SHOOTING IN PARK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19040, 13 June 1936, Page 5

SHOOTING IN PARK

MELBOURNE INQUIRY

WOMEN GIVE EVIDENCE

DETECTIVE QUESTIONED

MELBOURNE, June 12,

The Royal Commission of inquiry into the shooting of Police Superintendent J. O. Brophy in Royal Park on the night of May 22 was continued to-day. Mrs. Madeline Orr, widow, and licensee of Tattersall’s Hotel, near the detective headquarters, gave evidence that she had known the Brophy family for years and had often visited them. The witness corroborated the story of the shooting, .and during crossexamination by the assistant commissioner, Mr. L. Stretton, said the car lights wore switched off while it was parked at Royal Park.

Mr. Stretton: 'Did it not seem a mysterious way for an old friend like Superintendent Brophy to act?

The witness: Yes,

What did you do —have a pleasant chat in the dark?—No; we did not have time. • It' was only a matter of minutes when the bandits appeared. You passed the police station after Superintendent Brophy Was injured?— VVo were acting under Mr. Brophy’s instructions, which were to save us women. Mr. Brophy asked us to leave it to him. CHANGE OF PLACES

Mr. Stanley Lewis, who was appearing for the Melbourne Herald, asked "Mrs. Orr whether she treated Maher, the driver of the car, more as a friend than an employee, to which she replied: “He is merely an employee in my bar.” Mr. Lewis: You and Mrs. Phillips were in the back seat of the car, but .when it stopped Mrs. Phillips changed places with Superintendent Brophy. What was the reason?

The witness: There was no particular reason.

The witness added that Superintendent Brophy’s last words were: “You' leave this to me. I think they have got me. lam riddled with bullets.’ * Mrs. Elsie Phillips, of Middle Park, gave similar evidence. She added that when the firing began, Maher cried to her: “Bob down” and pushed her head down.

Mrs. Phillips said that sh 6 did not scream when she heard the shots fired, nor did Mrs. Orr.

Mrs. Phillips’ husband then entered the witness box. He declared that he was still on good terms with his wife .and there was no dissension as the result of the car incident.

REQUEST FOR CAR

William Maher, who is- a barman at Mrs. Orr’s hotel, detailed a.conversation when Superintendent Brophy asked for the use of Mrs. Orr’s car on the night of May 22. Maher said that Mrs. Orr and Mrs. Phillips on the same evening wanted to be driven to Clifton Hill, whereupon Maher told them that Superintendent • Brophy wanted the car. Mrs. Orr exclaimed: “Oh, dash it!” Maher then related the happenings in Royal Park.

Maher added that he had" not reported the shooting to the police because he was leaving everything to Mr. Brophy. Altogether about 10 shots were fired.

Detective W. R. Boulton, who was subjected to a searching cross-exam-ination as to why the police did not immediately make inquiries into the shooting, said that soon after the affair he saw Superintendent Brophy in the hospital, and Superintendent Brophy told him the wounds were accidental.

Mr. Lewis: Was it not perfectly clear to you that Superintendent Brophy had not been accidentally shot? The witness: No.

You are a detective and your powers of observation as a detective should have enabled you to decide whether the shooting was accidental?—Superintendent Brophy told me it was an accident and I believed him.

Was it a fact that Superintendent Brophy, your superior officer, prevented you from making inquiries?—lnquiries have been made.

The inquiry was adjourned