ATTACK ON POLICE OFFICER

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20445, 16 June 1936, Page 9

ATTACK ON POLICE OFFICER

ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY

DETECTIVE METHODS EXAMINED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received June 15, 9.15 p.m.) MELBOURNE, June 15. The Royal Commission which is inquiring into the shooting of Superintendent John Brophy, Chief of the Victorian Criminal Investigation Department, and the authenticity Of police statements connected with it, continued its sitting to-day. Mr Justice Macindoe is the Royal Commissioner, and Mr L. Stretton is assisting him. Searching Questions Detective Inspector A. T. McKerral (Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department) gave evidence regarding conflicting stories of the wounding of Superintendent Brophy, and the measures adopted to clear up the matter as “the newspapers on the Monday following the shooting, published information in which there were discrepancies and departures from fact. “The shooting was originally believed to have been accidental, but later Detective Carey told witness he had seen Brophy at hospital and ascertains it was not accidental. Sir Thomas Blarney (Chief Commissioner) then instructed witness to correct the accident story, and give the newspapers the true facts. Mr Stretton (assisting the Royal Commissioner): asked witness: If an informer rang you, in order to make an appointment to tell you about a prospective bank hold-up, wopld you meet him right on the steps of that bank. Detective-Inspector McKerral: Probably no. Mr Stretton: Would you, as Brophy purports to have done, met the informer right in the centre of the area where motor bandits were operating. Detective-Inspector McKerral: Circumstances are different. You have usually to keep the appointment at the spot named by the informer, otherwise he will not come. McKerral added that he saw nothing wrong in what Brophy did. It was quite good detective work. The doctor attending Brophy believed the whole thing accidental, despite the fact that the wounds were widely distributed. Dealing with Informer Detective-Sergeant H. Carey detailed the efforts he had to find out the facts of Brophy shooting. He said Brophy was doubtful whether he could identify his assailants, but he hoped to pick up an Informer, who might help. Carey added that as the result of his investigations, he now planned taking “certain action in a certain direct 1 i, but it was not desirable to divulge what was going on.” Mr Stretton: Do you agree with Brophy, that the name of an informer in this case is sacred. Detective-Inspector Carey: I do. Detective O’Keefe: Is this a moment for obtaining information that might be of value?