POLICE ENQUIRY

Stratford Evening Post, Volume IV, Issue 154, 11 June 1936, Page 3

POLICE ENQUIRY

SHOOTING OF OFFICER. SUPERINTENDENT BROPHY. RciXvjtis Wih Member 01 Underworld.

TWO MASKED MEN

Press Association —Copyright. Melbourne, June 10. His encounter with two masked men at a rendezvous prearranged with a member of the underworld was described today by Superintendent Brophy, of the police force, at the opening of the Royal Commission which is inquiring into the shooting of Superintendent Brophy and the authenticity of police statements connected with it. Mr. Justice Maclndoe is Royal Commissioner.

Mr. L. Stretton, who is assisting the commissioner, said the whole incident was thick with confusion and mystery. Mr. Brophy, whose 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 giye informa/bn regarding "gunmen*' operating around the city and Royal Park in the vicinity of Parkville. Mr. Brophy agreed to meet him at a spot arranged by the informer. His Honour asked for the man's name and Mr. Murphy undertook to supply the name privately to protect the informer frcm the vengeance of his companions. Later that evening Mr. Brophy sought the use of a private car belonging to j Mrs. Or, wife of the licensee of Tatter- J sails Hotel, as it was undesirable to use police cars, with the numbers of which the underworld was familiar. A barman at Tattersalls 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. Suddenly Mrs Orr exclaimed to Mali io; "There's a man alongside th i

car, Billy." Mr. Brophy said at that moment 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. Keep quiet." He also exclaimed: "It's Brophy." Dived for Pistol, _Mr. Brophy added: "I dived for my pistol, which is a small calibre one and the man shouted, 'Don't shoot.' I did not hesitate. I fired at the man and he fired back a bullet, shattering my wrist. "I fired again. I am practically certain I wounded him. He continued firing, four bullets striking mc. » The other man disappeared." His Honour: "Were they both shoot- j trig?"—"Yes. One shot punctured a j tyre." I

Mr. Brophy explained that the men sped away in a car. Maher pursued them until compelled to stop by the flat tyre. 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's, nor did he want his own wife or daughter who were practically invalids to hear he had been shot by bandits. Mr. Brophy said he was convinced the informer was not associated with the shooting. Mr. Stretton: "Did it not occur to you that it was unusual for a man of your rank to go out on ordinary duty?"—"i do ordinary duty if necessary. It is done in other States."

"Did it not occur to you that there was a certain amount of danger that night?"—"lf I thought there was the slightest danger I would not have taken two. ladies. I believe it was as big a surprise to the criminals as to me."

"Could you not have picked a trusted policeman to drive your car?"—"l would not trust my brother detectives in a case like this."

Mr. Brophy added that it was no use calling the local police or a patrol to search for his attackers as they would not know who to search for. o

Mr. Wilbur Ham, K.C.. appearing for the 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. Erophy: "There was nothing sinister. . I was not in the car with one, but two women." He said he was not responsible for the accident story told to the reporters and he had no intention of deliberately deceiving the police chief, Sir Thomas Blarney. Mr. Ham suggested Mr. Brophy did everything to help the assailants, to which Mr. Brophy replied that if he had given full information his assailants could have been in Hong Kong before the police were aware of their movements.