. . , . Mr Lewis: “Was it not perfectly clear to you that Brophy had not been accidentally shot?” Boulton: “No.” .. H Mr Lewis: “You are a detective and your powers of observation as a detective should have enabled you to uecide whether it was accidental. Boulton: “Brophy told me it was an accident. I believed him.” Mr Lewis: “Was it the fact that Brophy was your superior officer that prevented you making inquiries. Boulton: “Inquiries have been made.” . ~ The commission adjourned.