SIR HECTOR MACDONALD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIX, Issue 13091, 2 April 1903, Page 5

SIR HECTOR MACDONALD.

THE FUNERAL. A PROTEST AGAINST SENSATIONALISM. United Press Association —By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright. March 31. Thero were no representatives of the Army or Edinburgh Corporation at General Macdonald's funeral. A movement has been started to erect a memorial at Dingwall. Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart-Wortley, military attache to the British. Embassy at Paris, has written to the " New York Herald," expressing intense disgust at the sensational headings and manner of wording the " Herald's" .account of the charges against General Macdonald, which were, he declares, sufficient to cause dismay to any man, whether guilty or not. THE DESIRE FOR PRIVACY. LONDON, March 31. A gun carriage was not sent from London to carry General Maicdonald's remains, as the family, replying to an inquiry on the matter froni the War Office, said that the journey was intended to be strictly private. AN IMPRESSIVE VINDICATION., "HOUNDED TO DEATH." SYDNEY, April 1. Mr ,Keith Gibson, an ex-captain in the Imperial Army, and a familiar friend and regular correspondent of General Macdonald, in the course of an interview, a'fter paying the highest tribute to the soldierly qualities/of Sir Hector, said, with reference to the charges some papers would insinuate :—" A more cruel suggestion was never inserted in any paper in the world. Knowing his nature as I do, I am certain that he would,have stood crucifying rather than oven think tho charges. That was one thing above all;in Macdonald's nature; he led a moral life. His aim was to prove an example to others. To do that he- was always trying to educate and improve himself. He never gambled and never drank. In one of his last letters he mentioned some funny business, intriguing being tried by a few of the elite, who seemed to have made up their minds to ruin, him, but he observed that, with the help of God, while he lived and ■ was morally responsible for his actions his career would remain as it had grown in the British Army. Reference was further made to a trap which had been, set to compromise him morally. His position, he explained, kept him from going away or even mentioning the matter. He was perfectly happy in his family relations,'' and there was nothing wrong between himself and his wife. His wife was the most honourable woman, but owing to his position, to have kept her with him on foreign service would have placed her in-rather a peculiar social position. In a letter just prior to his appointment to Ceylon, while recognising the high- honour of his being appointed to the command, he declared that socially he detested the appointment. In another letter he told Captain Gibson that rather than hold, a position, no matter how,, high, where socially he would always have to be on the scene, he would resign. On at least one occasion he tried to resign on those conditions, but Lord Roberts would not hear of it." Captain Gibson concluded: —"I am sure there will be a military inquiry into the whole matter. When a thorough investigation is made they will discover the reason for it all: why there was a conspiracy and why he was hounded to death. I am sure that the public will soon know that poor Mac has been cruelly murdered." Captain Gibson intends to forward copies of Macdonald's letters to the War Office, and take other steps to vindicate his memory. ,