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Show DEATH SAVES TJIIAL.' BRITISH OFFICER COULD NOT 8URVIVE DISGRACE. General MacDonald of the British Army, Who Was to be Courtmar- tlaled, Suicides at a Hotel In Paris. Major General Hector MacDonnld, commanding the British forces In Ceylon, Cey-lon, and ono of tho foremost officers In the British army, against whom charges based on Immornl nets were filed some time ago, committed suicide nt tho Ilcglna hotel in Paris Wednesday, Wednes-day, Ho shot himself in the right temple tem-ple shortly nftcr noon, and expired a fow minutes later. Tho general was alone In hla small chamber at tho time of tho tragedy. Sir Hector MacDonnld arrived In Paris last Friday evening from London, Lon-don, on his way back to Ceylon, where It was understood that an Immediate courtmnrtlal would bo held to clear up tho charges mndu against him. Tho tragic end of "Fighting Mac," who, ns tho son of a Highlander, rose from a position of a draper's assistant to bo an honored general In tho army, has caused great surprlso and deep sorrow In London. The nature of tho offenses with which he wns' charged had not been generally known, but had been common gossip In mllltnry circles, nnd Although In the nrmy nnd among his Highlander comrades especially, thero Is keen, gilof. the feeling Is Hint It was better to die thus than face dishonor. Sir Hector MncDotmld's great chanco I enmo when, ns a sergeant, dining tho 1 Afghan campaign in 1S79 and 18S0, with a small force, ho by a furloun bayonet chaige, cleat cd out a body of Afghans who weio lying In nmhush for Lord Iloboits, For tills feat Iord Roberts Rob-erts offered lilin the cholco of tho VIctorin cioss or a commission. He choso tho lntter. His greatest mllltnry achievement wns lending tho black Soudanese brigade In the Omdurman :nmpalgn ngaliiBt the Khalifa. |
