Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-04-24
VERYSTRANGESTORY
A LIFE PRISONER PARDONED THOUGH
HE BELIEVED HIMSELF GUILTY..


HE BELIEVED HIMSELF GUILTY..
Tried For the Murder Of . Woman and
ssntenced For Life-Through tho Com
fession OF Another Woman He Has Been
Proved Innocent. #&3
Governor Rich Of Michigan recently, BY
re exercise Of tho pardoning power, re-
l;.sed J ohm Mcdonald, a life convict, from
tho state prison at Marquette. The case
WAS in many respects a most remarkable
ono, tho prisoner until recently never be-
licving himself that he did not commit the
Lrimo for which he was serving sentence
He was tried In the Marquette circuit
court In February, 1890, for the murder OF
Mollic Deveridge near Matchwotsl Onton
agon county, convicted and sentenced by
judge Steere to imprisonment at Mar.
qu.tc for life. He was ut that time IS
yours If age aud had led somewhat TO-
mantle life. His real name was John Mo.
Donough, but while boy he enlisted in
the REGULAR army under the name of Nc.
Donald and afterward retained that name
A ttor serving ten years In the regular
army he drifted eastward, working at
ordinary labor in various places. About
five ears previous to the murder he went
10 tao upper peninsula and was employed
by the Diamond Match company in On
tcnngon county. In 1887 he made a filing
upon homestead, upon which he bulls "a
small house. He was a quiet, peaceable
fellow, sometimes becoming intoxicated,
but was never quarrelsome. His character
in tho prison Is said by the pardon board
to bo to the highest degree exemplary and
his appearance generally bespeaks the lack
OF criminal intent.
In 1888 Mcdonald sold his interest in
his claim to James Redpath, but he con-
tinued to live there. In August, 1880, the
two men were joined by u man named
Duncan Beveridge, and during the same
ycur i,edpath and Beveridge brought two
women to the place. They were known as
Mollio Beveridge and Maggie Redpath.
The I.ardon board is satisfied that these
two men were notorious scoundrels, dive
Keepers and criminals, and Beveridge Is
charged with having committed murder
Previous to this time. Up to the time of
| tho tragedy these five persons lived TO-
eetiier there in the woods, having appar-
emily no object in life but to pass the time
as pleasantly as possible.
Deveridge and his mistress slept In bed
In ono corner of a room, Redpath and his
mistress In another corner, and Mcdonald
slept upon couch in the kitchen. This
was the situation when the parties retired
on tho night of Nov. II, 1889. Some time
between the hours Of 2 and the follow
ing morning the Beveridge woman was
shot in the left side Of the head, from the
effects of which she died In a few hours.
Maggie Redpath was shot through the up
per part of the thigh, and Duncan Bever-
idge was injured in his left forehead and
arm.
Mcdonald was arrested charged with
the murder of Mollie Beveridge. The Red
path woman was in hospital and was not
sworn upon the trial, and Mcdonald was
convicted upon the testimony of the two
men. Their stories agreed. They stated
that they were awakened in the night just
as the Beveridge woman shrieked that she
had been killed and that Beveridge and
Mcdonald had a struggle over the posses
sion of winchester rife. They said Nc
Donald was shooting everybody and when
they struggled with him he said some
thing about horrible dream. Mcdonald
was not sworn upon the trial, and 1t does
not appear that much effort was made In
| his behalf by his attorney. He says that
all he knows about the crime is that when
he became sufficiently awake to realize
anything he was struggling with one OF
the men for the possession Of the gun. He
could not deny that he committed the
crime while walking in his sleep, but be
insisted that he had no motive for 1t. AT
the time, he says, he supposed that he
| must have dono.the shooting, because they
all said that he did. Although his attorney
made defense on the theory Of somnam-
bulism, the pardon board Is oonvinoed that
the trial was little less than farce.
The Redpath woman lived short time
with Redpath, but afterward left him and
Is now married to q respectable citizen Of
Eau Claire, Wis. She recently appeared
before the board of pardons and made a
Statements upon oath, in which she says
that Mcdonald had nothing whatever to
do with the shooting, but Duncan Bever-
idge was the murderer. On the night in
question, her deposition sets forth, Bever-
idge and his mistress had violent quarrel,
which ended in the shooting. Beveridge
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 came to the conclusion
that the evidence against Mcdonald is al.
together too weak to hold him longer In
prison, a majority of the members believ'
Ing him guiltless.-Detroit Free Press.