Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-06-20

to thrash me and I'll shoot you," fir
ed. The bullet was fatal. Mutt fell
and never spoke word. Dukes had
purchased a revolver a few days be-
fore. He walked to the Jail and gave
himself up.
Dukes was charged with wilful
murder and the trial began early in
March. The evidence was plain that
Mutt had been shot down in cold
blood when making no effort to harm
his assassin, The defense was that
the shooting was done in self-defense
in Dukes own room, where Captain
Mutt had, doubly armed with heavy
cane and large revolver, after writ
ing him letter threatening to take
bis life. The jurors were ignorant
men and brought in a verdict of ac-
quittal. There was the greatest in
dignation, and Dukes and the jurors
were hanged in efigy. Dukes sought
seclusion for time The members
of the House of Representatives were
about to declare his seat vacant when
he sent in his resignation. 1t was
generally believed in Uniontown that
his charges against Miss Mutt were
devoid of truth, and an immense pub
lie meeting passed resolutions to this
effect. Dukes, about two months
ago, returned to Uniontown, with the
intention of remaining and building
up his practice. There was motion
to disbar him pending.
1t was for the effort to despoil the
honor of his sister, and for the muir
der of his father, that James Mutt
shot Dukes.
THE SHOOTING.
Immediately in front of the Post
Office and facing on Main street in
Uniontown is a store, which has for
many years been used as druggist S
establishment. The drugs have been
removed and the front CT the store
is completely torn out and is being
remodeled. In this room, near Main
street, stood James Mutt, and when
Dukes reached the spot or got a lit
tie beyond wherehe stood Mutt open
ed fire on him and shot him two sue
cessive times in the back near the
neart. Dukes started on a dead run
pursued by Mutt, who fired three
more shots. Two of them took effect
in the back only about two inches
from the first two. and the fifth and
the last bullet struck him in the left
ankle as he was going up the Post
Office steps. Dukes fell forward on
his face.
Policeman Pegg ran up and caught
Mutt, who made no resistance what
ever, but said to the officer: "Here,
you take this" whereupon he gave
him his revolver.
Pegg said to him: 'You have done
a bad piece of work, to which Mutt
replied: 'Yes, but I could not help
it,
The officer took Mutt to Jail and
Dukes was carried to that same old
room in the Jennings House where
Captain Mutt was killed by him.
Dukes lived only about half min
ute after being shot the last time.
The Corner then impaneled his
jury, and then proceeded to examine
the body. The coat was first taken of
and searched. The back had 4bul-
let-holes in the left side. The vest
contained nothing of any Importance
and the holes in the vest correspond
ed with those in the coat. A dirk
knife was found hanging to the sus-
pender button on Dukes left side,
where he could grasp it in an in
slant with his right hand and in his
right hip pocket was found the iden-
tical revolver with which he shot
Captain Mutt. On examination of the
wounds it was found that three of
the balls and not four penetrated
the body. They are so close togeth-
er that a ring 4 inches in diameter
will cover them all Two of them
went clear through the body and
could be seen Just through the
skin, one on the right side of his
breast and the other, which frac-
tured rib, as near the middle of
the breast as could be.
James Mutt, although but 20 years
of age, was known among his COM
panions here as a quite and reserved
young man, but determined in any
thing he undertook to do. He has
constantly brooded over his father 8
death, aad in conversation would
alude to the smallest details of the
murder, as though every incident of
of it was burned into his memory.
Several young men had seen him
practicing with his revolver on two
or three occasions. He had been
known to ask many of his intimate
friends their opinion of his duty to
his fathers memory and his sisters
honor. The sentiment of the com
munity, no such right, all spurred
him on.
When Dukes came to the post Of
fee, James Mutt stood talking with
young E. NJ Jeffries. the son of a
neighboring farmer, Jeffries said, we
had been standing there talking a
good while, he said this afternoon.
'Jim and 1 had known each other
for years and often met and talked
together in the evening. 1t was no
uncommon thing for Jim to stand
around the street corners in the eve
ming, no more than it is for the 9TH
er boys. We talked about a num-
Der of things last night, but James
said nothing about Dukes or his
father. He did not seem to be wait
ing or watching for any one. We
were talking when Dukes came walk
ing down the pavement. As he
came close to us and recognized Jim