New-York tribune., 1884-11-16
NEARLY SIX YEARS IN JAIL.
THE STORY TOLD BY A PRISONER.


.u.,v AGAINST THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT FOR
. 81 500 OOO-AN ALLEGED COMMISSION UNsAi-
rsrInD
Among the prisoners in Ludlow Street Jai is ah
.,anr,v man of medium stature with fair COM
rlexion. a face that indicates refinement and un-
usua intelligence calm blue eyes aud a bearing
coward all at once gentlemanly and kind.
On hearing him speak would at once con-
c,pde that he had been well educated
His hair is gray and his beard is streaked WIN
white while on his ruddv face there is no line 10
indicate age That he has seen trouble no one VINO
studics his face could fail TO observe HIS name Is
Macdonald. Six years ago he entered the prison
gates a hearty healthy youthful man; now ne Is
rrematurely old. his hair, then a light brown. mas
heeome white his step has become feeble and his
life is broken wreck The story hs tells is as fol-
lows:
He is native Of Scotland and came to America
IN ls4s a Young boy. After living some years In
Canada he entered the Harvard Law School, where
he stoud high in his class. hut was not graduated.
For i've years he studied law at the college and
,u the office uf Rufus Choate but abandoned
his profession TO enter into business, where
he became successful in the handling
az cotton. when the War broke ont he teccveh
ret,risson from President Lincoln to buy cotton
within the intaf, lines Of the United states ana
teine btiiisl subject. to place II under the pro-
,.r,jnn ~ The british ling tu protect II itoi the
t,,tplptaies lie secured large a,n1hnt ~ tetluh
~ 4, n ,pssep, investing large siiis ~ honet ~
che r.ithasa, bene quite site 0i ts saiett nnuei
tbp ii,llish dag, iiHi sme otei-Sealohs lthpiai
sI,at nIieei, thinbine " ifnhabif russ ~ we
eHnNly, ordered The e1lioh i9 ha hhihp,l ahh tie
esieJ was executed After, The Waf, ana ai'ti tin
Geueys award had heen made, he applied ~ 'hp
limited states aud british Commission Tor damages
a.. al
the claim at ~ ,hO0,00O aud employing Mess's,
lIoyey 10 Dole of Washington, attorneys and
claim agents To manage the aialI Tor INN. ms
firm obj aimed from him an agreement 10
The effect that if they recovered the full amount OF
the claim they should receive about plo,ooo ioi
their services. The agreement was not, however
nut into their hands but deposited Tor saie keeping
with another person. with the understanding that
was not 70 be delivered to Hovey and Dole without
tho express order of Macdonald. After protracted
litigation $3.50 900 was awarded TO him III salts
faction of his claim, and paid him by the British
Government through its agent at Washington.
Exactly what were the services OF iiovey N Daie
Macdonald does not understands, but at any ra.s
the agreement made between them was delivered
to the firm after the payment OF the Sl9U,oUo.
They then appealed to the Supreme Court OIL tne
District of Columbia, presenting the agreement, 10
have a decree made declaring them to have lien
to the extent of 900 upon the whoie iuha vi
$1.5O0,O00. They obtained the decree, pur mace
tbat nouTt the General Term reversed the order,
and the entire fund was subsequently paid TO Mac
donald less some small charges about len
there was no dispute From this second decree
Uovev d Dole appealed and were successful; thus
leaving the case in It's original asPect. nae1
from Washington to Brooklyn and went into busi-
ness was uniOrtunaie friends nS 'tSS. etc
md lost all hls money. Hovey & Dole came to this
city with their rinal decree. applied Tor ana b.
tained from the Superior Court of New-York an or;
H.
converted to his own use bonds ana money 10 'ne
extent of $4,000, which, under the lien, was their
Macdonald was sent to Ludlow Street Jail, and
f. there to-day. He has exhausted every means
IN his power ,o r Se bm TO- 90 out under the
Insolvent act which he firmly declines to DO, as 10
the business of the claim of Hovey ana D9e.
Lately he has employed, or rather mas cohsehe' 10
accent of the services of j. Agernon owens, OF NO
40 Nassau-st., TO secure nm nearing neioIt
some court. lie has nothing, is absolutely without
funds and Mr. Owens does not expect any pay for
his services. He has Lelped numbers
of unfortunate prisoners ont OF jan
ALI" as Mr. Macdonald says; for charity. But
want to pay him and intend TO 90 II a. soon soon as
am able. have great faith IN him aud believe he
can do sOme hing for me. lne court mat sent me
here assumed unlawful jurisdiction | am denied
trial on the merits Of my case because such tiiai
wonid exuose the count. Nv long imprisonment
has berelt of funds. All that was due TO me
when entered here has by virtue OF the statues
of limitation become the properly Oh 1h9se
who owed me: therefore the case cannot reach
trial. even should the courts at this late date be
disposed 10 grant one. do not ask for charity, but
for and such as any man might ask in an eXlgency
wherein he could not aid himself. ask the
loan of a few hundred dollars necessary TO deiray
legal expenses and which will not ony repay as
eo as poss bic after release, but gladly with most
any interest for its use, which to me VIII
simply be the price of liberty. The security may
not be the choicest in the market, yet within the
past hour poorer investments may have been maze
In this vast city, aud that may not be entitled 10
the merit of having accomplished something Ill oe-
half of Justice and liberty
WHAT LAWYER OWENS SAYS
Mr. Owens spoke with feeling of the unfortunate
mans situation aud expressed his determination to
do all in his power TO secure his release.
Gle is a kind straightforward honest
man. IA far as | can judge "a gentleman
of breeding and education. He comes
from the elan Macdonald III scotland AMI under
stand is cousin of Sir john Macdonald
of Canada He has sent many dis,
matches to the British Government ~ regard
io bta casr hut of course the comfy of Nations does
moi permit atv interference. His Dispatch to the
Earl OF Granville was one of the ablest papers !
Lny, over read aud would do credit to any lawyer