MAYOR AND SOLDIER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15222, 21 May 1920, Page 6

MAYOR AND SOLDIER.

■» ' i SENSATION AT WANGANUI. • A Wanganui correspondent gives tne ' [ollowing additional details of the affair last week: — The greatest and most painful sensation Wanganui has experienced for some considerable time was the shooting affair m Ridgway Slrect on Saturday afternoon, I when JJlr C. E. Mackay, solicitor and Mayor of the borough, shot and badly wounded a returned soldier named Darcy. Jresswell, who hails from Tiniaru. i'ne [lolice are very reticent over the affair,, but It is stated that an altercation 100k place m Mr. Mackay's office, and the crashing of a chair through the window] preceded the report of a gun. A constable went to the office, and found Cresswell m a state of collap-e, sitting on one of the steps of the staircase. The wounded man was removed to the hospital, where tie remains m a serious condition. i Mr. Mackay was subsequently charged I before the Court with attempted fipurder, i and Mr. Treadwell who appeared for him, asked for bail. Inspector Ilentlrey opposed the application, m view of the seriousness of the crime, and the Court upheld the objection. The accused was remanded in' custody until Monday morning. i Mr Mackey was completely broken up, j and appeared to realise his position. \ What led up to the offence remains a mystery go far as the public is concerned, hut it is well known that Mr. Mackay's health has been very seriously impaired as the result of an accident he met witn last year, and lately he has been a mass of nerves. He recently had a serious disagreement with the heads of the' Returned Soldiers' Association over the Prince's visit, and lie was subjected to much hostile criticism from that -quarter* A wave ol sympathy for the Unfortunate man has swept over the town, and the correct story of the sad affair is now being awaited with great interest. TUB wounded man is reported to be much easier this evening. The ease has created a considcrahle ' amount of interest m some circles m Auckland, for ■ the reason that Mr. Mackay is well known m that city. About ' fifteen years ago he was one of the masters at King's College, a position he held for two or Hiree years. He left teaching to take up the law, and after leaving Auckland practised at Stratford prior 1o going to Wanganui. When lie was here, yachting was one of his favorite pastimes, and he became known' to a wide circle of acquaintances as the man who sailed the Merry Duchess. A later message from Wanganui states. Mr. Darcy Cresswell. who was shot, by Mr. C. E. Mackay, the Mayor of Wanganui, is improving, and there is now every hope of his recovery. He 1s the son of Mr. W. J. Cresswell, and is a returned soldier belonging to Tlmaru. For many years he was a partner of Mr Justice Stringer, and was educated at Christ's College, Christchurch. He was' studying at the Architectural College m London when he joined the 16th Middlesex Regiment. He was wounded . : m one of the early actions of 'the S'bnime, and after being nine months m hospital was discharged unfit for further active service. Although it is about four and a half years since he was wounded he has never been strong since, and is still on the Army sick list. During the last few months he has been touring tho North Island to recuperate. He called at Wanganui last week to stay for a few d.iys on his way. to Christchurch and Tiniaru. While m England Mr. Cresswell wrote a short story entitled "The Ends of the Earth," and it was published by Pearson's. For some time past he has been engaged on a historical romance, to be published hy John Murray, the well-known English publislrer.