MACKAY PLEADS GUILTY

CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER.

THE WANGANUI SENSATION

SHOCKING AND DISGUSTING CONFESSION.

(Per Press Association..)

Wanganui, May 26 At the Court this afternoon, C. E. Mackay, for 13 years Mayor of Wanganui, was charged with attempted murder of Darcy Cresswell, a returned soldier. The Court room was packed, tlie police having to clear a passage to allow Avitnesses to enter. • Dr. Hutson, medical .superintendent oi the Wanganui Hospital, stated thai on May loth Walter Darcy Cresswell was admitted to the hospital, sitllering from a wound in the right side of the chest. It was about level with, the heart, but on the opposite side. The wound was obviously caused by a bullet. The bullet had not been located. The wound was a, very small one. Cresswell' had been under the care of Avitness since his admission. As far as he anticipated there was no danger of Cresswell's life at present, but Cresswell was not able to appear in Court to give evidence. The bullet had entered the lung, but may have, gone right through. To the 1 -Magistrate: During the first hours Cresswell's condition Ava.? 1 serious, but after the use of the usual restoratives, his condition improved I rapidly.

Inspector Hendry stated that on the 26th inst- he received information that the accused wanted to see him at the gaol. Witness Avent, and there saw accused in the presence of Mr Treadwell, his lawyer., Witness then produced a statement that had been taken from Walter Darcy CressAvell at the hospital. Witness handed the statement to; Mr TreadAvell, and suggested that the latter, if he desired, might permit accused to read it. At accused's request the latter retired with Mr Treadwell, and some 20 minutes later returned to the room and informed witness that he had read the statement and ■; made the .endorsehave read the above state-, ment. and so far as it-relates to my own deed and'act,'T iadniit the statement to be substantially true." Accused then 'signed and dated the statement, and atPthe suggestion; of the Avitness initialled each of the pages. Witness then produced the statement made by CressAvell in the hospital, and read it. It was as follows : —

CRESSWELL'S STATEMENT "I am a returned soldier, 24 years j)!' age, and reside Avith my parents at Timaru, ih'the South Island. I have done no work since I, returned from the AA-ar. I came to Wangaiiui on Monday, 10th inst., and met MacI kay on that date. I met him at dinner at Chavannes'- Hotel Avith my oousin at Mackay's invitation. Nothing abnormal happened- while; at dinner. Ispoke to Mackav betAveen the time I had dinner with him on Monday night and entering his oittce on Saturday morning, the 15th inst. My cousin and myself went to the Havvera races on Tuesday; the 11th inst, and returned to Wanganui the following evening. I met Mackay on Thursday and asked him to come to dinner at the Rutland Hotel that night with my cousin and myself. ; Mackay'kept the appointment,."and we' Had dinner at the hotel. Nothing took place while we Avere at the hotel, and I said nothing to Mackay that Avould offend him. On Thursday evening Mackay mvited me .to go to. the Art. Gallery ..with him on the Friday afternoon. I accepted his invitation as I Avanted.to know more about Mr Mackay. On the' Friday afternoon about 4 p.m., I met Mackay at his office in RidgAvay Street, and went to the Wanganui Club (n St. Hill Street and. had a cup of tea.. From there we went'to the Art Gallery. . Mackay unlocked the door, "as he had the keys, and then Aye had a look through the building. When Aye left the Art Gallery we Avent' to Mackay's office in RidgAvay Street;' and "'.'while, there ,1 discOA r ere ! d' d 'certain disgusting feature in Mackay's" character. He also shoAved me several photographs of nude women. T purposely encouraged him to qualities in his nature .whicn U'expected. On making that discovery, T told him that I had led him on, on purpose to make sure of his dirty and I told him also ampng'st a lot .of other things that he must' resign "tlie Mayoralty at once. He' tlien pleaded for mercy, $nd asked me to think it over for the night, and come,and see him the next morning and let him,kiioAV, piy decision. I stayetf at ~i\ve Kp'tfand, .Hotel pn Friday night, as I "was goi'ri'g to, a dance in the Druids' Hall that evening. During the night. I decided that he should resign . the Mayoralty/ 'jn ! n tveek's time. At ,my suggest'cm, and partly at my dictation, Mackay Avrojte a letter, to my cousin, and Pi, ssav it posted on .Saturday morning. iAs arranged, I called on. him at 9.30. a,.m. at his office in Ridgway Street on the Saturday "morning, and the whole morning, was spent by ihg with me on account of his Avtfe| 'and family, and not to.force him jto. resign. I, liOAvever, was quite deter-' mined" that he should, resign,, even though he threatened to commit sui- ! cide. I did not believe that he had the courage, and I did not belieye him-Av'hen he said that' his Av'le Avas dependent, on -the £200 he got for being Mayor. I iyasvvery anxious 'to .be just, and do nothing cruel to his family. Ho told me he was suffer- [ ing from a complaint which made it I impossible for him to control his-pas-, sions, and said that his doctor coaild satisfy me in that respect." He rang lup his doctor oh two or three occasions, but each time the doctor; Avas out.- After useless talkings and'lonfi, silences- he asked me to come round to the club and reconsider my decision, over a cup of tea, and as I could not stand being in his longer, and Avas very knocked up, I consented, and Aye Avent round. Here he became very earnest, about hie' decision to commit suicide, and the absolute impossibility of his resigning the .Mayoralty. Nothing more happened'here than had happened in his office, and he then pleaded with me to come back to his office. I think that I was very toolish not to have, left him. I should say here that I had promised to say nothing about what 1 had discovered if he would'resign at the end;of the Aveek. I did not' want to ' judge him, but I Avas determined he had ho busihess to be Mayor.' Back in his office again, and I 'being very tired, I took 8 . more deterininedT 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 Timam to come up, as I felt that it was getting too much of a strain on me alone. Hp seemed so' terribly upset that I then extended the time to a„ fortnight. Then he implored me for a month's time, and spoke a lob about his Avife and family. I. was quite firm about the fortnight, and he then asked for a few minutes alone to clear his head or something of the sort, and he went into an ante-room, Avfiero a girl worked. He was away a few minutes and then camo back and said: 'Cresswell, give me a month and I Avill sign a letter straightaway.' At this time I was getting very tired, so I.said 'All right, I Avill give you a month from to-day.' Then he camo 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. We then arranged that it should be addressed to me at the General Post Office, and registered, and I promised to let it lie at the post office until the month was up. So lie put it in his pocket and walked toward a dooi' marked 'A,' Mackay leading the way. Before reaching the door. suddenly turned round and I found that he had a •"•,-olver pointing at my chest. We Ay-re only a foot or two "apart. I think ho said: This-is for you!' But 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 I fell doAvn. He stood where ho Avas and looked at me and then came over and thrust the revolver into my right hand. Immediately I got the rovoh-ei", I rose to my feet and kept him coA-ered. Ho looked very surprised and wild, and then ran through the door marked '8.-' I followed him and when T. reached the door, I found that it was either locked or else he Avas holding on to the handle, and did not Avait to

see, but ran into Mackay's office, to the AvindoAV facing RidgAvay street, and threAV a chair through it to bring assistance, and when I had smashed the AvindoAV I callecF'otit to some chaps in the street to come up. Then, evidently, Mackay hearing my calls for help, and thinking that ho couldn't escape, came back and asked me to shoot him, and then he rushed me, and I kept the revolver pointed clear of him and pulled tho remaining shots off. Tho next thing I can remember 1 tvas running doAvn the stairs and telling someone that Mackay had shot mc, and I heard Mackay say over the stairs that ho had shot me by accident. I don't remember much more. I Avas Avearing the clothes produced when shot." HEARD SHOTS FIRED. Colin Westcott Cameron, engineer, i MangaAvhero, said that shortly before j One o'clock on May 15 he Avas at Coull's auction mart. He heard a shot fired in Mackay's offices. FolloAving tho shot Avas a crash, and a chair came through Mackay's AvindoAV, and landed on the pavement. Witness saw CressAvell at the AvindoAV, and he sang out, "Help, I've been shot!" | He then saw tivo men struggling. He noAV knew them to be Mackay and Cresswell. Witness heard four or five more shots fired. AVitness ran upstairs and met CressAvell on the landing with a revolver in his hand. CressAvell said, ' 'Mr. Mackay has shot me. Get a car and take me to a doctor." Mackay appeared from behind CressAA'ell, and said he had accidentally shot him Avhile demonstrating an, automatic revolver. Witness assisted CressAvell doAvn the stairs. The lat- ] ter said, "Mackay has shot me; give, my love to mother. I have discovered j a scandal." Accused repeated that the shooting Avas accidental. Witness was present until the police arrived. Accused gave himself up, and said he had accidentally shot CressAvell. OTHER EVIDENCE. George Sinclair Camoron, father of the previous Avitness, gave corroborative evidence. Witness Avrote in a note-book the statements that Cress-' ivell made. Witness said: "Surely you are not as bad as that I" Cresswell said, "Yes, lam going!" Mr. Sykes, who. Avas present, said: "If you think you are dying,,you'd,better tell us all you knoAv." Cresswell said: "I discovered a scandal, and Mackay shot me." He ,then-fainted. Sydney Sykes/ n harbour employee, said he took the revolver from Cresswell and subsequently handed it to the police. On the Avay doAvn the stairs Avitness said to accused: "Good. [gracious, what has happened?" Accused replied: "I was showing him my revolver and it accidentally Avent off and I shot him." After the ambulance had gone away Avith Cresswell, Avitness Avent. upstairs and saw accused. Ihe latter said he was putting his papers awny, and put some in the safe and locked it. .Charles L. White, a traveller, said that his attention ivas attracted by the crash of glass. He then heard two pistol shots in quick succession. He next saiv Cresswell coming out of the door of Mackay's office. Witness heard, accused remark that it AA-as an accident. Cresswell replied promptly fnd clearly for one in his condition: No, it Avas not an accident; I Avas shot."

Constable John McMullan said ffe was called to Mackay's office about lo clock on the 15th inst., and found Cresswell;-lying at the- foot of the stairs, Avith Mr Sykes supporting his head. Accused Avas standing on tho stairs, and two or three other people were present. Witness asked Cresswell if Avhat had' happened was an accident or not ? Cresswell replied: " ( Get me a doctor." Accused said: Of course, it Avas an accident, and tve 11 he knows it Avas." Accused said: 'I give myself up. Constable, I shot linn.". Witness remarked: "This is an unfortunate occurrence, Mr Mackay," and they Avent into his office. Witness asked lioav the Avindow got. broken, and .accused said: "I was shoAving the young man the reA-olver, Avhen it accidentally Avent off and shot him. He then fell against the AvindoAV and broke the glass." AVitness said: "How did the chair get outside?" Accused replied: "What chair!" Witness then told accused to lock' up at his office and come to the police station. "I SHOT SIM, DAVE!" Constable David Wilson said that when he went to the scene, accused said: "I shot him, Dave. I give myself up." At the same time accused handed him an automatic revolver. Witness Avent up to accused's office to ring for a doctor. Accused's chair, Avith a high back, Avas lying on the floor. He, saAV the broken glass on the floor and the windoAv was broken. BELIEVED HE WOULD DIE.

Senior-Sergeant T. Boiirke said that accused ivas brought to the police station by Scrgt. Reid.V Accused said: "Sergeant., I have shot a young man through the chest and-1 believe he Avill die. When the Prince Avas here I Avas carrying an automatic revolver, and I was shoAving' it to a young man named Cresswell, and demonstrating it, when it accidentally Avent off and shot him." Witness next' said: "I ha\ r e abundant evidence of a serious disturbance in your office. Before shots were heard a chair Avas thrown through the AvindoAV on to the street." Accused said, "Who can give that evidence?" Witness replied, "The carriers on the stand across the street." Accused replied, "My God.'* He did not, refer,to it-again. Witness charged accused Avith tho attempted mur-1 der of young Cresswell, and accused replied, "I understand, sergeant." After accused was searched, witness, searched his office, and in the righthand drawer of the table he found fiA'e photographs of nude women. A careful search Avas made for a letter, which.witness.had been told had been Avritten by Mackay resigning from the Mayoralty, but he could not find it. Witness located four revolver shots, tivo on the right-hand sido of Mackay's chair/one at tho back of some books, and one at the back of the rolltop desk on the other side of the room. The shells, fitted tho revolver. Ono pellet went through the Avail, another in some books, and a third was located in the lining of the wall.

Mr TreadAvell: "Did he say hoAv long he had carried the revolver?" Witness: "He said that he carried it during the Prince's visit.' ' "I PLEAD GUILTY." When asked to plead, accused, who was standing with his arms folded, said quietly aiid distinctly, "I plead guilty." Accused was committed to the Supremo Court at Wanganui for sentence,..: .-..,:.._. : ■ ■■■. I