FOUND DEAD

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 144, 19 June 1936, Page 10

FOUND DEAD

ME. P. S. K. MACASSEY

LOCAL CROWN PROSECUTOR

""bullet wound in head

The body of Mr. Percy Seaborn Kettle Macassey, Crown Prosecutor at Wellington and member of the legal firm of Messrs. Menteath, Ward, Macassey, and Evans-Scott, was found in his room in the Supreme Court building last night. There was a bullet wound in the forehead. The body was lying outstretched on the floor of the room, and clasped in the hands was a .22 calibre sporting rifle.

When Mr. Macassey did not arrive home for dinner inquiries for him were made by his family. Mr. C. EvansScott, who has appeared with Mr. Macassey in a number of important cases, and Mr. Macassey's brother, Mr. James E. Macassey, of St. Clair, Dunedin, went to the Crown Prosecutor's room in the Supreme Court building about 7.20 p.m., and there they discovered the body, death, it is thought, having occurred an hour or two earlier. On Mr. Macassey's desk were three files relating to prisoners who had been sentenced by Mr. Justice Blair in the Supreme Court earlier in the day. Mr. Macassey appeared for the Crown in these cases, but as was his general practice in such matters he did riot address the Court.

When the discovery oi the body was made the police were communicated with, and detectives took over. Dr. Aiister Young was also called in.

Mr. Macas£«y had not enjoyed the best of health for some time. Quite recently he sought medical advice, and it is understood that he was given a very unfavourable report. He had been closely engaged lately with the preparation of the case for the Crown in connection with the charges against John William Shaw McArthur, the hearing of which, when McArthur last appeared in the Magistrate's Court on

MR. P. S. K. MACASSEY

May 27, was set down for Wednesday next. There is to be an inquest on Monday morning.

MR. MACASSEY'S CAREER , Mr. Macassey had the reputation of ; being a very fair prosecutor. While • at all times he discharged his duly ; to the Crown to the very best of his , ability, it may be said of him that his : methods were free from vindictiveness : and malice, and this was demonstrated by the fact that if he felt there was reasonable doubt of the evidence establishing the guilt of the person charged he did not labour the Crown's case by addressing the jury on the completion of the evidence. He also refrained from taking advantage of a prisoner with no counsel to defend him. Mr. Macassey would have been CI years of age in December. He was born at sea on the ship City of Dunedin when that vessel was on her way to Dur.edin, where she arrived in January, 1876. Mr. Macassey was a son of Mr. J. L. Macassey, barrister, and his mother, prior to her marriage, was Miss Elizabeth Kettle, whose father, Mr. C. H. Kettle, was responsible for the lay-out of Dunedin. After receiving his education at Otago Boys' High School and Otago University, he commenced practice of the law in Dunedin on his own account in 1900. Later he entered into partner- j ship with Mr. Donald Reid, and subsequently became a partner of Messrs. Fraser and Woodhouse. In 1912 he removed to Wellington, and was appoint-1 ed Crown Prosecutor and Crown Solici-, tor, and in 1921 became a partner in the firm of Messrs. Menteath and Ward. He was joint author of Thomson and Macassey's "Accountancy and Commercial Law.'" Mr. Macassey was senior Crown Prosecutor in New Zealand. He appeared in a number of notable criminal trials, including the Cooper 1 and Coats murder cases, and during j the war conducted a number of difficult profiteering prosecutions. In his youncer dayi Mr. Macasiey was a prominent athlete, and was also well known as a Rugby centre-three-quarter for the Pirates Club, Dunedin, of which he was a life member. In addition he took an interest in other branches of sport, such as cricket, rowing, and boxing. He particularly distinguished ' himself as an amateur athlete. When ' he was at Otago University he won the 120 yards hurdles and the longiump championships three years in succession. Mr. Macassey, before he ' came to Wellington, was also associated with the administrative side of Rugby, athletics, and boxing in Dunedin. ■ In 1905 Mr. Macassey married Alice ! Fraser, daughter of Mr. John Fraser ' McQueen Fraser. barrister, of Dune- • din. In addition to Mrs. Macassey he ; has left one daughter, Miss M. Macas- ; sey Mr. J. E. Macassey, Dunedin, is ' a brother. Another brother. Mr. E. L. Macassey. also of Dunedin and a pro- ' minent athletic official, died last year. ■ The funeral took place this afterf noon, the cortege leaving St. Peter's 1 i Church for Karori Cemetery.

HIS PART WELL PLAYED

BEST TRADITIONS OF BAR "TV, a of Mr. Macassey's tragic death has come as a great shock to hh fallow-practitioners in Wellington,' by whom he was held in such high regard," stated Mr. David Perry, president of the Wellington District Law Society, today. . "As a well-known figure in the courts he had earned the esteem of his | professional brethren by the scrupulous fairness with which he always conducted his cases, whether on the civil, or the criminal side. He was, ofj