Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-12-29
THE FAYETTE TRAGEDY,
TRs ALLEsuENY CITY STORY.

A Pittsburgh Erensng Telegraph ie-
porter made a discovery which, If sus-
tanned, throws new light on the tragedy
at Union:own. What led to the murder
is known in u general way, and everyone
believes that it was the unfortunate init
macy of Mr.. Dukes and Miss Mutt, which
was the primal cause 1t has been
thought by Mr.. Dukes irierds that his
reason for rot marrsi ing Miss Mutt was
because he did 10: believe her to be
chaste. 1t now looks as though there
was IN entirely different cause Tor Dukes
refusal to become the husband OF Miss
Mutt, and that cause, his love for another
person. Over in Allegheny, on one of the
quiet streets in the lower part of tho city,
lives pretty little lady twenty-seven
years old. She was 8 pHpil at we'll
known seminary, and when she was be-
tween fourteen and fifteen years Of age
she met Mr.. Dukes, who was then a stu
dent at Washington college. Dukes was
twenty-one. He was introduced 70 her
aad they became very good friends.
Dukes left tho college and wen. to
Princeton, and the intimacy went the way
Of school time loves and hates. and each
apparently forgot the other. Miss Ella
became young lady, met a Pittsburgh
merchant whom she liked we'll enough to
marry and she becams Mrs. A
boy was boru and for several years she
lived happily. but the; became discon.
tented with tAe manner in which her hus
band treated her and they were divorced.
Among those who Went to Baltimore to
see tho Oriole was Mrs Smith, who ac
companied q party Of friends. On the
way home tho party mt some ladies and
gen.lein Ii from Uuioutovn. Ols of the
latter CHANGED to mention Dukes name
in connection with i,;s clnii9s
cy for the L, sislatu.c, tai Ms
Smith asked for news OF her y,;rlho' d
lover. The Uniontown people te:'::-d her
about the affair and ono Of them said he
would tell Dukes what had happened,
and lie did. Two weeks ago, %: the 13th
inst, HRS. Smith was told in the eve.
ming that a gentleman wishes; to sec her
in the parlOr and on entering was aston
ished to find Mr.. Dlkes. \ very pleasant
chat ensued, aud each toll the other
much that had taken place si:!co they last
met. Dakes seemed to b. more than
usually interested in his old friend, and
when some other members OF thu family
and some gentlemen friends came into The
house, Dukes seemed to be quite pro,
voked at the Interruption. lio was so
marked in his attention that it excited
comment among the others present. Dukes
said he intended to 60 to Washington tie
following day to SEQ Old friends, but he
told Mrs. - he would certainly stop and
see her on his way homeward
Ho did 60 to Washington, remained
there day and a-half, and Oh the evening
of Friday, the 18th, he again called N
l. HI.
being married. Dukes said that she was
the cause of his being still a bachelor.
One of the gentlemen who saw Dukes on
Wednesday evening told Mrs. - that
Dukes seemed to be in some kind OF
singular. Mrs. - had not motto, d any
Dukes, but she did notice that he was
They were alono together for about
Dukes asked Mrs. - to marry him at
once, that evening in fact, and go to
Uniontown with him. Mrs. - refused,
and then Dukes excitedly urged her 30 b.
come his wife then and there. Somo Of
the family happened to come into the
room. The subject was dropped. :sad in
a few minutes Dukes left the house ratbe er
angrily, intima.;ng that he did not think
he had been we'll treated. lie left fox
homo next day. Ga the following Wed
Hesday, tho Goth instant, Mrs. --re.
ceived long letter from Dakes, datc.,
UniOntown. That lctter was unfortunate
ly burned by Mrs. -, and it cannot be
given, but in it Dukes asked her to
forgive him for his anger, when he went
away. He begged her to reconsider heI
refusal to marry him and to send hin,
word to that effect. He conc u led by say
ing he left the matter entirely il h, r
hands, and unless sho wrO.c and gavo him
permission hs woull not write again or
call upon her.
An answer was written by hlrs.-O1
Friday, but acting Oh the advice of a
friend she destroyed it, as we'll as that o,
Dukes. Two days later cano the mur,
der and all the story connected with. OF
course Mrs. was mortified, AID could
not comprehend what Dukes meant by
seeking to become her husband under the
circumstances. Hs never mentioned Hiss
Mutt or any other UniontoNn lady to
Mrs., although she questioned linn
IS to his friends, but OF course
his reticence WAS natural. o.
was SO startled when heard
OF the murder" said Mrs. .--tO
tho writer, THAT could scarcely cat any
thing for three days afterward. ThiI K
how dreadful it would have been il had
answered Mr.. Dukes letter. 1t would
have been found in his pocket when he
was arrested for the murder, and l would
have been brought into the case in such al
unpleasant manner. l cannot understand
why lie killed Capt. Mutt unless it was in
self defense, for Mr. Dukes was not u vio-
lent mau aud was one of the best man
nered gentlemen ever saw. Of course ii
l was in lovs with him like some Of tho: g
Uniontown girls. should bc almost
frantic now. AS / am no: in love with
him, but am to bs married to some one
else before long, caly feel sorry for him .
When he was here showed him the H.
ters he wrote when was at school. We
laughed about them, and told him did
not think he would write such letters now.
He said he would write stronger ones.
I am sure l do not know what it all
Means"
A Pittsburgh gentleman who has Wis
tied Dukes in his cell says Dukes to d
him he had acted in self defense, aud
added: "Tney accuse mo Of writing an
onymous letters. Why I never wrote al
anonymous letter in my life. have very
little faith in experts, but I want them
to get the best obtainable, aud if any Of
them can see the least similarity between
the writing in those letters and mine, III
give up. Those who know me know tn;
I would never stoOp 50 low as to do a
thing of that kind" Dukes said
he was sorry Miss Nuts name
had appeared in the papers. The