ATTEMPTED MURDER

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 208, 28 May 1920, Page 7

ATTEMPTED MURDER

= ¥ CHARGE AGAINST C. I MACKAY INJURED MAN MAKES FULL STATEMENT SENSATIONAL WANGANUI CASE By Tol«granh—Prosfl Ai>|(K^iatiop, , Wanganui, May 27. Charles Evan Mackay was before tho Magistrate's Court to-day on n oharge of the attempted murder of Walter Daroy Cresswell. The court was crowded. A statement sworn to by the injured man, Walter Darcy Cresswell, returned soldier, was read, stating that Mackay showed l\im indecent photographs nnd made overtures to him. Witness then told Mackay that ho would have to resign, the position of Mayor, and at his suggestion Mackay wrote a letter to witness's cousin, under a threat of exposure, admitting indecent suggestions and evil practices. Mackay pleaded for his wife "and family. Witness not rolenting. Mackay then took out a revolver and shot him in the left breast. Witness foil, nnd Mackay thrust the revolver in his right hand. When witness came to ho covered Mackay with tho revolver. Mackav asked witness to shoot him, but Cresswell Tefused,' and emptied tho revolver. Witness then ran downstairs, and told someone he mot that Mackay had shot him. Ho also hoard Mackay say that it was an accident. Ho did not remember any more. When asked to plead, accused, who was standing with M 9 arms folded, said quietly and distinctly,. "I plead guilty." Accused was committed to ho Supremo Court at Wanganui for sentence.

CRESSWELL'S STATEMENT MOVEMENTS SET OUT IN DETAIL. By Telegraph-Special Correspondent, Wanganui, May 27. Following is the full text of the written statement made at tho hospital by Darcy Cresswell, who was recently shot by C. E. Mackay. It was read in court this afternoon when the latter was charged with attempted murder:— "I am a returned soldier, 24; years of ago, and resido with' my parents at Timaru, in the' South Island. I have done no work since I returned frtwa tlte war. I came to Wanganui on Monday, the 10th inst., and met Mr. Mackay on that date. I met him at dinner at Cheyanne's Hotel with my cousin, at Mr, Maokay'B invitation. Nothing abnormal happened while at dinner. I'spoke to Mr. Mackay between tho time I had dinnft- with 'him on the Monday night and entering his office on Saturday morning, the 15th inst, My cousin and myself went to the Hawera races on Tuesday, 11th inst., and returned to Wanganui tho following evening. I met Mr. Mackay on Thursday, and asked him to come to dinner at the Rutland Hotel that night with my cousin and myself. Mr. Mackay kept the appointment, and we had dinner at the hotel. Nothing took plaoe while we were at the hotel, and I had not said anything to Mr. Mackay that would offend him. On Thursday evening Mr. Mackay invited me to go to the Art Gallery with him on Friday afternoon. I accepted the invitation, as I wanted to know more about Mr. Mackay.

A Discovery in Maqkay's Office. "On Friday afternoon about 4 o'clock I met Mr. Mackay at his office in Ridgway Street Then we went to tho Wanganui Club, in. St. Hill Street, and had a cup of tea. I'rom there we went to the Art Gallery. Mr. Mackay unlocked the door, as he had keys, and then we had a look thirough the building.. When we left tlio Art Gallery we went to Mr. Mackay's office in Eidgway Street, and while there I discovered a certain disgusting feature in Mr. Mackay's character. - He also showed me several photographs of nude women. I purposely encouraged him to display his qualities in his nature which I expected. On making that discovery I told.him that,-1 had led him on on purpose to make suro of his dirty intentions, and I told him al6a, amongst a lot of other candid things, that he must resign tho Mayoralty at onca He then pleaded for mercy, and asked me to thtnk over it for the night and come and 6ee him next morning, nnd lot him know my decision. I stayed at the Rutland Hotel on Friday night ns I was going to a dance in the Druids' Hall I hat evening. During tho night I decided that he should resign the Mayoralty in a week's time. Told Him to Resign. "At my suggestion and partly at my dictation MaeJuiy wrote a letter to my cousin and 1 taw it posted. On Saturday morning, as arranged, I called on him ut U. 30 o'clock at his oflico in Eidgway Street, and the wholo morning was spent by him in pleading with me on account of his wife and family, and not to force him to resign. I, however, was quite determined tnat ho should losign, even though he threatened to .onimit suicide. 1 did not believe that h>j had the courage, and I did not believe him when hc\ said that his wife was dependent on tho iSOU he got for being Mayor. 1 was very anxious to be just and do nothing cruel to his family. Ho told me |hat he was suffering from a complaint which mads it impossible for him to control his pas. sions, and said that his- doctor could satisty me in that respect. He rang up his doctor on two or tnree occasions, hut each! time the doctor was out. After useless talking and long silences he usked me to come round to the club and try and reconsider my decision over a cup of. tea.

"As I could not stand being iu Ma office much longer und was very knocked up, I consented, and we went round'. Here he became very earnest about his decision to commit suicide, and the absolute impossibility of resigning the May, oralty. Nothing more happened here than had happened in his office, and he then pleaded wiih mo to come back to his office. I think that I was very foolish not to have left him, but I was anxious to be quite just to him. I should say here that I had promised to say nothing about what I had discovered if he would resign at the end of tho week. I did not want to judge him, but I was determined ho hail no business to bo Mayor, . . „, , A More Determined Stand,

"Back in his office again, and I being very tired I took a more determined stand about it, and threatened that if he didn't immediately give me a letter promising to resign at the end of tho week I would at once wire to my dad in Timaru to como up, as I felt thut it was getting too much strain on mo alone. Ho seemed so terribly upset that I then extended the time to a fortnight. Then ho implored me for a month's time, and spoko a lot about his wife and family. I was quito firm about; tho fortnight, and ho then asked for a few minutes alono to clear his head, or somothing of tiie sort, and went into an anteroom whore tho girl worked. Ho was away a few minutes, and then came back and said: "Cresswell, give mo a month and I will sign tho letter straight away." At this time I was gotting vory- tired, so I said: "All right, I will give you a month from to-day." Then ho came over to his tabic, nnd wrote a. letter promising to resign tho Mayoralty a month from that dato, and put it into a largo envelope. Wo arranged that it should bo addressed to mo at the General Post Office, and registered, and I promised to let it lie at tho Post Office until tho month was up, so he put it in Ins pocket and we walked towards tho door, Mackay leading the way.

A Rovolver Fired. "Before reaching tho door Mackay suddenly turned round, and 1 found Hint he had a rovolver pointing at my chi-st. We wcro only a foot or two apart, f think that lio said: 'This is for yoa/ hut I am not positive. Then he tired almost immediately. Boforo I could- recover from ■ my amazement I felt tho bullet enter my right side, and I fell down. Ho stood whero ho was, and looked at me, and then came over and thrust the revolver into my right hand. Immediately I got the revolver I roso to my feet and kept him covered. Ho looked very surprised /and wild, and then ran through tho door. I followed him, and when I reached the door l found that it wns either locked or else ho wns holding on to tho handle. I did not wait to see, but ran into Mr. Mnckay's office to tho window facing Ridgway Street, and throw a chair through it to "bring cceistanoo, and vkm I .had

smashed the window I called out to some chaps in the street to come up. Evidently Mr. Mackay, hearing my calls for help, and thinking that he couldn't escape, caino back and asked mo to slu,ot him, and then ho rushed mo, and I kept the revolver pointed clear, and pullea shots off. The next thing I can remember I was running down stairs and telling someone that Mackay had shot me, and I heard Mackay say over the stairs that lio had shot me by accident. I don't romembcr much more. I was wearing the clothes produced when shot." Inspector Hendry, in his evidenco said that on May ?6, ho ri»ceiv«d information that accused wished to see him at tho gaol. Witness went to the liaol, and thoro saw accused in the prcsenco of Mr. Troadwell, his counsel. Witness then produced the statement that had been taken from Walter Darcy Croeswcll at tho hospital. Witness banded tho statement to Mr. Trea<lwell, and suggested that tho latter, if he dosired, might permit accused to read it. At accused's request the latter retired lyith Mr. Treadwcll, and somo twenty minutes later returned to tho room, and informed witness that ho had read tlio statement, and mado tho following endorsement: "I hav* read tho aliovo statement, and so far as it relates to my own act and deed. I admit tho statement to bo substantially true." [Details of the evidence given in the above case only camo to hand aa fTroSwusmK \ms K&kJßtttct^wss.]