At the age of 20, Donald moved to Western Canada and the United States where he learned the cowboy trade, and became skilled both with guns and horses.

Donald was angry enough to harass the new owners at this point, and when the barn burned down, a warrant was issued for his arrest for arson.

An unsavory American special constable and whiskey smuggler named Jack Warren was called in to capture Donald, bragging that he could outshoot him; he paid with his life.

He was arrested and tried in Sherbrooke, Quebec, and although he had acted in self-defense was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 18 years hard labour.

He died four hours after being released from prison (on clemency), and was buried on the Stornoway road in the Gisla cemetery in Megantic.