ARMED HOLD-UP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22442, 11 June 1936, Page 11

ARMED HOLD-UP

MELBOURNE PARK POLICE OFFICIAL'S STORY WOUNDED BY BANDIT AN EXCHANGE OF SHOTS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received June 10, 8.35 p.m.) MELBOURNE, June 10 An encounter with two masked men at a rendezvous prearranged with a member of the underworld was described by Superintendent John Brophy at the opening sitting to-day of the Royal Commission which is inquiring into the shooting of Mr. Brophy and the authenticity of the statements made by the police in connection with the matter. Mr. Justice Macindoe is the Royal Commissioner.

Mr. L. Stretton, who is assisting the Commission, said the entire incident was "thick with confusion and mystery."

Mr. Brophy, whoso arm was in a sling, related that on the night of May 22 he received a telephone message from a member of the underworld who offered to give him information about "gunmen" who were operating around the City and the Royal Park in the vicinity of Parkville. He agreed to meet the man at a spot arranged by the informer. Woman Passenger In the Oar The Commissioner asked for the man's name and Mr. Brophy undertook to supply it privately in order to protect the informer from the vengeance of his companions. Later that evening, said Mr. Brophy, he sought the use of a private car belonging to Mrs. Orr, wife of the licensee of Tattersall's Hotel, as it would not have been desirable to use police oars, with the numbers of which the underworld were familiar. A barman at Tattersall's Hotel named Maher drove the car and Mrs. Orr was a passenger. Mr. Brophy said the car was stopped at the spot in Royal Park arranged by the informer. Suddenly Mrs. Orr exclaimed to Maher: "There is a man alongside the car, Billy." Struck by Five Bullets At that moment, continued Mr. Brophy, 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 and keep quiet." He also exclaimed: "It is Brophy." Mr. Brophy added: "I dived for my pistol, which is of small calibre, and tho man shouted 'Do not shoot.' I did not hesitate, however. I fired and the man fired back, the bullet shattering my wrist.

"I fired again and am practically certain I wounded him. He continued firing and four more bullets struck me. The other man disappeared." The Commissioner: Were they both shooting? Mr. Brophy: Yes. One shot punctured a tyre.

Witness said the men sped away in a car. Maher pursued them until he was compelled by the flat tyre to stop.

Reasons For Incorrect Statement

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, a friend of Mrs. Orr, nor did he want his own wife and daughter, who were practically invalids, to hear he had been shot by bandits. He was convinced that the informer was not associated with the shooting. Mr. Stretton: Did not it occur to you that it was unusual for a man of your rank to go out on ordinary duty? Mr. Brophy: I do ordinary duty if necessary. It is done in other States. Did not it occur to you that there was a certain amount of danger that night?—lf I had thought there was the slightest danger I would not have taken the two ladies. I believe it was as big a surprise to the criminals as to me. Could not you have picked a trusted policeman to drive your car?—l would not trust my brother detectives in a case like this. Oounsel's Suggestions Denied Witness went on to say it was no use calling upon the local police or the patrol to search for the attackers as they did not know who to search for. "I thought I was doomed as I cojuld not give them information." Mr. Wilbur Ham, K.C., who is appearing for the Sydney Morning Herald and its 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. Mr. Brophy interjected: There was nothing sinister. I was not in the car with one woman but with two. I was not responsible for the accident story told to reporters and I had no intention of deliberately deceiving the Chief of Police, Sir Thomas Blarney. Mr. Ham suggested that Mr. Brophy did everything to help his assailants, to which Mr. Brophy replied that if he had given full information his assailants could have been in Hongkong before he was aware of their movements.

Superintendent John O'Connell Brophy, who began duty as chief of the Victorian Criminal Investigation Department on May 18, was reported to have been the victim of a sensational shooting affair on May 22. The Police Department, although at first extremely reticent, later issued an official statement to tho effect that Mr. Brophy was shot by gangsters from a car while he was making a motor visit to Royal Park for the purpose of rounding up car bandits who were operating in that district It was announced on May 28 that it was practically certain the Victorian Cabinet would appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into the shooting of Mr. Brophy and possibly into the administration of tho Police Department. Ministers were dissatisfied with the conflicting stories concerning Mr. Brophy's injuries, and with the attitude of the Commissioner, Sir Thomas Blarney. Tho Police Department v was extremely reticent about the affair at first. Its press bureau in an ollicial statement said that Mr. Brophy was accidentally shot in the right arm while handling his own pistol at police headquarters. Reporters, however, who were banned at the detective olfice, ascertained that Mr. Brophy was shot by a hold-up gang who mistook him for, a prominent Melbourne bookmaker who habitually carries a large sum of money and resides in the suburb of Parkville.