Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-03-14
DUKES TRIAL.
The Ey idence All In-The Letters Pro
dueed.
Special Dispatch to The Register.

Special Dispatch 10 the Register.
UNIoNrowS, Pa, March 13.-Very little
new evidence was brought out by the pros
ecution in the Dukes case to-day except
the letters of Dukes to Capt. Mutt A
strong effort was made by the defense to
prevent this but the Court decided that
they shonld be admitted. The first letter
was published in the REGISTER to-day. The
following letter, dated December 10, has
not been published:
"CAPr. NUTr.-Dear Sir: Yours OF the
18th to hand. possessed by feeling you
have referred to, see you charge me with
quibbling, vile you fall into the same your
self. can but assure you of the difficulty.
understand you offer me your daughter
or the other alternatiye-death. 1t is not
your daughter refuse to marry, but re-
fuse to marry q 'wanton' woman. She told
me you had received anonymous letters
about her bad conduct, and as her menses
failed to appear at the proper time she be-
same alarmed, and tried time and again
to assure her that nothing was wrong
Your letters and threats would clear me
were / to take your life on sight. You
can murder me il you will, but
shall not arm myself against you.
Why don't you shoot Hegan? Try
all the other tribe, who are as deep, II not
deeper than am. You want to blight me
and my home, but my home is as good to
me as yours is to you, and prefer death TO
the marrying of your daughter. don't
care to walk into death trap, but if you
want to see me come to my office on the
evening of December 23d, at P. NJ, or at
my room on Sunday at ga NJ, the 24th, and
We can arrangeSmatters quietly and peacea-
bly,. Yours, \. l.. DUKES.
James Mutt, son of Captain Mutt, knew
Dukes. He was then called as witness,
but was not allowed to testify that he saw
Dukes drop an anonymous letter in the
road below Nuts house, for his father, in
October last. The Commonwealth rested
its case.
Mr.. Lindsey opened to the jury for the
defense. He contended that Dukes act was
one of necessity, one of self-defense. Mr..
Lindsey dwelt at great length on the prinCi'
pie of self defense, both as law Of nature
and law of society. The course Of the
defense was outlined. They will try to
prove Dukes previous character by many
witnesses, and argue in addition an imper-
alive case of selfdefenSe. Counsel spoke
at great length aud with great force and en-
ergy. The first witness called by the de-
fense was Julius Shipley, civil engineer,
who had made plot OF Dukes room. Mrs.
Jennings was down stairs when Mutt came
in; heard scutfting above in Dukes room; it
shook the whole house; heard the shot of
revolver; went up stairs; Dukes went
down the stairs about the time l did.
said, oh, Mr.. Dukes. what did you do this
for" He said: Mrs. Jennings, | am
very sorry had to do it. l did it in self
defense. He would have killed me-" No.
ticed spittoon where Mutt fell and found
it about full of blood.
Public sentiment here is against Dukes
but no higher grade OF crime than murder
OF the second degree can be established, and
some reputable disinterested lawyers pre-
dict acquittal.
The defence is all in this evening.
The case will be given to the jury 10 NOR
row,