Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

28 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

PONTYPOOI,

BRIDG END,

;dBERGAYEXNY. i

SWANSEA

THE LATE SIR ROBERT PEEL.

, A MODERN LOCHINVAR.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

A MODERN LOCHINVAR. At the Inverness Sheriff Court, a few days since Donald Mac- donald, BaUloih, North Uist lsan of Mr. Macdonald, Munkstadt) Doiiald Mackenzh Munkstadt, Kilmuir, Syke, and Charles Mackinnon, fisherman, Munkstadt; were accused of invading the f dwelling hou,e of John Robertson Macdonald, Esq., Rodil, Harris, commissioner for the Earl of Dunmore, in company with a number of others, some armed with sticks, when they burst open the door, assaulted Mr. and Mrs. Macdonald, and Mr. Mac- Ronald's clerk and shepherd, the former to the effusion of hisllood and injury of his person—the inmates having been by these pro- ceedings put to great terror and alarm. Donald Macd paid was the only party that appeared, and he pU aded not guilty. Warrants were granted to apprehend the other parties charged. A jury was empannelled. A special deience was sent for by the prisoner, and read to the court and tile jury, to the tffect that the prisoner went to Rodit for the ac- complishment of a legal engagement—that he and the lady, now his wife, were separated against their mutual wishes-alld that if noise Uok place on the occasion, it was not on account of tLe pri- ¡h o,er) Lpt of th, se who opposed him. Donald Ferguson, servant with Mr. Kenneth Macdonald of Skeaboast, uncle of the prisoner, went with his master to Garnish Urribost, on a Friday morning, Had heard that Donald had gone off with a daughter of Mr. Macdonald, of Balranald. They went to Uig next day, and the panel went for several of his fat her's ser- vants. Donala Macleod,' captain of a it-nail vessel, the Eliza Macleod, was applied to to take them to Harris. It was so stormy that he would not go, and they got another boat ready to go t9 Harris "to get a wife for their master's son." It was so stormy that severai went back to Munkstadt. They left the shore between eleven and twelve o,clock at night. Eleven or twelve were in the boat. He and the panel were there. They got to the harbour of Rodil, in Harris, about four o'clock in the morijing. The house, was close by. They went up to the grieve's house, and witness found out from the daughter, that the lady for whom they had come was sleeping in the bedroom, and that Mrs. Macdonald slept with her, He told the panel, and the party went up to the house, the door was partly open, and the panel went in. Witness was standing at the porch, and the men round about, when Mr. Mac- donald (llodil) came out of the house in his shirt and drawers. swearing at them as if he was mad, for coming to the house at that time of the night to rob it. The Lewisman (Donald Mackenzie) answered that they had come -to get a wife for Munkstadt's son" Some of Rodil's men slept in an out-house, and he went in that direction. He was soon followed by Kenneth Macdonald, his clerk, half-dressed, and with a gun in his hand. He said, if they did not go away he would shoot them, when the Lewisinati swore at him, and said, "if you don't be quiet—are you going to shoot me ?'* He then heard the clerk cry murder, but heard no blows, and the clerk retreated into the house. Lights were appearing and disappearing,—they heard the frout door fastened from with- in, and the men, who were all outside, said among themselve, that if they got Munkstadt's 5011 out, they did not care whethef they got the wife or no." The panel put his head out of a win- dow, and cried, "Coine in, my lads, and take the trunks, we are- ready to be off." They went towards the boats, and seeing Rodil's gardener going as if to waken men, witness took him by the breast aad held him there. The trunks were carried down—the lady followed last—and they set sail for Skye. There was some con- versation in the boat about going to a place near Borrodale, and to remain there till night, if pursued. [The point involved in this last answer was not clearly brought out by the witness, as he stated in answer to Mr Stewart that it was till the wind and sea would go down a little.] Cross examined.—Norman Macdonald, who was in the uoat was to be the bearer of aletter from the lady to her mother. When going to Harris, there was no tale of violence. lie heard no noise and saw no violence whatever at Rodil, except what was made by Rodil himself and the clerk. There was no noise after the clerk went in. Mr. Donald Macdonald made no noise in the house. The sole object of going to Harris was to get the lady not to rob. He had before that heard that M r. Cooper desired to marry the lady, and had gone to Munkstadt with pistols to kill Munkstadt's son. He had heard that Mr. Cooper had asked the lady and the lady refused him. He (witness) had heard that the panel and lady had gone off before, bqt did not know where, and her uijchQd taken her from him in spite of her. When in the boat leaving Harris the lady said she was very happy. Several witnesses deposed to similar facts. At the conclusion of the prosecutor's case exculpatory evidence was put in. Mr. Kenneth Macdonald, uncle of the prisoner, knew the hand-, writing of Miss Jessie Macdonald, and identified as her's a letter handed to him, which he read to the jury, f Thursday Morning. My dearest Donald,—If the bearer of this letter meets you on your way here, you- must return hoixje. It seems that W. Macneil suspects, or else has heard what we have been intending to do. As he had no opportunity of telling Papa of it. he deputed John Macdonald to do so, which he did last night; and Papa immediately wrote William to find out all he knew of the matter. 1 heard this from the grieve's wife. John Macdonald told her husband of it. Now, my own Donald, we must be off this night. Yon had better not come till half-past eleven o'clock. I Shail be qu.te ready to start with you." (The reading of the letter was followed by ap- plause, which the sheriff suppressed.) The witness stated that it was not the intention of the party to have gone to Harris that night, untilhe heardMr, Cooper and Mr. Macdonald weregoingdirectfrom Dunvegan to Rodil to claim the lady. It was their intcntiou to be peaceable. There was no bar on the door at Rodil when they en- tered-it was simply latched. There was no disturbance till the lad appeared with the gun. Hodil awore at the people and threat- ened to shoot them from the windows. The lady, when she came to the boat, seemed perfectly pleased and happy. He knew that his nephew Donald had-firmness of character, lie then read a very complimentary letter from Lord Macdonald accompanying the appointment of the panel as factor in Jiqrtli Uist, addressed to the prisoner's father. By Mr. Mackay: Witness said it was a common thing in Skye, for one gentleman to enter another's house by the window. Was it common for gentlemen to enter, as some did, a friend's wife's bed-room ? No. He always took his btick with him, even when he went into a boat. By Mr. Stewart: Witness never heard of it being usual in the Long Island for wives to leave their husbands, and sleep with young ladies. He understood Miss Jessie Macdonald to have been twenty-one years of age at that time, Mr, Cooper Portree, commissioner for Lord Macdonald Mr. Donald Macdonald was not factor for Lord Macdonald, in North Uist, or elsewhere. He was sent to North Uist, till his lordship should see what was to be done. He had no books. [The witness produced some documentary evidence in support of this statement.] He (the panel) was in North Uist in February, 1850, and was acquainted with Miss Jessie Macdonald. He had an attachment to her, and made a proposal of marriage to her. Miss Macdonald led him to believe that he might. be successful. He could not say that she never rejected him.. She seemed to be in some considerable difficulty, The proposal was made out of doors, and Miss Macdonald's behaviour afterwards was such as to induce him to remain at Balranald for a few days longer than he had intended. She did not tell him formally not to recur to the matter again—she seemed in great difficulty, and said she never expected the offer. As he saw the difficulty she was in, he said no more on the subject, except that she should not permit it to distress her. He left the following week, in consequence of an urgent letter from' Portree, respecting the illness of a friend. When he went to Lochmaddy, he saw the vessel engaged a good way off. He then left the island by the packet, with Balranald they went to Portree, and on the Satur- day followi g the day he left the island, they intended going to Stornoway. Balranald was then in search of his daughter, and he intended to accompany him as a friend wherever he would go. They left either on Saturday night or Sunday, and went to Shieldaig. He did not recollect engaging the vessel, or telling the captain they were going in pursuit of Miss Macdonald. He had three or four pair of pistols, and, sent his servant to Corry- breck for a-pair. Mrs. Macdonald (Miss Jessie Macdonald) was then called, but the public prosecutor objected to her evidence being received, as she was the wife of the panel. Mr. Stewart replied that as much evidence had been adduced as to what Mrs. Macdonald had said, he was anxious that the jury should have it from her own mouth. The Court sustained the objection. Ronald Macdonald, servant to Dpnald Macnonald, assisted at the elopement. He was told before leaving Balliloch what to do. He got the trunks outside the lodge. The lady then came out, and went with Macdonald arm-in-arm to the dog-cart. They drove tandem, and witness rode the first horse. The lady was very anxious to be off, and they went as fast as their horses could carry them. Where they laughing ? "It's she that was." There was no force required, It is a very bad morning with ligliening and rain. Angus Macdiarmid, policeman, lives near Rodil, and was em- ployed for nearly a week before the lady was taken away from Rodil, to watch for fear she should be taken away. He was on the watch nigfrtly till twelve o'clock. The Procurator-Fiscal and Mr. Stewart then addressed the jury, Sheriff Colquhoun summed up, and the jury retired at seven minutes to nine o'clock. After an absence of ten minutes they returned, when their chancellor, Mr. Simon Fraser, Church- street, announced their verdict to be, by a majority, 'Not guilty.' The verdict wa received with great applause. The court was crowded towards the close of the proceedings and upon its breaking up, the crowd accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Macdonald to the house of the legal agent, Mr. C. Stewartj cheering them most heartily all the way.-Invemess Courier.

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MONEY MARKET.

TAFF YALE RAILWAY.

LONDON CORN EXCHANGE-

——SEEDS.

SMITHFIELD.

HEAD OF CATTLE ON SALE.

,'WOOL.

BREAD.

- HOPS.

-..."",.,.'''''-'''---' PROVISIONS.

HAY.

HIDES.

OILS.

TALLOW.

COLONIAL.

PONTYPRIDD.-AUG. 17.

..._--C ARMARTHEN. Avo. 17.

IMERTIIYR.—AUG. 17.

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