The Portland daily press., 1882-07-15
HELEN M. MACDONALD.
Remarkable Career of a Maine Woman

|
| Some weeks since, thin, tall, nervous, en-
| ergetc-looking woman with white hair ana
pallid complexion, dressed in goods of fine tex
| ture, but of bizarre and awkward cut, took the
Boston steamer for Norfolk, Va. She was es-
corted to the boat by gentleman who seemed
| kindly disposed toward her, but she started on
| her Journey alone. 1t was her intention 10
make somewhat extensive tour of this coun-
| try, but the anxiety and disease which had
| been exhausting her vital energies for months
| and years past were not such as to be overcome
| by mere change of scene. At Washington
| she fell sick, and on last Friday died. Inc
doctor said the cause of her death was consnmp'
| ton of the blood General Benjamin f. but
| Ter, when informed of the demise of the wo-
man, for whom he had acted as counsel IN nu-
merous law actions, ordered her body to be EN-
balmed and sent to Houlton, Aroostook couh
ty, Maine. Her name was Helen M. Macdon-
ald and her career a strange one. She Went
to Boston years ago from Lowell Mass, whl'h-
er she had previously gone from her down-EasS
home. During the first period of her residence
there she earned modest living by drens-maK-
ing Finally she devised an article of feme-
nine use known as dress protector. This, at
the suggestion of friends, she had patented IN
September, 1874, whereby for seventeen years
she became entitled to the full and exclusive
privilege of making and vending the contriv-
ance. 1t became very popular for time, so
much so it would appear that other parties be-
gan to manufacture it and supply the market
without paying royalty. Miss Macdonald, for
she was never married, went to the United
States courts for protection. In October, 1874
she instituted equity suit against s. M
Blackmere and others of Boston. This action
has never been fully settled, but in the course
of the litigation it has become quite apparent
that she was in the right. Therefore, from time
to time, various suits against other dealers
have been undertaken, until at present she has
pending in the United States Circuit Court To-
Gated in Boston some thirty-eight actions, in
which all the prominent dry goods houses IN
Boston appear as defendants Some OF these
have lately been compromised and settle
ment effected to the satisfaction OF Miss Mac
donald. General Butler has appeared as her
counsel. The contests at law, however, have
been very prolonged and sturdily contested. In
many cases on account of his multifarious en-
gagements the General has not been able to
personally attend to the matter, and then Miss
Macdonald has gone into court and conducted
her own case with singular acumen and ability.
She has thus earned the soubriquet of "the
woman lawyer" In fact for the past five
years she was done little else beyond attending
the courts and studying up her cases. She has
lived for a long time at 8 Winter street, occu-
plying four rooms in the upper story, which are
quite elegantly furnished. She has led very
secluded life, having few acquaintance aud no
intimates. Her only relatives known to be
living are sister in California, and another
sister with two daughters at Houlton. Miss
Macdonald had the reputation of being very
generous-heasted, and many stories are told Of
the kindly way in which she has often relieved
distress She was woman of numerous &C.
centricities. 1t is thought that the care and
ceaseless anxiety attending her suits did much
to undermine her health. It is said that some
two years since she made will, leaving the
bulk of her property to her nieces at Houlton,
of whom she was very fond