New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-17


Alphabetically at noon funeral service performed
in the Tombs over the body Of Robert G. Mcdonald.
Tie Rev Mr.. Wiley rector of Christ Church in Fifth
avenue, read the burial service. The body has been
embamed by DIR. Holmes, and placed in the apart
menfs of Mr. Whittemore, tie book-keeper OF the
prison. Supervisors Conner and Purdy, Gov. Bell,
ex-Judge Grandin of NewJersey, and Jas. L. Brady,
esq were present during the services. The body was
taken to Kentucky at o'clock in the afternoon BY the
friends Of deceased During the process of embalmns
the body it was discovered that he had an aneurm OF
the aorta which would have caused his death in few
months. The Post says:
"We have received from source which seems to
be authentic statement of the reasons why Mcdonald
was not brought to trial. and developing some facts
never before made public.
1McDonald was indicted in August 1859, and the
indictment removed from the Sessions to the Court
of Over and Termner. In October astay OF proceed
ings until the December term was granted on applca-
ton of his counsel for commissions to examine wit
The order OF the Court directed copies Oh the
direct questions to he served on the Disrict-Attorney
within elk days and that the District Attorney should,
within ten days thereafter serve copies OF his cross,
inerrogatoies and that futher time should be granted
if he desired it, The direct nterrogatores were served
on the 2sh of October but the neutrality-suspicious. OF
the District Attorney hare neCer been Serref
"On the 2sh Of February, McDonalds counsel
were informed that the wond be
brought on at the last April term. On the receipt of
that information Mcdonald friends were written TO-
and they have since held themselves in readiness at
Louisville to attend the trial at moment notice. At
the urgent solicitation of Mcdonald, earnest and re-
peated efforts made to insure his trial at the
April term. He expressly gave instructions 10 MS
counsel to bring The case on for trial at that term II II
could possibly be done. All that his counsel cou ID do
WAS cndeay0r TO procure copies OF the cro5s-lter
ro0atoiies and the execution of the commissions.
% In the latter part of March, or the st OF April
McDOnads counsel were notified by telegraph that an
emissary, who stated at one time that he was the
friend and lawyer of Mcdonald and at another time
that he was sent he supposed, with the knowledge
and appreciation of the Dlstrct-Atorney ana OF tne
counsel for Mcdonald, mad appeared in Louisville
with copies of the direct nterogatores on the part OF
tie prisoner and endeavoring 10 ascertain what
the Witnesses would state in answer to those lnterrog
atories. This emssary then stated that the trlal
would not come of till May, and finally gave 1t as his
opinion that il would not be moved before October.
i"This information was given to McDonads female
relatives and fricnds ard they of course communl-
tated to him. A letter received from his sister,
dated the 9TH of May, states My poor brother Is
yeIy sad in consequence. He says, Il VIII have 10
lineer here all that time In order to enable the
friends of Mcdonald TO return to their homes from
Louisville if the trial not to proceed letter was
cent to the District-Attorney on the h instant asking
him to advise the counsel for Mcdonald If 1t was In
tended to try his this term. TO that letter no
answer received.
1T will be seen that the statement that the case
would have been tried this week is necessarily moor
rect.
"The emssary alluded to- on his return TO this
city, by means Of letter from MeDonalds sister,
gained admttance to bis cell and stated to him that the
trial would not come before next October, and this
seemed to disbearten him.
"MeDonad was poor He had a few nntring
friends who believed that he guilty of murder
They believed that the legal presumption OF innocence
exsted in McDonad's case fact and we are in
Ormed that il is not their fault nor the ault OF ms
counsel that the case was not tried long ago."
The delay in the trial is due to Mr. Waterbury, the
Dstrict-Atorney who, while protesting that be did
not have time to prepare the crossnterrogatories,
could nevertheless spare several weeks to attend the
Charleston Convention.