THE WANGANUI SENSATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2134, 29 May 1920, Page 3

THE WANGANUI SENSATION.

MACKAY COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.' (Concluded from Page 1.) doctor was out. After uselesV; talking and long 'silences he asked me to come round to the club and try and reconsider my decision over a cup of tea, and as I could not stand being in his office much longer, and 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 Mayoralty. Nothing more happened in his office, and he then pleaded with me to come back to his office. I think that I was very foolish not to have left him, hut I was anxious to be quite just 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, but I was determined he had no business to he Mayor. Back in ids 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 the week, I would at once wire to my dad in Timaru to conic up, as 1 felt that it was getting too much of a strain on me alone. He seemed so terribly upset that I then extended the time to a fortnight. Then lie implored me fur a month's time, and spoke a lot about his wife and family. I was qufte firm about the fortnight, and he then asked for ti few minutes alone to (dear his head, or something of the sort, and he went into, the anti-room, where a ; girl worked. He was away a tew minutes, and then came hack and said: ‘Cresswell, give me a month and I will sign a letter straightaway.’ At this time I was gelling very tired, so 1 said ‘all right, I will give you a mouth from to-day. Then he came over to his table and wrote a letter promising to resign the Mayoralty a month from that date, and put it into a large envelope. AA'o then arranged that it should he addressed to me at the General Post Office, and registered, and I promised to let if lie ;| f Ihe post office until the month was up. So he put it in his pocket and walked towards a door marked ‘A,’ Air Alackay leading the way. Before reaching the door, Maekay suddenly turned round and I found that he had a revolver pointing at my chest. Ye wore only a foot or two apart. I think he said: ‘This is for you! Gut lam not positive. Then he fired almost immediately, before I could recover from my' amazement, and I felt the bullet enter my right breast, and 1 fell down. He stood where he was and looked at me, and then came over and thrust the revolver into my right hand. Immediately I got the revolver I rose to my feet and kept him covered. He looked very surprised and wild, and then ran through the door marked ‘B,’ I followed him, and when 1 reached the door I found that it was ether locked or else he was holding mi to the handle, and did not wail to sec, hut: ran into Mackay’s office, to the window facing Ridgway Sired, and threw a chair through it to bring assistance, and when I had smashed the window I called out to some chaps in the street to come up. Then, evidently, Maekay hearing my calls for help, and thinking that he couldn’t escape, came hack and askeo me to shoot him, and then he rushed me, ami I kept the revolver pointed (dear of him and pulled the remaining shots off. The next thing I can remember I was running down the stairs and telling someone that Maekay had shot me, and 1 heard Maekay say over the stairs that he had shot me by accident. I don’t remember much more. I was wearing the clothes produced when shot.”

Colin Westeott Cameron, engineer, Mangawhero, said that shortly before one o’clock on May lota he was at Coull’s auction mart. He heard a shot fired in Mackay’s offices. Following the shot he heard a crash, and a chair came through Mackay’s window, and landed on the pavement. Witness saw ( resswell at the window, and he sang out, “Help. I’ve been shot!” He then saw two men s! niggling. He now knew them to be Mackay and tresswell. Witness heard four or live more shots tired. Witness ran upstairs and met Cresswell on the landing with a revolver in his band. Cresswell said, “Mr Mackay has shot me. Get a car and take me to a doctor.” Maekay appeared from behind Cresswell, and said be hdd accidentally shot him while demonstrating an automatic revolver. Witness assisted Cresswell down ihc stairs. The latter said, “Mackay ,Ims shot me; give my love to mother. I have discovered a scandal. Accused repeated that the shooting was accidental. Witness was piesent until the police arrived. Accused gave himself up, and said lie had accidentally shot Cresswell. George Sinclair Cameron, father of the previous witness, gave corroborative evidence. Witness wrote in a notebook the statements that Cresswell made. Witness said: “Surely you are not as bad as that!” Cresswell said, “Yes, I am going!” Mr Sykes, who was present, said: “If you think you are dying, you’d better tell us all you know.” Greswell said: “I discovered a scandal, and Mackay shot me.” He then fainted.

Sydney Sykes, a harbour employee, said he took' the revolver from Cresswell, and subsequently handed it to the police. On the way down the stairs witness said to accused: “Good gracious, what hay happened V’ Accused replied; “I was showing him my revolver.'and it .accidentally went oil; anti shot him.'

After the ambulance had gone uway with Crcsswell, witness went upstairs and saw accused. The latter said lie was putting his papers away, and put some in the safe and locked it.

Charles L. White, a traveller, said that his attention was attracted by the crash of glass. He then heard two pistol shots in quick succession. He next saw Cresswell coining gout of the door of Mackay’s office. Mil ness heard accused rer mark that it was an accident. Crosswell replied promptly and clearly for one in his condition: No, it was not an accident; I was shot.” Constable John McMullan stUd he was called to Mackay’s office about 1 o’clock on 15th inst., and found Cresswell lying at the foot of the stairs with Mr Sykes supporting his head. Accused was standing on (he stairs, and two or three other people were present. AA it ness asked Cresswell if what had happened was an accident or not? Cresswell replied: “Get me i a doctor.” Accused .said: “Of course it was an accident, and well he knows it was.” Accused said, “I give my self up. Constable, I shot him.” Witness remarked: “This is an unfortunate occurrence, Mr Maekay,” and they went into his office. Witness asked how the window got broken! and accused said, “I was showing the young man the revolver, when it accidentally wont 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 he went to the scene, accused -aid: “I shot him, Dave, I give myself up.” At the same time accused handed him an automatic revolver, Witness went up to accused’s office to ring for a doctor. Accused’s chair, with a high, hack, was lying on the floor. He saw the broken glass on the Hour, and the window was broken.

Senior-Sergeant T. Bourke said that accused was- brought to the police station by Sergeant Reid. Accused said: “Sergeant, 1 have shot a young man through the chest, and 1 believe he will die. When the Prince was here I was carrying an automatic revolver, and I was showing it Ur a young man Cresswell, and demonstrating it, when it accidentally went off and shot him. ’ AN Uness next said, “! have abundant evidence of a serious disturbance in your office. Before shots were heard a chair was thrown through the window on to the street.” Accused said, “Who can give that evidence?” AVitness replied, “The carriers on the stand across the street. ’ Accused replied, “My God!” He did not refer to it again. AA itness charged accused with the attempted murder of young Crcsswell, and accused replied, “I understand, sergeant.” After accused was searched, witness \ searched his office, 'and in the right hand drawer of the table he found five photographs of nude women. A careful search was made for a letter, which witness had been (old had been written by Maekay resigning from the Mayoralty, hut he could not find it. Witness .located four revolver shots, two on the right-hand side of Mackay’s chair,' one at the hack of some hooks, and one at the hack of the roll-top desk on the other side of the room. The shells tilted the revolver. One pellet went through the wall, another iu some hooks, and a third was located in the lining of the wall. Air Treadwell: “Did he say how long he had carried the revolver?’' AA'itness: “He said that lie carried it during the Prince’s visit.” AA'hen asked to plead, accused, who was standing with his arms folded, said quietly and distinctly, “I plead guilty.” Accused was committed to the Supreme Court at AVaugauui for sentence.

ACCUSED SENTENCED. FIFTEEN YEARS' IMPRISON- ■ MENT. i In addressing his Honour on behalf of the accused yesterday morning, Mr Treadwell said that after very careful and serious consideration by himself and his friend, Mr M’Bclli, to whose assistance he was deeply indebted, it was decided that the only course, which under, the circumstances was the only honourable course that could be pursued, was that Maekay should plead guilty. His Honour would readily realise that in advising accused to plead guilty to such a serious charge Mr M’Belli and the speaker had assumed* heavy responsibility, and had, hesitated considerably before taking this course. It was his duty to exonerate Cresswell, and he did this with the full concurrence and approval of accused, from any blame whatever. He fully acknowledged the fact that no blame could be attached to Cresswell, and that no one could with justification relleet in any way upon his character 1 . The action of Cresswell must meet with the commendation of all right-thinking men. 'Proceeding, Mr Treadwell said the accused was a man of considerable scholastic attainments, a member of an honourable profession, and until recently occupied the highest position his fellow-citizens could bestow, and now he was in this position. Some cause must be sought for the reason of this. The reason, Air Treadwell thought, would be found to be the subject , for regret and deep concern, and he gave it*in justification of accused, and in the hope of somewhat mitigating the sentence. Inquiries had been made, and it'had been found that for a number of years the accused had been suffering from homo-sexual monomania. Mr 1 readwcll said he had gone consider-

ably into'the matter with accused, and thought he was justified in speaking of the efforts accused had made to cure himself. He had consulted doctors and metaphysicians. Mr Treadwell said he had statements from one of the doctors and one of the metaphysicians accused had consulted, which he would hand to his Honour.

Referring to the shooting, Mi Treadwell said it was a matter of common knowledge that for some months accused had been suffering from mental strain, and this, together with the threat of exposure, had unhinged his mind. Mr ireadwell concluded by appealing to his Honour to temper justice with mercy. , His Honour, in addressing Maekay, said he was sorry to see him in this position. He had known accused and his family for manv years. Accused was one of the most brilliant of university students. His career since had been good, and he had held the highest position in the city. Now he was in the dock. His Honour said the attempt at murder was an impulsive act, as was shown by Cresswell’s statement. He had been asked to exercise his functions with compassion and mercy, but it should be remembered that this was an attack on human life. The ideal of justice was that human life should he kept sacred, otherwise the community was doomed. His Honour said he still hoped Maekay would redeem himself. He had taken the first step in that direction by pleading guilty. He then sentenced accused to fifteen years’ imprisonment with hard labour.

C R ESSAY ELL’S HISTOR Y. Darcy Cresswell, who was shot by Charles Evan Maekay, is a sou ot Mr W. J. Cresswell, a retired solicitor, of Timaru, who was for many years a pariner of Mr Justice Stringer. He was educated at Christ’s College, Christchurch, and

at the outbreak of the war was studying at the Architectural College, London. He joined the Kith Middlesex, and was wounded in one of the carlv actions on lue Somme. After being nine months in hospital he was discharged as unlit for further service. Although it is about four and a-half years since he was wounded, lie has never been strong since, and is still on the Army sick list. For the last few months he has been touring the North Island in order to recuperate.

lu England, Cresswell wrote a short story, entitled “The Funis of the Earth,” which was published iu “Pearson’s Alagazimv" For some time past lie has been engaged oii a historical romance, to he published by John Alurray, the well-known English publisher. ■