The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-30

A Life Prisoner Pnrdoned ne Innocent
Thouwh He Believed HintseIr GuIIty.

ETuW ~ W fFeF fTthH
LANSING. March %. 90 Rich to-day, by the
exercise of the pardoning power, released John
Mcdonald. n life convict, from the state prison
at Marquette. The case was in many respects a
most remarkable ono, the prisoner until recent
ly never believing himself that he did not COM
NIT the crime for which he was serving SEN
tence.
He was tried in tho Marquette Circuit Court
In February. 1890, for the murder Of Mollie
Bevcridge, near M~atchwood, Ontonagon county,
convicted, and sentenced by Judge Stoero to I'm
prisonment at Marquette for life. He was at
that time 30 yenrs OF age. and had led q some
what romantic life. His real namc was John
McDonOugh. but while n boy he enlisted In the
regular army under the name OF Mcdonald. and
after ward retained that name. After serving
ten years in the regular army he drifted east
ward. working at ordinary labor in various
der he went to the Upper Peninsula, and was
employed by the Diamond Match Company, in
upon a homestead, upon which he built a small
house. lie wasa quiet, peaceab,e fellow, some
auarrelsome. Ills character in the prison is
said by the Pardon Board to be TO tho highest
bespests the lack Of !" criminai intent. S''''"'
In 1883 Mcdonald sold his interest In his
claim to James Redpath, but no continued to
Joined by n man named Duncan BeveridRe, and
during the same year Relpath and BcSeridge
brought two women to the place. They were
known rs Mol,ie Beveridge and Maggie Red
path. The Pardon Board IS satisfied that these
two men were notorious coundrcls. dlvckeepers,
and criminals, and Beveridge is charged with
having com murder previousto this time.
Up to the time of the tragedy these five persons
lived together there in tho woods. having APP
parently no object in life but to pass the time as
PLEASANTLY rs possible.
Beverldge and his mistress slept In a bed in
one corner of a room, Redpath and his mistress
In another corner, Mcdonald slept upon n couch
In the kitchen. This was the situation when
the parties retired on the night Of Nov. II, 1880.
Some time between the hours Of . and 3 the
llnN8in nrn thu Val nA VntnAn UNA
shot in the left side OF the head. from the effects
OF which she died in n few hours. Maggie Red
path WAS shot through the upper part of the
thigh and Duncan BOyerldge was injured In his
left forehead and arm.
murder Of Mollie Beveridge. The Redpath wo-
man was in q hospital, and was not sworn upon
me trlai, ana McnonGla was eohvIcIea upon n .ne
They stated that theywere awakened in the night
tus1, as the t Beyeridgs woman shrieked ,haat she she
Donald had a struggle over the possession Of
WINCHESTER rifle They said Mcdonald was
with him he said something about a hor-
rible dream. Mcdonald was not sworn upon
the trial and it does, not appear, that
much effort was made in his behalf
by his attorney, He says that all he
sufficiently awake to realize anything he was
struggling with one of the men for the posses
sion Of the gun. He could not deny that he
but he insisted that he had no motive for it. At
the time, he says, he supposed that he must
HdNS uoIo lilc Shpotiuk thcS hi suit
that he did. Although his attorney made a de-
tense on the theory of somnambulism, the Par
don Board Is convinced that the trial was little
less than a farce.
The Red path woman lived Il short time with
Redpath. but afterward left him and Is now
married to a respectable citizen of Eau Claire,
Wis. She recently came before the Board of
Pardons and made n statement upon oath in
which she says that Mcdonald had nothing
whatever to do with the shooting. but Duncan
Beveridge. was the murderer. On the, night In
question. her deposition sets forth, Beveridge
and his mistress had q violent quarrel which
ended In the shooting. Bevertdge and Redpath
agreed together that they would charge
Mcdonald with the crime. and they sealed the
lips of the witness with threats.
The Pardon Board come to the conclusion that
the evidence against Mcdonald is altogether too
weak to hold him longer in prison, u majority Of
the members believing him %guiltless.