SIR. HECTOR MACDONALD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7688, 24 April 1903, Page 3

SIR. HECTOR MACDONALD.

THE ALLEGED CHARGES. The Sam Francisco mail brought news of the charges! against the late 'Major-General Sir Hector Macdonald, and also particulars of his sad end. Under date March 24, the "Sans Francisco Chronicle" publishes the f ollowing cable messages : — COLOMBO, March 24. Charges of the most serious nature have been brought against Majt>r-General Sir Hector Macdonald, commanding the British forces in Ceylon, in consequence- of which the Governor of the island, Sir Joseph West Ridgeway, has been authorised to convene a court-martial to tr: him. General Macdonald, when the charges were filed some time ago, went to England to confer with his friends and superior officers, and cow it is understood he will return and facs the charges whichj it is alleged, are based on immoral acts. LONDON 2 March 24. The announcement from Colombo that Major,-General Macdonald is to be tried by court-martial, on most serious charges of immoral conduct, will undoubtedly prove to be the greatest sensation in British military circles since) tb& case oi Colonel Valentine Baker, who wafc sentenced on August 2, 1875, to pay a fine of 2500d0-l, and to undergo twelve months' imprisonment, for assaulting a woman in a railway carriage. While the Army Officials and many of his brother officers, were aware that charges were pending against General Macdonald, no intimation of their nature leaked out until the dinner -of the officers of a Highland regiment^ on March 21, at which Macdonald .was not present. Lord Roberts, tho . Commander-in-Ohief, paid tribute iri a speech on that occasion) to the officers- who had served with distinction, but he. did not mention Mncdonald. This attracted considerable notice, and the sensation was increased when another speaker, who was not aware of tfr© facts of the case, lauded Macdpnalcl as a typical Highland soldier, and found that his remarks were received in' cold silence by the majority of the officers present. ' These cablegrams were followed next day with news of General Macdonald's suicide (the information being similar to ( that received here), and tlie following message : — LONDON, March- 25. The official announcement made by the Government of Ceylon om Monday, that Majof-General Macdonald 1 would be court-martialed, and the publicity givento the affair, were evidently the determining motives for the suicide. His friends attribute the unfortunate affair to his broken health and shattered nerves, the outcome of two campaigns ini the Soudan and South Africa. An. attack of dysen« tery, and a touch of sunstroke at Paardeburg, during the South African campaign, left serious effects, and a wound he received in the 'leg healed badly. It is said thai he often complained of pains in the head, and in Ceylon his health and the depression he was suffering grew worse, to such an extent that there was talk of invaliding him from the service. Sir Hector' Macdonald was separated from his wife many years ago, before he got his commission. H? had not lived with her since. He leaves a son, who is being educated in an English public school. _______________