MYSTERY SHOOTING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 141, 16 June 1936, Page 7

MYSTERY SHOOTING

THE BROPHY CASE VICTORIAN INVESTIGATION EVIDENCE OF DETECTIVES [By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright] Received June 15, 9.30 p.m. 31ELBOURNE, June 15. At the continuation c-f the inquiry into the shooting of Superintendent Brophy and the authenticity of police statements connected with it Detective Inspector A. T. AlcKerral, chief of the Criminal Investigation Department, gave evidence regarding the conflicting stories of the wounding of Brophy and the measures adopted to clear the matter up, as “the newspapers on the Alonday following the shooting published information in which were discrepancies and departures from fact.” The shooting was originally believed to have been accidental but later Detective Carey told witness that he had seen Brophy at the hospital and had ascertained that 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, would you meet him right on the steps of that bank? Detective Inspector AlcKerral: Probably no. 3fr. Stretton: Would you, as Brophy purports to have done, have met the informer right in the centre of an area where motor bandits are operating? Detective Inspector McKerral: Circumstances arc different. You have usually to keep an appointment at the spot named by the informer, otherwise he will not come. Detective Inspector AlcKerral added that ho saw nothing wrong in what Superintendent Brophy did. It was quite good detective work. The doctor attending Superintendent Brophy believed tire whole thing was accidental despite the fact that the wounds were widely distributed. Detective-Sergeant 11. Carey detailed the efforts he made to find out the facts about the Brophy shooting. He said that Superintendent Brophy was doubtful whether he could identify his assailants, but he hoped to pick up an i’Aprmer who might help. Carey added that as a result of his investigations ne now planned taking “certain action in a certain direction but it is not desirable to divulge what is going on.” 31r. Stretton: Do you agree with Brophy that the name of the informer in this case is sacred? Detective-Sergeant Carey: I do. Detective O’Keefe is this moment obtaining information that might be of value.