MACDONALD TRAGEDY.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 854, 31 March 1903, Page 2

MACDONALD TRAGEDY.

DISBELIEF IN THE CHARGE.

By; telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. LONDON, March 2tL 'A' soil of lhe late Sir Hector Maoionald, aged fifteen years, and Lady Macdonald’s solicitors, have consented to the removal‘of his remains from Paris, and at the instance of the relatives of the deceased it, has now jbeert arranged in compliance with the wishes of the Scottish people, to have the funeral in Scotland. General Macdonald's son arrived in Paris to eseort the remains, and subsequently started from Dieppe for Newhaven in charge of the body. An influential and representative commit tee is being formed to investigate the charges made against General Macdonald, with the view of disproving them. , . ~ . All the late General s intimate friends discredit the possibility of the charges being true. WIDOW. INSISTS ON PRIVATE FUNERAL^ PATHETIC .TRIBUTES .TO DEAD HERO.*

By, Telegraph—Press AssociationCopyright. . Received 10.41 p.m., March 39. LONDON, March 30. The late General Macdonald’s body. Was brought secretly to London oil Sunday. A number of Scotchmen were much disappointed at not being able to learn the time of the arrival at the The collin was removed quietly from London Bridge to King’s Cross

station. Much indignation was expressed at the determination of General Macdonald’s widow to have the remains of her husband quietly interred in Dean’s Cemetery. Edinburgh, at six o’clock on Monday morning Representatives of Loudon Scottish societies induced Lady Jcune to represent to the Widow that Scottish feeling was that; the national hero ought to receive last honors^ This appeal failing, large numbers of Scotchmen, including Sir William Allan, W. J. Galloway, and .L G s Weir, members of the House of Commons, and some Indies, filed past the open doors of the van, which was placed in the centre of the train containing the coflin, and saluted the dead in Gaelic fashion, throwing loose flowers. Then the secretaries of Scottish societies placed on the coffin wreaths of white heather and forget-me-nots, with the inscribed words in Gaelic, “ Let the ,-Dcad. Sleep.’’

EFFORTS TO HAVE A' PUBLIC FUNERAL.; the appeals to widow 3 By; Telegraph—Press Association-* Copyright^ Received 12. M a.m., Match 31. LONDON, March 30, When the train left, Ring’s Cross,with the widow, son, and the late General Mgcdonald’s brother, pipers played the dirge “ Flowers of the Forest.” . An impromptu meeting was held in the. Great Northern Hotel, London, Mr Weir, a member of the House of Commons, presiding. He explained that he had urgently but valinly appealed to Hie widow not to permit a hurried funeral, as it wenild be certain to cause grief and indignation in Scotland. He said that it was useless to interview Government or Lord Roberts, as the arrangements had been left t o the widow.

Mr Allan, a member of the House or Commons, said that it, would he easy to arrange a Highland funeral if the body were interred on the Black Isle. Some speakers inferred that Lord Balfour’s advice had decided the widow’s action. Scores of telegrams were sent to,, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh and other influential persons, urging that a large gathering of the clans meet the body, and make a final effort to defer the funeral until public obsequies could be. arranged. The Town Council of Dingwall offered a grave in the cemetery, overlooking the late General Macdonald’s birthplace.

A QUIET BURIAL. * AT DAWN OF DAY. By Telegraph—Presß Association—Copyright Received 12.52 a.m., March 31. London, March 30. The body of tho lato General MacDonald was buried at dawn, in Dean Cemetory, Edinburgh, in tho presence of only eighty spectators.