The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-12-27
CAPT. MUTT SHOT DEAD.
Shocking Sunday Morning Trag-
edy in UniOntOwn, Pa.
The Cashier of the State Treasury Killed
by Member-eIect Of the LegIsla.
ture.

| UNIoNTOwN, Pa, Dec. 24.-Capt. A. @
Mutt, Cashier of the Pennsylvania State
! Treasury, was shot and instantly killed
this forenoon, few minutes after ten
o'clock, by N. L. Dukes, q leading law
yer and member-elect of the Legislature
The cause of the tragedy is unknown,
but rumOr says it grew out of the alleg-
/ ed fact that Dukes had been intimate
/ with Capt. Nuts eldest daughter, and
at the time Of the killing the Captain
was demanding justice for the girl.
Capt. Mutt arrived at his home in this
place on last evenings train. He SEEM
ed about as usual, and none of his
friends suspected anything wrong. This
morning he called, in company with a
young relative named Craft, on his
nephew, Clark Breckenridge, cashier of
the Peoples National Bank of Fayette
county. They went to BreekenTidge's
bank across the7street aud transacted
some business. Mutt then requested
Craft to go to the hotel and wait for him
as he wished to converse privately with
Breckenridge. A short time afterWard
Breckenridge and his uncle, Mutt, came
ont of the bank and walked across the
street to the jennings House and asked
for Mr.. Dukes. They were shown to his
room. Mutt entered, Breckenridge re-
naming outside. A scuffie ensued, and
two men struggling together. He threw
himself between them and endeavOred
to separate them. A man down stairs
named Feathers, sOn-in-lRw of the land
lord; hearing the noise, ran up to see
what was the matter. He found Breck-
enTidge holding Mutt, and he at once
seized Dukes and succeeded in rushing
him INTO a corner of the room. just at
this moment Dukes raised his revolver
and fred at Capt. Mutt. The bullet en-
tered just below the left eye, and pierre
ed the brain. Capt. Mutt fell into the
arms of Breckenridge and expired in a
few minutes, never speaking after he
was shot. After the fatal shot was fred
Mr.. Feathers succeeded, not, however,
without struggle, in getting the re-
vOlVer out of Dukes hands. Dukes then
put on his coat, and without turning or
looking at any one, walked swiftly down
the back street to the jail and gave him
self up to the Sheriff. He did not tell
the Sheriff what he had done, merely
saying there had been trouble down
street.
A few minutes after the killing, the
Mayor of the town, II. W. DetwileT, ar
rived at the Jail. Dukes asked him,
How are matters down Street2" "Bad
enough, he is dead" Dukes shuddered,
but said nothing.
The excitement Immediately after the
affair became known was great. The
high social and political standing of the
parties and their friends, and their own
good characters, all combined to aug
ment the feeling. A COrOner's inquest
was Immediately held, which resulted
in verdict in accordance with the
facts, THAT A. @. Mutt had come to his
death by a shot from a revolver in the
hands Of N. L. Dukes"
The whole affair Is enVelOped in mys-
terry. None Of Nutt's friends know of
any i'll feeling between him and Dukes.
Although of different political parties,
politics had nothing to do with it. The
only expression known to have been
passed was made few days ago by Mutt
to an intimate friend. 1t was this: 81
have two Infamous letters from Dukes"
Gen. Bailey, State Treasurer, knew moth
ing in regard to the cause Of the trage-
dy, and was greatly shocked and start
led when he heard of 1t. He arrived at
home yesterday, and had not seen Mutt
since Thursday last, save for few min
utes last evening. Several Of Nuts
friends, however, noticed that he SEEM
ed to have something on his mind. I'm
mediately after the inquest Gen. Bailey
carefully searched the pockets Of Capt.
Nuts clothes, to find the two letters he
spoke of having received from Dukes.
They were not found, and are supposed
to be with some of his private papers at
Harrisburg.
1t was terrible scene when the body
was taken home to his wife and chill
dran