Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-28
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
state Cashier Mutt, of Pennsylvania,
ShOt-The Murderer a Member of the
state Legislature.
-aioHto'ra lPa.) Special, eth.

tRtontoNR ,Pd.l Special, eth.
About 10 O'Clock this morning. at the
Jennings Hotel, Captain 4. c. Mutt. long
a resident Of UniOntOWn and well known
as lawyer, Republican politician. writer
Ior the press, Cashier of the National
Bank OF Fayette county. and at present
| cashier Of the Pennsylvania Treasury De-
partment under State Treasurer Bailey.
! was shot and almost instantly killed bV
y l. Dukes, a prominent lawyer Of
lmont0Wn and member-elect Of the
PENNSYLVANIA Legislature.
Captain Mutt came home from Harris
purg Yesterday. and expected TO return
tomorrow after paying his family brief
visit. This morning, in company with his
/ nephew. Clark Breckenridge, he went to
the Jennings Hotel TO have an interview
with Dukes about some trouble which he
I told Breckenridge he was having. He
said that he held in his possession two in
famous letters from Dukes, and he wanted
10 see the latter. On going up to Dukes
room, on the second floor of the Jennings
HOTEL they found Dukes-in. Mutt en-
tered the room and Breckenridge re-
manned out in the hall, cOnversing with
>. 1. Feather, sOn-In-laW of the proprietor.
| Captain Mutt had scarcely closed the
door behind him when Feather and Breck-
enridge heard sound within as though
the men We're engaged in violent
struggle. They also heard a cry of s1Mur-
I der.' and rushed in. when they found the
TWO men locked in desperate encounter.
IheN separated the cOmbatants, and
while Feather held Dukes back i'm a cor
ner Of the room and Mutt was standing
resting against a mantelpiece some ten
ieet away. Dukes suddenly pulled a Smith
4 W essOn revolver out Of his pocket and
nred, the ball entering Nuts face below
the left eve and passing upward into the
BRAIN The victim fell to the floor and
snfr ord f1r-fr.
about ten minutes. Feather. fearing that
me murderer was also preparing to shoot
Dfecklnrldge. made a terrific effort in
order To get the revolver away from Dukes.
W hen the latter saw that he had killed
Mutt his muscles seemed to relax. He
gave the revolver up and walked out of
lne MOTEL down back street and to the
Sherif's residence. where he is now in
custody. ACOrOner's jury was impaneled
ana a verdict was rendered that A. c.
Mutt came To his death by being shot with
a pistol in the hands of \. L. Dukes.
The cause Of the difficulty was not
brought out at the inquest, but rumors
are all Of the same tenor. 1t is said Mutt
went to have an interview with Dukes in
regard To his daughter, to whom Dukes
was paying attention. One story is that
Mutt had tried TO break off this intimacy.
being opposed to it, and that he went to
Dukes for that purpose; and another is
that the difficulty is of a more seri-
Gus nature, and that Mutt sought the
interview for the purpose of yindicating
the honor Of his daughter. At all events
sharp correspondence has been passing
between the two men, and each seems to
have expected an encounter. Dukes re
vOlver had just been purchased. and one
was found also on the person of Mutt. No
event that ever occurred has produced
such widespread sensation and
f4f
high in political and social
circles, and their character has been
above reprOach. Both We're well edu-
Gated and of good family. Captain Mutt
owned an interest in the Harrisburg Tele-
graph, and was a fOrcible and ready
writer. Mr.. Dukes was at the late cleo
tion chosen as one of the Democratic
Representatives in the State legislature
and had intended to leave for Harrisburg
i'm few days. He has made a statement
u his attorney, alleging that Mutt entered
his room and made an assault on him, and
that he shot him i'm self-defense. Mr.
Dukes is thirty-three years old. and Mutt
about ten years his senior. Captain Mutt
leaves a wife and eight children Dukes
Is unmarried.
HARRISBURG. December 24.-Cashier
Mutt, of the State Treasury, who was kill
ed at UniOntOwn to-day, came here with
General Bailey in May last. He was well
known IN the western part of the State,
having filed offices of public trust in his
county. Previous to coming to Harris-
burg he occupied the position of cashier in
the First National Bank, of UniOntOwn.
and was a close friend of General Bailey.
He was regarded here as a quiet. unOb-
trusive, inO1iensive man, always at his
desk. and Of irrepTOachable character. In
the Treasury Department the news of his
death created a profound sensation
among those who said gOOd-byp to
him on Thursday night, when he
left for home TO spend Christmas
with his family, intending TO return on
Tuesday next. He leaves wife and eight
children. About two months ago Mr.
Nutt became interested in the publication
Of the Harrisburg Telegraph He was a
man of slight build and nervous tempera-
ment and the wonder here is that he
should under any circumstances engage
i'm a tight. There are rumOrs that there is
a secret story back of the affair. the details
of which cannot be made public