The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-06-21
PUBLTo sEE7IMRNr.

II Is strange sometimes 10 witness
what comimotion little act win create
in this country. The thrilling an
nonncemenl went over the wires the
other day that young Mr.. Mutt had shot
and killed Dukes, the infamous mnr-
derer OF his father Misguided Is the
puplic sentiment was, there was almost
universal jubilee over the set Of tbs
young man, and kilograms commenced
pouring in upon Mutt and his family
rendering sympathy AMI money for his
defense. Now the whole case is being
discussed editorIaIly by the dignified
and leading journals, as though some
event OF national importance had taken
place. II is true the circumstances Of
the murder OF Captain Mutt by Dukes,
and the subsequent infamous acqaittal
of the latter by the jury were well cal
culated to arouse public sympathy for
for the Nuts, a. we'll as deep indigna-
tion at the trivial way IN which the
courts had treated Dukes. but when We
reflect coolly 1t does seem IN awful
thing to endorse q murder such a. young
Mutt was guilty Of in shooting Dukes.
It was murder. simple and deliberate,
and ali the extenuating conditions Of
this most painful affair cannot make
the crime anything less than murder.
Nobody except q friend can feel the
slightest sympathy for such an abject
wretch as Dukes was. He not only
murdered the father OF the man who has
since murdered HIM, but he also at
tempted 10 blast the good name Of the
daughter of his victim by claiming that
he had ruined her. She stoutly main
tains that his claim is an infamous false
hood, and surely her word Is TO be taken
In preference TO his. That the SON and
brother should feel impelled 10 avenge
such foul wrongs as these Is not unnatu-
raj. They are sufficient TO bring
such pressure upon any sentative mind |
as 10 unsettle Its equilibrium and create
that condition OF emotional insanity
which Is so often cited in defense of
capital crimes. The whole fofCe Of |
public sentiment IN UniontoWn has been
such as to encourage II not impei him
20 this final act OF vengeance. Every
body was justly inSensed at the failure OF |
Justice by which Dukes escaped the de-
served legal penalty for his crime, and |
N their rage the citizens of the town |
alked freely OF various means EOr tax
ng the law into their own hands.
Young Mutt heard all this, and the ef-
'ect upon him was precisely what might |
have been expected. He brooded over
he matter constantly, and the longer he
1rooded the more he became convinced
hat the only way for him TO avenge his
Iather's death and clear his sisters |
honor, and al the same time assert his /
own manliness, was to kill Dukes. That
public sentiment pushed him on Is evil
lent from the fact that il sustAins him |
In his act now.
The New York Tribune concludes |
hat ait is painfully evident that young
Mutt acted in obedience to the thought
less teachings of large majority Of the |
people of Pennsylvania. They did not
realize that while they were railing at
Dukes and the impotency of the law
hey were instigating this afflicted |
young man to murder, but that is what |
hey were doing. We do not for mo-
ment suppose that any jury can b.
found in the state which will convict |
him OF murder, and it would be ImpOs-
sIble TO take pleasure IN such verdict |
Still, it must be evident to the people of
the state That this sort of thing cannot
be allowed TO continue; that they must |
choose between the law and its defects
and the pistol and lis terrible pOssiblli- |
ties. They cannot take q middle course
and abide by the law only when its de-
cisions meet their approval, taking mp
the pistol to execute their wrath when |
the law tails. The alarming outbreak |
Of homicides and lynchipgs in various
parts of the country during the past few |
weeks ought to give the whole country
cause TO see whittier We are drilling"