WANGANUI SENSATION

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1920, Page 4

WANGANUI SENSATION

MACKAY iBEFOJRja COURT. (Per Press Association.) WANUAN'OX May ‘27. At Court this afternoon, C. E. Mae. Kay, for 13 years Mayor of Wanganui, was charged with attempting to murder Walter Darcy Cresswell, a returned soldier. The Courtroom was packed the police having to clear a passage to allow the witnesses to enter. DOCTOR’S EVIDENCE. Dr Hudson, Medical Superintendent of tho Wanganui Hospital, stated that on May 15th. Walter Darcy Cresswell was admitted to the hospital suffering from a wound in the right dde oi the chest. It was about on a level with his heartj but on the opposite side. The wound was obviously earned by a bullet. The bullet had not been located. The wound was a very small one. Cresswell had been under the care of witness since his admission. As far as ho anticipated, there was no danger to Cresswell’s ljfe at present; but he was not able to appear in Court to give evidence. The bullet had entered the lung, but may have gone right through.

To the Magistrate: During the first few hours, CreSswell’s condition was serious, but after the use of the usual restoratives his condition improved rapidly . POLICE EVIDENCE. Inspector Hendry stated that on the 26th : inst., he received; information that accused wished to see him at the gaol. Witness went and there saw the accused in the presence of Mr Treadwe'l . Witness then produced a statement that had been taken from-Walter Da rev Cresswell nt the Hospital. Witness Jiandjed tliei .statement to Treadwell and suggested that the latter, f he desired, might permit the accusal to read it.

MACKAY MAKES STATEMENT. At the accused’s request, he (accused) retired with Treadwell, and some 20 minutes* later accused returned to the room and informed witness that he had read the statement and made the following endorsement: —“J reiui the above and so far as it relates to my own act and deed, I admit the statement to lie substantially true ” Accused then signed and dated the statement and at the suggestion of witness, initialled each of- the pages. CRESSW-ELb’S STATEMENT.

The witness then produced the statement made by Cresswell in the Ho.;-' pital and read it. It was os follows‘‘Cresswell’s statement: —I am a returned soldier, 24 years of age, um| reside with my parents at Timnru, in tile South Island. I have doiie nr work since I returned from the war. I came to Wanganui on .Monday, the 10th inst and met MacKaV on the date. ! met him at dinner at Chavanne’-s Hotel, with my cousin, at Mr Mac Kay's invitation. Nothing abnormal happened at dinner I spoke to Mac Kay between the time I had dinner .with him on Monday night , and my entering his office on Saturday morning the loth. inst. My cousin and myself went- to the* Hawera races on Tuesday the 11th inst., and returned to Wanganui the follovv/ng evening. I met Mac Kay on Thursday, and I asked him to come to dinner at the hotel. Nothing took place while we were at the hotel, and I had not said anything to Mac Kay that would ofEend him. On the Thursday evening Mac Kay invited me to go to f he Art Gallery with him on the Friday (afternoon. I accepted his invitation, as 1 wanted to know more about Mr MeKay. On the Friday afternoon about 4 p.m. I met Mac Kay at his office in Rddgway Street. Then we went to the Wanganui Club in St .Hill Strom, and had a cup of tea. From there we went to the Art Gallery. We went to Mac Kay’s office in Ridgway Street and while there, I discovered a certain disgusting feature in Mac Kay’s character. He also showed me several photographs of nude women.”

"1 purposely encouraged him to display those qualities in his nature which I expected on making that discovery. I told him that I had led him on, on purpose, to make sure oi his dirty intentions, and I told him also, amongst a lot of otlier candid things, that he must* resign the Mayoralty at once. He then pleaded for mercy and asked me to think it oyer for the night, and to come and see him next morning and iet him know my decision. I stayed at the Rutland Hotel on Friday night, as 1 was going to a dance in the Druids’ Hall that evening. During the night I decided that he should resign the Mayoralty iu a week’s time. At my suggestion, and partly at my dictation. Mac Kay wrote a. letter to my cousin, and I saw it posted on Saturday morning. As arranged 1 called on him at 9.30 a.m. at his office in

llidgway Street on the Saturday morning, and the whole morning was spent by him iu pleading with me on account of his wile and family not to force

him to resign the ‘Mayoralty. I, however was quite determined that he should resign, even though he threatened to commit suicide. I did not believe that he had the courage, and I did not believe him when he said tliat his

wife was dependent on the £2OO he got for being Mayor. I was very anxious to be just, and to do nothing cruel to his family. He told me that he was suffering from a complaint which made it impossible for him to control his passions. He said that his doctor could satisfy me in that respect. He rang up his doctor, on two or three occasions, but each time the doctor was out.'After useless talking and long silences, lie asked me to come /round t 0 tllc C,ul - > and try and reconsdier my decision over a cup of tea. As 1 could not stand being in liis office much longer, and was very knocked up, I consented, and we went round. Here be became very earnest about his decision to commit suicide, and the absolute impossibility of resuming the Mayoralty. Nothing more happened here than had happened in his office, and he then pleaded with me to come hack to his office. I think that I was very foolish not to have let • him; hut I was anxious to he quite i„st with 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 the week. I did not want to judge him; hut I was determined he had no business to bo Mayor. When back in his office again, I, being very tired, took a more determined stand about it, and threatened that if

lie didn’t immediately give me a letter, promising to resign at the end oi' the, week, I would at once wire to my Dad in Timaru to come up. He seemed ho terribly upset that I then extended the time to a fortnight, and he then implored for a month’s time, and spoke a Jot about liis wife and family. I was quite lirm about the fortnight. “He then asked for a few minutes alone, to clear his head or something of the sort, and went to an ante-room whore a girl worked. He was away a few minutes and then came back. He said, “Cresswell, give me a month and 1 will sign a letter straight away.” At this time I was getting very tired, so 1 said, “All right); 1 will give you a month from to-day.” “Then he came over to his tame, and' wrote a letter promising to resign the Mayoralty a month from that date and he put it into a large envelope. W e then arranged that it should be addressed to me at the General Post Office ' and registered, and I p to let it lie at the Post Office until the month was up. So he put it m “ pocket,, and walked toward the dooi marked, “A Mac Kay,” leading the way. ••Before reaching the door, MacKiy suddenly turned round, and I found ton* lie had a revolver pointing at my chest. Wo were only a loot or two apart. 1 think that he said, “This is for you, but I am not positive. Then lie bred almost immediately, before' I could recover from my amazement I felt the bullet enter my right breast, and J fell down. Ho stood where lie was, and looked at me, and then came over and thrust the revolver into my right hand Immediately I'got the revolver, l rose to my feot, and kept him covered, lie looked very surprised and wild,. and then ran through .the door marked b I followed him, and when I reached the door, I found that it was either iockeu or else he was holding on to the handle, i. did not wait to see, but ran to MacKay’s office, to the window facing ltidgway Street, and threw, a chair through it to bring assistance, * and when I had smashed the window, 1 called out to some chaps in the street to come up. Then, evidently Mac Kay, Injuring my calls for help, and think i’-.g that lie couldn’t escape, came back, and asked, me to shoot him. Then he rushed me, and I kept the revolvei pointed clear and pulled the shots off The next thing I can remember I was running down the stairs and telling someone Mac Kay shot me, and I heard Mac Kay say over the stairs that he had shot me by accident. I don’t remember much more. I was wearing th» clothes (produced) when shot. OTHER, KVIDEAOK. Cohn Westcott Cameron, engineer of Mangawliero, said that shortly before I o'clock on May loth., he was at Couli’s Auction Mart. . He heard a shot tired in Mac Kay’s office, hollowing the shot lie heard a crash, and a chair came through Mac Kay s window and landed on the pavement. Witness saw Cresswell at the window. H sang out:

“Help I I’ve been shot.” He then saw two men struggling. He now knew them to be Mac Kay and Cresswell. \\ itnoss heard four or live more shots and witness ran up the stairs and mot Cressviell on the landing with a revolver in his hand. Cresswell said “Mr Mac Kay has shot me. Get a car and take me to a doctor.” VLacKa/ appeared from behind Cresswell and said he had accidentally shot him. . MacKay said he shot him while demonstrating with an automatic revolver. Witness assisted Cresswell down the stairs The latter sliid: —“MacKay has shoe me.. Give my love 10 my mother. I have discovered a scoundrel.” Accused then repeated that the shooting was accidental. Witness was present until the police arrived. Accused gave himself up, and said he had accidentally shot Cresswell. George Sinclair Cameron, the father of the previous witness, gave corrobo rative evidence. Witness wrote in -i note-book the statements that Cress wed I made. Cresswell said he believed lie was dying. Witness said: “Surely you are not as bad as that?” Cresswell said: “Yes, 1 am going.” M. Syices

said: “If you think you are dying you better tell us all you know.” Cress Well siaid; ?‘I discovered a scandal, and Mac Kay shot me.” He then fainted. ‘ Sydney Sykes, a Harbour Board employee, said lie took the .revolver from Ores swell, and he subsequently handed it to the police. On the way downstairs, witness said to accused • “Good gracious! What lias happened.” Tile accused replied: “I was showing him my revolver and it accidentally went off, and I shot him.” After the ambulance went away with Cresswell witness went . ulpstairs and saw the accused. The latter said he was putting his papers away, and he put some in. the safe and locked it. Charles L. Whit, a traveller, said liis attention was attracted by a cn/sli of glass.’ He then heard two pistol shots in quick succession. He nex; saw Cresswell coming out of the door of Mac Kay’s office. Witness hoard ac-

cused remark that it was an accident

Cresswell replied promptly and clearly for one in liis condition: “No it was not an accident. I was shot.” Constable John MacMillan sad he was called to Mac Kay’s office about 1

o’clock on the loth inst and found

Cresswell lying at the foot of the s+aiis with Mr Sykes supporting his head. Tie accused was standing on the stairs. Two or three other people were p -e----sent. Witness asked Cressweli: “What lias happened? Was it an accident- or not?” Cresswell replied: “Get me a doctor !” Accused then said; “Of course it was an accident, and well he knows it was.”

. Accused next said: “I give myself up, constable. I shot him.” Witness remarked: “This is an unfortunate occurrence, Mr Mac Kay.” Then they went into his office. Witness asked how the window got broken.

Accused said: “I was showing the young man my revolver, when it accidently went off. and shot him. He then fell against the window and broke the glass.” Witness said: “How did the chair get

outside.” Accused replied: “What chair?” Witness then told accused to lock up his office, and come to the Police Station. Constable David Wilson said that

when lie went to the scene, the accused said: “I shot him, Have. 1 give my-, self up.” At the same time, the accused handed him an. automatic revolver. Witness went up to the accused office to ring for a doctor. Accused’s chair, with a high back, was lying on the floor, and the window was broken. Cresswell believed that he would dio. AT THE POLICE STATION. Senior Sergeant T. Burke said the accused was brought to the Police Station by Sergeant Itcid. The accused said: “Sergeant, I have shot Cress-' well.” Witness detailed further statements. Tie went to Mac Kay’s office later. When asked about the chair, Mac Kay seemed not to know of it. He asked who could give evidence it was thrown through the window. Witness sad: “Witnesses were across the road. Accused then said :' T ‘My God !’ ’ Witness detailed the search at MncKay’s office. He found various things there bearing out Cresswell’s statement. In the right-lmnd drawer, of the table lie found four photos of nude women. He then made a search for the letter in which McKay resigned the Mayoralty. It bad been locked up. Witness recovered four revolver shells in the room. They all fitted the revolver got from Mac Kay. One pehet went through the wall, and another into some hooks. Mr Treadwell asked if accused spoice about the (shooting details during the police visit to the prison. The answer was that he replied as already detailed. A PLEA OF GUILTY. The accused was then asked how he would plead, Mac Kay stood with Ins arms folded and replied: “I Pl cl,d guilty.” , The Magistrate then committed tno accused to the Supreme Court for sentence at the. next Wanganui sittings.