ATTEMPTED MURDER

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 46, Issue 14128, 28 May 1920, Page 5

ATTEMPTED MURDER

WANGANUI SENSATION. TENCE. INTERESTING EVIDENCE. *. ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR SEN(By Telegraph—Press Association.) . WANGANUI, Thursday. At the Court this afternoon, C. E. Alack ay, for thirteen years Alayor of Wanganui, was charged with the attempted murder of Walter Darcy" Cresswell, a returned soldier.

The courtroom was packed, the police having to clear a passage to allow witnesses to enter.

Dr. Hutsoity medical superintendent of the Wanganui- Hospital, stated that on May loth Walter Darcy Cresswell was admitted to the hospital, suffering from a wound in the right side of the chest. It w;is about on the level of the heart, but on the opposite side. The wound was obviously caused by‘a bullet, which had not been located. Tho wound was a very small one. Cresswell had been under the care of witness* since his admission. As far as he anticipated, there was no danger to Cresswell’s life at present, but Cresswell was not able to appear in Court to give evidence. The bullet had entered the lung, and may have gone right through. To the Alagistrate: During the first few hours Cresswell’s condition was serious, but after the use of the usual restoratives his condition improved rapidly. Inspector Henry stated that on the 26th inst. he received information that accused wished to sec him at the gaol. Witness went, and there saw accused, in the presence of Air Treadwell (his lawyer). Witness then produced, a statement which had been taken from Walter Darcy Cresswell at the hospital. Witness handed the statement to Mr Treadwell, and suggested that the latter, if lie desired, might permit the accused to read it. At accused’s request the , latter retired with Air Treadwell, and some twenty minutes later returned to the room and informed witness that he had read the statement. • and made the endorsement, “I .have read, the above statement, and so far as it relates to my own act and deed, I admit the statement to be substantially true.” Accused then signed and dated the statement, and, at the suggestion of witness, initialled each of the pages. CRESS WELL’S STATEMENT. Witness then " produced the statement made by Cresswell in thehospital, and read.it.; It was as follow.:,: — ‘‘l am a returned soldier, 24 years of age, and reside with my parents in Timaru, in the South Island. I have done no work since I returned from the war. I came to Wanganui on Mondav, the 10th inst., and met Mackay on* that date. I met him and had dinner at Chavannes’ Hotel, with my cousin, at Air Mackay ’s invitation.' Nothing abnormal happened while at dinner! I spoke to Afeckay between the time 1 had dinner with him on Monday ni<rht and entering his office on Saturday morning, the loth 'inst.: - My cousin! and myself went to the Hawera racies on Tuesday, the. 11th inst., *ui(i returned to Wanganui the following

evening. -•- met Mackay. on Thursday and asl;ed 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 we were at the hotel, and I had not said anything to Mafkay that would offend him. “On the Thursday evening Mackay; invited me to go to the Art Gallery with him. On the Friday afternoon. ,X accepted his invitation, as I wanted to* know more about,Mr Mackay. . - “On the Friday afternoon, about A o’clock, I met Mackay at his office in Ridgway street. Then we went to the Wanganui Club in S.t. 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 we had a look through the building. “ When we left the Art Gallery we went, to Mackav’s office in stibet, and while there I discovered a certain disgusting feature in Mackay’s character. He also showed me several photographs of nude w'omen. I purposely encouraged him to display' these qualities in his nature, which I expected.- On making that discovery I told him that I had led him on on purpose to make sure of his dirty- intentions,, and i told him also, amongst a lot off other candid things, that he. would have to resign the Mayoralty at once. “He then pleaded for mercy, and asked me to think it over for the night and come and see him the next mornin.r and let him know my decision. “I stayed-at the Rutland Hotel on Friday night, as I was going to a dance in tlio Druids 1 Hull theit c\ GninjC£. “During the night.l decided that he should' resign the Mayoralty in a week '.s time. At my suggestion, and partly at my dictation, Mackay wrote a letter. My cousin aiul I saw it posted on Saturday morning. . •‘ As arranged, I called on him at his office in Ridgway street on the Saturdav morning, and the whole morning was spent by him in pleading with me on account of his wife and family, and not to force him to resign. I, however, was quite determined that he should resign, even though he threatened to commit suicide. I did not believe ho hail the courage, and I did not believe him. He said that his wife was dependent on the £2OO he got for being May-

“I was very anxious to be just and to do nothing cruel to his family. He told me he was suffering from a complaint which made it impossible for him to control his passions, and said that his doctor could satisfy me in that, respect. He rang up his doctor, on two or three occasions, but each time the doctor was out. “After useless talking and long silences. he asked me to come round to the Club and try and reconsider my decision over a cup of tea. As I could not stand being in his office much longer, and was very knocked up, T consented, and we went round. “Here he became very earnest about his decision to commit suicide, and the absolute of resigning the Mayoralty. Nothing more happened there than had happened in his office, and he then pleaded with me to come back to his office. T think that I was very foolish not to have left him, but I was anxious to be quite just to him. I should say here that I had promised to’ say nothing about what I had discovered if he would resign at the end of the week. I did not want to judge him, hut *1 was determined he had no*-

business to be Mayor. . “Back in his office again, J, bei 0 very tired, took a more determined staid about it, ami threatened that it he did not immediately gi'e 11U ‘ • k ter promising to resign at the end at the week, 1 would at once wire to njj Bad at Timaru to come up, as that it was getting too much o strain on me alone. . “He seemed so terribly upset tha _ then extended the time to a ±oituight. Then he implored 111 . 1 month’s time, and spoke- a ak his wife and family. I was quite hi about a fortnight, and he thent asked for a few minutes a one .to clear head, or something ot the sort. 1 into an, anteroom where a giil “He was away a few minutes, an 1 then came back and said ( ’ give me a month, and I will sign a Jet p. r straight away.’ ““By this time 1 was getting eery tired, so I said, ‘All right; I "'ll gi von a month from to-day. ' “Then he came over to his table and wrote a letter promising to resign tl . Mayoralty in a month from that date, and put it iu a large envelope. “We then arranged that it should be . addressed to me at the General lost 01iice and registered, and 1 promised - let it He at the Host Ofh.ce until the month was up. He put d m his poehet and I walked towards the doot m.uked •B ’ Maekay leading the way. “Before reaching the door Mackay suddcnly turned round, ami 1 found that he had a revolver pointing at mj chest. We were only a foot or two . apart. I think he said, / Tins is for you,’ but I am not positive. ” “Then he fired almost immediate!}, before I could recover from my amaze- . meat, and I felt the bullet enter -my right breast, and 1 fell. down. “He stood where he was and looked at me, and then came over and thrust, the revolver into mv right hand, im mediately I got the revolver I rose to my feet'and kept him covered. “He looked very surprised and wild, and then ran through the door marked ’ I followed him. and when iea- ■ eked the door I found that it was either locked or else he was holding on to the handle. I did not wait to see, but ran into Mackay’s office to the window facing Ridgway street, and threw a chair through to bring assistance, and when I had smashed the window called out to some chaps in the street to come up. .» , , . „ ““Then evidently Mackay, hearm n mv calls for help, and thinking that he could not escape, came back and asked me to shoot him, and then lie lushc me, and I kept the revolver- pointed clear and pulled the shots oft. “The next- thing I can remcmbei 1 was running down the stairs and tellhm someone that Mackay had shot me, and I heard Mackay say over the stans that he had shot me by accident. “I don’t remember much more. f was wearing the clothes,produced when Shot ’’’“HELP! I’M SHOT!” ;Colin Wcstcotf Cameron of Mangawhero, said that shorth u 1 o’clock on May 15th he was- at Coull’s auction mart. He heard shots led in Mackay* office. Hollowing -the Sot he heard a crash, and a Chair, came, through Maekay/s window and landed on the-pavement. Witness-saw Cresswell at the window He -sang out “Help! I’ve been shot! : Ht tnen saw two men struggling. He «ow knew them to’ bu Mackay and .Cresswell, and witness heard four ,or five more shots ran up the' stairs and met Cresswell on the landing with a ieiolver in his hand. Cressw.ell said, * Mackay has shot me. Get a- car and take me to a doctor." r „ Mackay appeared from behind Cres well and said he had accidentally shot him’while demonstrating an automatic revolver. Witness assisted’ Crcjawcll down the stairs. The latter saul, •? kay has shot me. Give my lore to m mother. 1 have discovered a seal ] „ 1 7 } The accused repeated that the shootin- was accidental. Witness was present until the police arrived. Accused <» a ve himself up, and said he had accidentally shot Cresswell. George Sinclair Cameron, fathci of the previous witness, gave corroborative evidence. Witness wrote m < notebook statements that Cie» W oll made. Cresswell said he behoved he was dving. Witness said, “Surely you i,nd aq that ” Cresswell are not as bad as mai. o , said “Yes, I. am going.” Mi Sykes sa d “If-/on think you are dying you haTbetter toll no all yon know. ’ well sai, “I discovered a scandal a id Mackay shot me.” He then fainted. Sydney Sykes, a Harbour Board employee, said he took thp revolver from Cresswell and subsequently handed it to the police. On the way downstairs, witness'said to accused, ood-> ous What has happened?” Accused replied, “I was showing him my.revolver, and it accidentally went oft, and I shot him.” After the ambulance went away with Cresswell, witness went upstairs and saw accuscc. latter said lie was putting his papers away, and put some in the safe and locked it. ■ -i Charles L. White, a traveller, said his attention was attracted by the crash of glass. He then heard two pistol shots in quick succession He next saw Cresswell coming out of the dooi of Mackay’s office. Witness heard accused remark that it was an accident. Cresswell -replied, promptly and clearly for one-in his condition, “No; it was not an accident. I was shot. Constable John McMuUan said he was called to Mackay’s office about 1 o’clock on the 15th insft, and found Cresswell lying at the foot of tiic

stairs with Mr Sykes supporting his head. Accused was standing on the stairs, and two or three people wore present. Witness asked Cresswell, “ Wlmt happened ? Was it an accident or not? ’’ Cresswell replied, ‘ Got me 11 doctor.” Accused said, Ol course it was an accident, and well lie knows it was.’ “ I SHOT HIM.” Accused said, “I give myself up, Constable, i shot him.” Witness remarked. “This is an unfortunate occurrence, Mr Mackay,” and they went into his oftice. Witness asked how the window got broken, and accused said: “l: was showing the young man my revolver when it accidentally went oft a „d shot him. He then foil against the window and broke, the glass. f ness said, “ How did the chair get oulsidc.” - Accused replied, “Whatchair?” Witness then told accused to lock up ins office and come to the police station. . Constable David Wilson said when he went to the scene the accused said. •‘1 shot him, Dave. I give myself up. \t the same time accused handed l»ni an automatic revolver. Witness went to accused's office to ring for a doctor. Accused’s chair, with a high hack, was lying on the lloor. He saw broken glass on the floor and the window was broken. Cresswell belies ed he would die. Senior Sereeaut T. Bourke said -secured was brought to the Police Station by Sergeant Reid. Accused said, “Sergeant. 1 have shot a young man through the chest and I believe he will die. When the Prince was here I was carrying an automatic revolver. I was showing it. to the young man Cresswell and demonstrating it when it accidentally went off and shot liim. ” Witness‘then said, “I have abundant evidence of a serious disturbance in vonr office before the shots were heard. A chair was thrown through the window on to the street.” Accused said. “ Who can give that evidence?” Witness replied, “The carriers on the stand across tlie street.” Accused replied, “My God.” He did not refer to it again. Witness charged accused with the attempted murder of young Cresswell. 'Accused replied, “I understand, Sergeant,” After accused was searched, witness searched his office, and in the right-hand drawer of the table he found five photographs of nude women, and a careful search was made for a letter which: witness had been told had been written by Mackay resigning the Mayoralty, but he could not find It. Witness located four revolver shells, two on the right hand side of Mackay’s chair, one on the back of some books, and one at the back of a roll-top desk on the other side of the room. The shells fitted the revolver. One pellet went through the wall, another into some books, and the. third was located in the lining of the wall. Mr Treadwell: “Bid he say how long he carried the revolver?” Witness: “He said that lie carried .if during the Prince’s visit. s “1 PLEAD. GUILTY.” When asked to plead, the accused, ■who was standing with his arms folded, said quietly and distinctly, “1 plead guilty,” Accused was committed to the Supreme Cpurt at Wanganui for sentence.