Charles Mackay (29 June 1875 – 3 May 1929) was a New Zealand lawyer, local politician, and

mayor of Wanganui The mayor of Whanganui (previously Wanganui) is the head of the Whanganui District Council. Since 1872, there have been 29 mayors. Andrew Tripe is the current mayor. History The Wanganui Town Board was first formed in 1862, and its first chairman ...

between 1906 and 1920. Born Charles Ewing Mackay (later known as Charles Evan Mackay) in

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

in 1875, Mackay achieved a BA and LLB in law. He started a law firm in

Wanganui Whanganui (; ), also spelled Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whang ...

in 1902. Gaining election to the Wanganui Borough Council in November 1905, he successfully contested the mayoralty in 1906. Mackay stood as an independent in the

electorate in the , but was defeated by

James Thomas Hogan James Thomas Hogan (1 December 1874 – 1 January 1953) was an Independent Member of Parliament for two electorates in the North Island of New Zealand. Born in Wanganui, Hogan was a machinist in the railway workshops, and a trade union secreta ...

and George Hutchison in the first ballot. He became notorious after shooting writer

Walter D'Arcy Cresswell Walter D'Arcy Cresswell (22 January 1896 – 21 February 1960) was a New Zealand poet, journalist and writer. Life and career Cresswell was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, to Hannah ( née Reese) and Walter Joseph Cresswell, a solicitor. His ...

, who apparently threatened to out him as homosexual. In 1920, Mackay was convicted of Cresswell's attempted murder. Mackay served time in

Mount Eden prison Mount Eden Prisons consists of two separate facilities in the Auckland, New Zealand suburb of Mount Eden — the Mount Eden Prison and the Mount Eden Corrections Facility. History The original Mount Eden prison was a military stockade built i ...

. He was released in 1926, after serving six years with hard labour of his 15-year sentence. A condition of his release was that he leave the country and, in 1928, he moved to England. Mackay was soon working in Berlin as a language teacher and part-time correspondent. In his latter function, he covered communist street riots raging after May Day 1929 and was mistakenly shot dead by a policeman.

References

1875 births 1929 deaths Mayors of Wanganui New Zealand politicians convicted of crimes 20th-century New Zealand lawyers New Zealand LGBT politicians Unsuccessful candidates in the 1908 New Zealand general election People from Nelson, New Zealand People convicted of attempted murder LGBT mayors of places in New Zealand People shot dead by law enforcement officers in Germany {{NewZealand-law-bio-stub