He committed suicide in 1906 in London due to the crash of Arbuthnot & Co. Macfadyen was born in Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute, Scotland,[2] to Archibald Mcfadyen and Margaret McKinlay.
[6] Macfadyen committed suicide on Saturday, 20 October 1906, at age 65, by walking into a railway tunnel in Shoreditch near the Old Street station, Islington, as a train was approaching.
[8] It is generally believed that on the morning of 20 October, Macfayden received a telegram from Madras stating "Cannot remit any funds.
[10] Ernest Wallace, manager of the firm, said he saw Macfadyen on the Saturday morning of his death, when he stopped by the office for approximately an hour.
He was greatly worried about business matters and left a letter for him that stated, "October 20th – Dear Mr. Wallace, Enclosed from Arbuthnot and Co. is the last straw.
[10] Several other business associates and old friends, including Sir Lewis McIver, testified at the inquest into Macfadyen's death with various stories about his recently distraught and altered behavior.
[10] Macfadyen's suicide and the subsequent claims on his estate by creditors received significant coverage in the British media.