Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-05-17

indictment charging him with the murder OF his mistress
Virginia Stewart in front of the Brandreth House. on
the 25th of July 1852 committed suicide in his cell yes
terda noon, by taking large quantity OF Munns elixir
| an opiate four times the strength OF ludanum.
| NURDER.
The history and incidents ol the murder with which
Macdonald vas charged aud which, indeed he confessed
and the excitement created at the time are still fresh
in the recollection ofmany OF cur readers; but give
brief sketch OF the prties and the affair.
Sirpina Stewart was the eldest daughter of poor but
respectable parents living in Napier street Boston At
the age of sixteen she was adopted by elderly aud
well to do couple, named Ferry who took her first to
Springfield ana then to New York In 1856 she came TO
see her mother, who had again married man named
UPTON Mr. Stewart having deceased and informed her
that she had married gentleman named Macdonald Oi
her daughters real character and habits Mrs UPTON knew
nothing until the murder and she gave her evidence up
on the iuqrest weeping bitterly and appearing weighed
down with grief The bullet from Macdonald's pistol
! thus inflicted double wound bringing agony to the
mother not less than to his mistress.
All this while Virginia instead Of being with the Per
rvs New York at house OF prostitution in Mo-
bile aud there she became acquainted with Macdonald
who was doing lucrative business as cotton broker in
that cy The particulars Of her lapse from virtue have
not been revealed. Miss Stewart was very beautiful
! SNOWY and attractive woman, and Macdonald became
desperately euamored of her making her costly presents
aud finally taking her mistress During their inter
course she bore Lin two children both OF whom died
| nj Macdonald
CANT while Virginia, like most women OF her class
cold calculating and seems have inherited great
!eal of Yankee shrewdness in financial matters. The
sums Of money which her lover laYishcd upon her were
carefully boarded his rich presents were converted into
ready cash. and she accumulated sufficient means
to open Jagnio upon her own account This step
taken in defiance OF the expressed wishes OF her lover
and for the purpose of making money, and led TO many
quarrels between herself and her paramount Macdonalds
incorporate habits gIey upon him, and noensed by Viz
ginas noa- pilnce with hi' wishes, he often drew
knives and pistols upon her and at her instance he was
more than once locked up in the guard house. When
ober be was as loving and All couste ever but when
IN liquor the rccoCcions Of these dsgrGces seemed al
most to madden him. and So dsgusted with his repeat.
ed eycessc Miss Stewart determined TO leave him before
she was drawn into tic same vortex Of destruction.
With this view and for the purpose qfsecung sup
ply Of girls for her establishment she came 10 New York
whittier she asserts MacdOusd followed her for the
purpose of reycnging himself for her deseon Macdon
aid the contrary says in h statement that che
so wrapt up IN her that he could not shake her off, and
finally quilted Mobile aud came TO New York for the
purpose Of getting rid OF her aud that she followed him
tor the purpose Of rellaming him.
Another account states that both parties came to this
city, unknown TO each other, aud that Macdonald acc
deny heard Of her presence here, and had his Jealous
PASSIONS iuhamed by tie information that she living
here with another p3ramour. IN this city Virginia lived
for While at the Smithsonian House aud then removed
house OF prostitution in &aon street, where she
dci at the TINE Other death Macdonald resided at the
Metropolitan where he became the Office; Of especial re-
mark account Of his repeated dis.plions To the
mouStrdhces OF the proprietor 4N" us 'eN'S h' pd no
attention, but continued 7 rIiuouS course see|nS hi'
mistress in az! the houses C prostitution, ana Threatening
to be rcvcnged upou her for be. ndd,ty. Unable 10
find her IN TINS city he went TO boston anu tHere VISITED
Vrgnias mother, tc'g her th'i he was her d1uglters
husband, thlt he Lau nlG" u'"H"E' ai" 'Nal w hO,'n
p-Iauce htd caused All me lo'p: nel".en th,hi una
ne was u, "'"e 'o u'' '''''He -' "'u " ''' '''
%O.u o''. I'm Va - YIN ' ,"0' 1-
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or III. boi Macdonald drew his revolver aud with un.
; ain, sert ilc fsf, Lrlt cfs- him throu,l, her
.ku The trect was as crowded as is usual upon july
sarnoon and bigh above the din aud hustle of the busy
bropo rose the shrek of the murd, red woman summon.
inc ,bousan1s to tbp epot
.rrr,prs At srtcIpr
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rot, o,tan,nts IN commit suicide by shp,tpg himself
- tIi L.,d n, had tho ni.toI r,i.,d ,,d HI. fin,
COR mon e trigger when officer Roberts wrenched the
pisto from his hand Even when removed to the STA
lion house the idea Of suicide seemed uppermost in his
mind When the officer handed the pistol TO his supari-
or Macdonald made desperate spring for it. and was
restrained with the greatest dill .uty From undated
notes found unon his nerson tie idea if not of the mIr
dor certainly of his suicide WAS uuLoubted;y peInedita
ted The notes are dated at the Metropolitan Hotel and
written with an unsteady trembling band and are much
botted and interned In one directed to Mr. John W.
smith, of Mobile, he savs:-
am about to commit that which viii astonish YOU
and leave some instructions Sith Messrs Leland Co
in REGARD 10 nv BODY
This letter was probahly written after lis return from
Roston and while dcprcssed at the il-succcss of his
asrcb for his mistress At the station house Macdonald
dittoJ bis mill hpt said that ne HAD Lost all or,roI
80 L,sor. no b.d hesp nm snrea and was n n, Il, bs
ibt senses b@ vos sniff ring from he excitement nr
rnm and so carried pistol and dirk which he WAS not
in the habit of doing and that Virginia had been his r
in and deserved her fate In these statements his de-
Srce ON his trial was oreshadoyed Al first he anneor.
eJ ~ be Iaborino under oreat mental denression ht
nTaJ,Iv rocovered rno3 his removal IN The 1'o,1i
R,ri. ;e nisbt be seemed cnrion. ahont The aorSor
DHtire ;"o ,a, os ata. L. i
VI l,o No oorse for tho deeJ U ss ji,1 ~
'eSo'rs s;or. ~ S ho r,eb,,s J $50, ,,,'s,r =!
S"ai ,O' ,bo sbic, of his inc,rccr,,ion
..e1! upol ~, ;b be was nor ,,oS
,Sap sinnia,
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