The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-22 00:00:00

INVERNESS SHERIFF CRIMINAL
COUI17; Aug. 14.
♦ MODERN LOCIIINTAR.

In the month of February last. an incilent, or series
of incidents, occurred is the Hebrides, which excited
conaerable interest there and- wherever the story
spread. It was a romance of love—Of love opposed by
friends—of flight, pursuit, capture, and rescue—termi-
nating in marriage. Never was the old adage, "love
I.ughs at locksmiths," more singularly illustrated. In
the course of the proceedings, however, certain wild and
lawless proceedings took place, for which the principal
party concerned and two assistants were indicted before
the Criminal Court. To-day was fixed for the trial, in
which great interest seemed to be taken in the town.
foe trial was not concluded till a late hour, but the fol-
lowing is an abstract of the proceedings :
Donald Macdonald, Baliloch, North Uist (son of Mr.
Macdonald, Muakstadt); Donald Mackenzie, Munk-
stadt, Kilmuir, Skye; and Charles Mackinnon, fisherman,
Munkatadt; were accused of invading the house of John
Robertson Macdonald, Esq., Rodil, Harris, commis-
stoner for the Earl of Dunmore, in company with a
number of others, some armed with sticks, when they
burs% oi,en the door, assaulted Mr. and Mrs. Macdonald,
and Mr. Macdonald's clerk and shepherd, the former to
the effusion of his blood and injury of his person—the
inmates having been by these proceedings put to great
t -rror and alarm.
Donald Macdonald was the only party who appeared,
and he pleaded not guilty. Warrant was granted to
apprehend the other parties charged. A jury was em-
pannelled. A special defence was set up by the pri-
soner, and read to the Court and the jury, to the effect
that the prisoner went to Rodil for the accomplishment
of a legal engagement; that he and the lady, now his
wife, were separated against their mutual wishes; and
that if noise took place on the occasion, it was not on
account of the prisoner, but of those who opposed him.
Donald Ferguson, servant with Mr. Kenneth Macdo
nald, of Skeab. ast, uncle of the prisoner, went with his
master to Garnish, Urribost, on a Friday morning. Had
heard that Donald had gone off with a daughter of Mr.
Macdonald, of Balranald. They went to Uig next day,
and the panel went for several of his father's servants.
Donald Macleod, captain of a small vessel, the Eliza
Macivoi, was applied to to take them to Harris. It was
so st army that he would not go, and they got another
boat ready to go to Harris "to get a wile for their
master's son." It was so stormy that several went
back to Munks'adt. They kf.; the shore between eleven
and twelve o'clock at night. Eleven or twelve were in
the boat. lie and the panel were there. They got to the
harbour of Rodil, in Harris, about four is the morning.
The house was close by. They went up to the grieve's
house, and witness foetid out from the daughter that
the la!). for whom the/ had come was sleeping in the
bed-room. arid that Mrs. Macdonald slept with her. Ile
told the panel, and the party went up to the house.
The door was partly open, and the panel went in. Wit-
ne..s was standing at the porch, and the men round about,
when Mr. Macdonald (Rodil) came out of the house in
his shirt and drawers, swearing at them as if be was
mad, for coming to the house at that time of night to
rob it. The Llwismn (Donald Alackerzie) answered
that they had come " to get a wile f,r Munkstait's son."
Some of Rodtl's men slept in an out-house, and he went
in that direction. He was soon followed by Kenneth
Mecdonakl, his clerk, half dressed, and with a gun in
his hand. He said if they did not go away ho would
shoot them, when. Lewistnan swore at him, and said,
" it you don't be-quiet—are you going to shoot me?"
He then heard the clerk cry murder, but heard no blows,
and the clerk retreved into the house. Lights were ap-
pearing and ditappearing, they heard this front door
fastened from within, ant the men, who were out-
side, said among themselves, " that if they got Munk-
stades son out, they did not care whether they got the
wife or no." The panel put his bead out of the window,
and cried, " Com, in my lads and take the t-unks, we
aro ready to be off." They went towards the boats, and
seeing Rodil's gardener going as if to waken men, wit-
ness took him by the breast and hell him there. The
trunks were carried down, the lady tollowed last, and

they set sail for Skye. There was some conversation ill
the boat about going to a place near Borrodale, and to
remain there tilt night, if pursued.—[ the point in•
volved in this last answer was not clearly brought out
by the witness, as he stated, in answer to Mr. Stewart,
that it was till the wind and sea would go down a little
Cross-examined—Norman Macdonald, who was in the
boat, was to be the bearer or a letter from the lady to
her mother. When going to Harris there was no tale of
violence. He heard no noise and saw no violence what-
ever at Rodil, except what was made by Rodil himself
and the clerk. There was no noise after the clerk went

in Mr. Donald Macdonald male no noise in the house.
The sole object of going to Harris was to get the lady,
not to rob. He had before that heard that Mr. Cooper
desired to marry the lady, and had gone to Munkstadt
with pistols to kill Munkstadt's son. He had hoard that
Mr. Cooper had asked the lady, and the lady refused
him. He (witness) had heard that the panel and lady
had gone off before, but did not know where, and her
uncle had taken her from him in spite of her. When
in the boat leaving Harris, the lady said she was very
William Macdonald, Fearn of Kilmuir, a sheriff's
officer, was one of the party who went to Harris. They
sailed froin Tyrone to Roth?, a distance of about twenty
miles. The party had sticks, in case 83M0 attempt
might be made against them. It was dark when they
arrived, about two in the morning. The panel and his
uncle went into the house, to ling the men to stand at
the gate. In ten minutes, Mr. Donald aim() to the
door, and told them he had been at the bedside, and the
lady was getting ready to come out, and they were to
stand at the dour, as she might have some luggage.
(The witness then corroborated the preceding evidence
in a number of points.) When the clerk threatened
to shoot them, the L-wisman gave him a blow on the
head with his stick; Mackinnon, at the same time, took
the gun from him, and the clerk, calling murder, went
into the house. Some of the men then went into the
house, and he heard them saying to Mr. Macdonald,
bl
dopnetealede,athayt
itfhehree would
dd
be no tdhiestivjignainCle. to
go
He heard Mr. Donald
Macdonald call out—" Come on, my lads, I am a prisoner
in the house." The door was fastened, but they forced
it open, and f.)ur men w. nt up the silt re to the bed-room,
where there was some scuffling. Witness waekeepine out
of the way, not wishing Rodil to recognise him. Mac-
leod brought down a trunk, and witless carried it t ) the
boat, and on returning met them all coming out. Some
of the party had hold of Rodil, some of them of the
clerk, and some of the shepherd, and were brandishing
their sticks over their heads. There was ten minutes'
scuffling at the bottom of the stairs before they got out.
They then set sail for Sk)e, having been about two hours
at Rodil.
Cross examined—Mr. Macdonald told us when leav•
ing Skye to act peaceably and do no harm. Witness
would not have gone if violence was to hev' been used.
The panel told witless that the lady had been taken
from him at Tarbert against his and her will. There
was no violence till the clerk came out and preeeutei
the gun at one of the party. When,they came down
stairs seufilwc, RAH and his perty were trying to keep
the lady. Ile heard Mr. Donald Macdonald calling her
his wife. Rodil said he wished her to remain, so that
he (Macdonald) might get her with consent of her
father. Macdonald slid he would not wait. He heard
Rodil ask the lady whether she would rather go or re
main, and she said she would rather go away. She did
not appear sorry, but laughed and seemed hearty. She
was now married.

By Mr. MACKEY—DonaId Macdonald said in the boat
they were to behave peaceably. They were not to do
any harm to any who were to meet them, but they were
to stand by Macdonald and do their duty. They ex-
pected resistance, and were prepared for it.
By Sheriff Coultatous—l had a walking•stick, and I
am still a sheriff officer.

Donald Macleod, master of the Eliza Macleod, said
that when he was lying at Lochmaidy, on the 15th of
February, the prisoner came on board with a lady, at
four o'clock in the morning. He said they were going
to Edinburgh to be married. Witness sailed at half-
ter wards for
past coven or Tarbert, in Harris, and af