Chequered Career Ended

NZ Truth, Issue 1223, 9 May 1929, Page 1

Chequered Career Ended

DEATH from a rifle bullet has , cut short the career of Charles Evan Mackay, formerly mayor of Wanganui, who was shot, by a Berlin policeman duringtthe May Day Communist riots m the German capital. Mackay, a lawyer by profession, left New Zealand two years ago for Europe, and at the time of his tragic death he was engaged on a special newspaper mission fora London journal. 7 Mackay's career as mayor of Wanganui came to an abrupt end when he was arrested on a ch'argcs of attempting to murder a returned soldier named Walter Darcy Cresswell on May 15, 1920. ,He pleaded guilty arid was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment, but was released when he. had served six years and three months, on condition that he left New Zealand., The case, which created considerable interest at the time, was marked by sordid features, recapitulation of which after such a long lapse of time would serve no good purpose, especially now .that Mackay is dead. Cresswell's connection with the affair showed ihim m a .highly creditable light, his determination to expose Mackay animating the latter iaAttemptijnatfl kill him.