DID BROPHY COMMIT SUICIDE?

NZ Truth, Issue 1245, 10 October 1929, Page 5

DID BROPHY COMMIT SUICIDE?

Former N.Z. Manager For Commander Byrd Disappears At Coney Island Resort POLICE DISCREDITMOWNING THEORY \ (From "N.Z. Truth's". Special Dunedin Eepresentative) . | Has Richard Gale Brophy, late second-in-command of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, | | who last April returned to the States? amid' a buzz of startling rumors, committed suicide? 1 | On August 15, Brophy wrote telling his wife that he was going to Coney Island to f | "walk into the waves until they cover me up, and then I will be no more." On August | | 27, his clothing, containing personal papers, was found m a bath-house locker at Coney | 1 Island. 1

IT is also reported that his parents, who are now m New Zealand, received recently a letter m which Brophy intimated that by the time the letter reached its destination he would be dead. The Coney Island ■ police, however, refused to accept the circumstances as conclusive evidence of Brophy's death, and stated that the clothes were "planted." Despite the reluctance of the. Coney Island police to believe that ■ Brophy has done away with himself after the manner suggested m , his supposedly last letter to his wife, there is a very strong likelihood that he has actually taken his life.

If he has, then it bears out a chain of allegations that during his sojourn m New Zealand, from November, 1928, to June, 1929, he showed decided suicidal tendencies.

His action m finally placing himself over the Great Divide can be feasibly attached to what was thought, just prior to his leaving New Zealand, -to be a form of mental derangement, and which, directly or indirectly, was a factor to his sudden departure from Dunedin and ultimate exit from the Dominion.

On the other hand, those who are acquainted with the meticulous life - saving precautions m vogue at Coney Island are very sceptical about Brophy drowning himself m the waters of America's most popular watering place.

At close intervals along the Coney Island beach c's, tall watch-towers are established, from which surfguards are con3tantly on the watch for any apparently unusual movement among the thousands of bathers. It does not, therefore, seem likely that Brophy, if he has taken his life, did so m the dramatic fashion implied m his message to his wife. Nor does it sound feasible that, amid the frollicking hordes m the shallower reaches of the water-front, he deliberately bobbed down and let himself drown. In any case, where is his body? In nine out of ten cases of persons drowning m surfing waters, the sea is not long, m giving up its dead. To the hosts of New Zealanders who came m contact with Richard Brophy during his stay m this country on behalf of the Byrd Expedition, the news of. his supposed suicide would come perhaps as a shock. He was, m some respects, a very likeable fellow, and from Auckland to Dunedin had established many friends who knew him and will remember him as a man of breezy disposition, a ready Wit and a generous heart.

The assumption that by some means or other, Richard Brophy, or "Dick," as he loved to call him- (- self, has taken his own life, dovetails only too firmly into the many circumstantial chinks formed by his somewhat eccentric behavior

at times during his visit to New Zealand. In touching lightly on certain matr ters' pertaining to Brophy's stay m Dunedin, it, is not the purpose of this journal to criticise his action if Brophy is dead; but m view of their significance to the recent report about Brophy being missing, their publication will show that the New York police, m discrediting the idea: of Brophy having committed suicide, must have very solid reasons for thinking that the whole incident is nothing but a hoax. . /•,. ■ '"> !

It is known that while m Dunedin Brophy became obsessed with all sorts of queer ideas, not the least pathetic being an overwhelming notion that he was being taken for a spy, and therefore was being closely shadowed.

This, no doubt, accounted for the frequency with which he changed his address, and 'his subsequent booking at one hotel under the name of "Gale Richards." He was, it is alleged, also under the strain of strange religious ideas, besides giving himself up to all manners of ambitious proposals for moviepicture ventures. At times he was alarmingly morbid, and for a period was under the attention of a medical specialist. When Brophy was a guest at the Oban Hotel it was reported that one day he left a notice m his room stating that Richard Brophy - no longer existed, and that any of his (Brophy's) friends wishing' to inquire for him, should get into touch with "Gale Richards." The climax came when, at the instigation of local authorities connected with the Byrd Expedition, Dick Brophy was called upon to undergo the ordeal of defending his sanity against an order of committal to a mental asylum. Before a magistrate; he was for nearly two hours rigorousry examined by two medical men, other interested parties being 'also • present. Supported by two lawyers, Brophy emerged from his trying experience without the official brand which would have placed him m a New .Zealand mental institution. The next day he left Dunedin for Wellington, whence, later, he embarked for his own country.' The morning he left Dunedin, Brophy, arrayed m plus fours, was m. the best of spirits, and on the railway platform shook hands m his usual hearty manner with "Truth's" representative. !

Now comes the news of his supposed suicide, followed by an inference

iiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiipiiiiiiiuininimiiiiniiiuminmiiniimmuimmiiiiummimis Union Hill, New Jersey; and Brophy broke up his' home at 25 W. Thirtieth Street, Manhattan, and went to live at the Hotel Belvidere. "Mrs. Brophy later went to Toronto, Canada, for a visit, and was there 1 when she received his letter of August 15. j "Brophy's disappearance two weeks ago, however, was reported by friends to the Missing Persons Bureau. Com- j missioner Whalen, it was said, took an interest m the case and ordered that no publicity be given it. ' "Several days after the letter to Mrs. Brophy, the police learned, Brophy' notified the Belvidere Hotel by telephone; to forward his mail to another, hotel.

"Two men called at the police station last night to look at Brophy's clothing. They refused to give their names, and said they were interested m havihg the cablegrams found i n the clothing kept out of the newspapers." The messages referred to read: ' "April 2. — Much obliged for your message. There was some delay m reaching me. Remember that no matter what hard luck you may have had, we can work things out if you will continue" to have faith m me. Best of good wishes. Your friend, Byrd." The second message, dated April 22, read: "How are you feeling? Please 1c t me know if there is anything I can ( do for you. Cheerio, old;, fellow. —Byrd."

It is very evident that until they get more definite proof of Brophy's demise, the Coney Island police will not accept the theory of drowning.

Nevertheless, people m New Zealand cannot overlook the significance of certain allegedly pecu-

liar features m Brophy's conduct during his stay m Ounedin, nor the fact that he was the subject of official proceedings to decide his mental condition. "N.Z. Truth" knows for a fact that while m Dunedin Brophy, on more than one occasion, hinted at suicide. There is also to be taken into account a letter his parents received recently, and m which, it is stated, Dick Brophy informed the recipients that by the time the mail reached them he would be no longer m existence. It is understood that Mr. and Mrs. Brophy, senior, will leave for ' NewYork by the first available liner. If Brophy is still alive, what object has he m attempting to hoodwink the world into the belief that he has committed suicide?

Would it be some such ulterior motive as that which prompted the ; late notorious De Garis, of Australia, into trying a similar stunt, or might it be •that Brophy, infatuated, as he was reported to have been, with a certain Dunedin woman, is taking desperate measures to sink his identity m the well of alleged suicide, to later make his appearance under the guise of another person? .