The sun., 1903-03-26
Sir Hector Macdonald, in
Disgrace, Kills Himself.
ACCUSED OF IMMORTALITY.
Starts for His Post in Csylon,
Is Found Dead in Paris Hotel.

Made Against Hins-They We're Pub
ilshed Yesterday, and after Reading
Them He Went 10 His Room and Shot
Einlsen Through the Head-His Career.
Special Cooie Dsspofehe, 10 The SUN.
PARIS, March 25.-Maj jor-Gen. Sir Hector
Macdonald. the commander Of the British
forces in Ceylon. who was on his way back
to Colombo TO answer grave charges Of
immortality while there. committed suicide
today in the Regina Hotel.
Gen. Macdonald arrived here at the end
OF last week He engaged a single room
at TIE hotel where he rt gisttr6d under his
full name. II was observed that he read
clc <eiy all the English newspapers, but
otherwise he did not attract notice.
Upon entering the reading rooms this
morning he took up paper, and imme-
diately saw prominently displayed the
substance of the charges against him
He betrayed strong feeling. He let the
paper faA. but picked it up again and read
the story with delibsration. Then he
sat for short time as il in deep throught.
after which he rose quietly ard unoon-
cernedly and went to his bedroom.
About two hours later a servant entered
the room with duplicate key and found
Gen. Macdonald's body on the floor. There
was an army revolver in his hand and
hole In his temple The servant screamed
and aroused the house. A doctor was
summoned. but he could only certify that
Gen. Macdonald had been dead for some
time. A certificate was eventually pre-
pared stating that death was the result Of
suicide caused by mental trouble.
Two letters were found. They will not
be published. but 1t is said that they do not
refer to suicide.
. budget Of ofiicial papers yesterday. AZ
they cannot be found 1t Is supposed that
he destroyed them. The body probably
will b taken 10 Scotland for burial.
The fact that oharses had been made
against Sir Hector Macdonald hrst be-
came known on Tuesday. Ills return from
Ceyion to- England 70 confer with Earl
Roberta. the Chief. started
various rumon, but all were wide Of the
mark When he started back, 1t was an
nounoed that IL was TO appear before a
court martial at Colombo on charges Of
immortality. The nature Of the charges
was not made public.
sIR HECTOR MAC DoSALD's CARkER.
Even the losa Of Lord Kitchener would
not have been harder blow to those who
hope TO see the Brii ish Army reformed
and the incubus of War Ofiioe red tape
thrown on than the sudden end Of sir Hec-
tor Macdonalds brilliant career In disgrace
since the fight At Omdurrnan he had been
resarded a. the model soldier. fearless
resourceful. modest. efficient, and his rise
from the ranks. emarkable In the British
Army. heiped 20 make him a popular hero,
whom every boy In Great Britain could
admire and hops 10 initiate.
Hector Archibald Macdonald was born
on April u, 1897, the .on Of a Highland
peasant, and was therefore 81 years Of
age: Like Gen. Miles. - q boy he was a
clerk behind he counter la q country store
In $50 he enlisted In the Nine, y-second
Regiment. which 10 now called the Gordon
Highlander~. and served nearly Ten years
Ia the ranks ~ private and non -comnis-
sloned ofiosr He WAS under SIR Frederick
Rober in he Afghan War of 1879 80 whsn,
~ q sergeant commanding a small de- aoll-
msai Of his regiment and body u ''ikhs.
ty holding back 2 oDo Afsians, lie tool
nsri la Robers's famous march from Csbul
80 ksndahAr. aud no distinguished hiIn...lf
ih he hattie al kAndahar that he ~as made
lAeu,saani.
". nsst ssw -eryins In tho Ber ~aI of
isl IN south Afnoa and vas ono of ths
Survivors captured a. hAIuba Hill, wlisf.
hs foushi With hls hsis afier IA. Amtnud-
lion ~ss sI-ni in isss he vent "a tgyp'
sId y,Ine.i the e,'n-iri,ulaSy. He sis,sa
ths llps il is~ ss hacsns captain. in
lssi AsJos. flen i.s esa,s uhs-s Ritci..ns
:. osn',asnari . Lnfsa. ~ The Dsasals
!. s'sass' % : Iish .,s,s - saio,sSs,
his lss'n sl.sssd thsh courage saa iIai,af,s
D,sdann4n fl..ss Naeaaasld n,sis 10
i..,.a.s sl..Ass - inss' yials ~ .'.u'ag
sTas Ds;sl:.ss fi.si ga. ias i.'s 10 c..l'.s' .
sisf w. sss osils-i loan intia sftsf tl,s
kss,h nn.ss .~. lsd hssan - is..'s .isiss
tA Ii,sl,s~as ,aasssis siis y i.-i ls-.a -
y $3.50. p h.ss'.''''.''' ...' ,'s''...,.;.s
q spsssasi,s, sad ", .iiass l'S'',. ''''
a.s<tsesh sss isifs iaeniis I'D a.
es5l~isi-s a . isss' 'ss'i,.i.i.ssa,,is'd sslssT
-. 80, .,.is s,is 80 f.sslll's ~
kiss,..s. ~ s...ssi a. b.ss7s 49,
h.1sss os9ss q. ~ 80 y Is5is 49,
90 iaasls y q b sl,d ksl.i .fsa.ss q -
4. a-:s.s 49,, ...... sY,. ~ 80 a.
~ ais.ass ~ ss~a a. Aiiffsls 49, siia
ss,ii,iiaseiaa - is.s.sis ed haai
hasa a,st4 fis... tilf i1sii.illaeiaI lssafa
IT. 90 a ~ : - H. 80 90 - ss.i,lsls
stie isssi.f - fsasfaks 49, d isfif siss
sd has - NsaisAs ni.AtsfB sasN
-iiissf nh ~ aiasaftasiH 80 -
igtesyl ss.ai.ss.aasaiis a. ssslisssa a.sifisa
-. a.. es.-.-i'U - l,'ssis sss,,-i
fslsssfi.sf hsg tassI slssis.r " ksd
t~ss. sfsbssasd 4 tsifaif ifsaiiirif = "a
fl.e.Sls fssa ssl.ask saa 80 - Hkai
~ s'.af ss.s-ss l..s,s.s u l.sd f.s-s A,.,i
tl< f.aAs ns saisasssf II hisf y issss
4 is.s.s -. ~ -. ss',,f - .'ii's 800
- 80 d. A. ~ aasii ~ tsifassss -
s.sa-.l.ss1.s tsa,fsss 4 ss-~eaiss d. a.
$50 go 40 is.s $500 - ssiis ttisf
sfestas a. sfts'f sgstsu sa4 it~ ~
stalas sefs asaf hfsaa ssassflf -
tteaass s@sasaasla So $3.50 nssslksi