The Alaska daily empire., 1913-07-31
Macdonald Verdict
 Is Not Guilty

] the court, equivalent to three days in
 presenting their arguments to the jury.
 Trial Notable in Annals of Criminal
 Laws.
 | The trial of Joseph Macdonald that came to such dramatic ending last night marks a notable incident in the annals of American criminal law. N. ] C. Jones, probably insane on religious matters, had become obsessed with the conviction that he had been called 1 by the Lord to close the Treadwell mines on Sundays, even if it should be- come necessary to kill Joseph Mac ! Donald, the superintendent of the prop critics, in order to accomplish that end. After many unsuccessful interviews with Macdonald, he began making threats that he would kill MacDonld. These threats had been communicat- ed to Macdonald, who, after making arrangements to have Jones arrested for insanity, left Douglas and went to Skagway. While the latter was away, Jones haunted the Treadwen store and the grounds about the Mac Donald house, awaiting for his return. The authorities failed to have him ar rested, because they were awaiting for rI 0f -,, \, complaint. On the morning of Mac DOnald's return, despite efforts that Macdonald made to escape him, the two men met on the Treadwell plaza, and the prepOnderance of testimony was that Jones attacked and tried to shoot Macdonald, who, in defense of his life, shot Jones four times, once i'll each arm and twice in the body Jones died an hour and a half later. A coroner's jury, taking the testimony on the day of the shooting, exOnerat- ed Macdonald of blame. A grand jury, sitting at Skagway the follow ing October, upon which were men from all sections of Southeastern Alas ka, investigated the affair, and refused to bring in an indictment More than ten years later, grand jury sitting at Juneau, indicted Macdonald, charg- ing him with murder in the first de- gree. Macdonald immediately did all within his power to hasten the process of eXtraditiOn, expending consider able sum of money to that end, that he might reach Juneau and stand trial His friends, made during the four years he resided in Alaska, came to his aid from the four quarters of the globe, and were here to testify for him. Hellenthal and Hellenthal the Juneau lawyers, were employed to manage the defense. They were after wards joined by James NJ. Shoup, for merly United States Marshal for Alas ka, and later by former Senator Samuel H. Piles, of Seattle Notwith- standing that the governments case was handled with remarkable skill and acumen by District Attorney John Rustgard and Assistant District At torney Roy V. Nye, the testimony and case of the defense developed into a veritable stone wall, and the verdict of the jury created no surprise among those that had followed the proceed ings.
 The Jury That Tried It.
 The jury that heard the evidence and rendered the verdict was com posed of men from various walks of life, and it was agreed by all the par ties to the proceedings that it was a fair, intelligent and impartial tribunal. It was composed of Frank Harvey, E. V. sherman, Fred Handy, J. s. Molloy, Al. Rainier, A. J. Ficken, H. L. Dott, A. H. Motte, J. Latimer Gray, Guide man Jensen, Grant A. Baldwin, and A. H. Smith.
 Al. Raineir was selected by his fel- low jurors for foreman, and handed the verdict to the Clerk of the Court. Judge Browns First Case. It was the first case to be tried by Judge Fred M. Brown, and the attor- neys, jurors and court officials are high in their praise of the manner he conducted it.