LAWYER’S DEATH

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 158, 19 June 1936, Page 6

LAWYER’S DEATH

Wellington Crown Prosecutor Found Shot BROTHER’S DISCOVERY By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 18. With a small bullet hole almost in the middle of his forehead and a sporting rifle grasped in his left hand, the Wellington Crown Prosecutor, Percy Seaborn Kettle Macassey, was discovered dead m his office in the Supreme Court building shortly before 8 o’clock tonight. The discovery was made by his brother, Mr James E. Macasscy, of St. Clair, Dunedin, and one of his partners, Mr C. EvansScctt, who is assistant-Crown Prosecutor.

Although the discovery was not made until ueaily eight o’clock, death is believed to have occurred some hours earlier, probably about 6 p.rn. On the desk lay two briefs of cases in which Mr Macassey had been engaged in the Supreme Court earlier in the day. Inquiries as to Air Maeassey'a whereabouts wore made by his family when he did not arrive home for dinner, and when Lis brother and Mr Evans-Scott entered his office in the Supreme Court they discovered the body. Mr Macassey was occupied in his duties as Ci own Prosecutor in the Supreme Court in the morning, when Hiree prisoners appeared for sentence before Mr Justice Blair. Mr Maeassey did nut then appear to be in the best of spit its, and was looking somewhat off colour. He did uot address the Court. Air Maeassey, who was born in 1875 aboard the City of Dunedin, was a son of Mr ,T. L. Maeassey, of Dunedin, tie was educated at the Otago Boys’ High Sehccl and the University of Otago, where lie made a name for himself on the athletic held as a hurdler and longjuniper. Ifo had been Crown Prosecutor and Crown .Solicitor- nt Dunedin for n. number of years, and was the author of “Accountancy and Commercial Law.’’ He took groat interest in Rugby football and boxing and held executive positions at various times in local associations. lie was also fnr a time a member of the Dunedin City Council.