Connecticut western news., 1883-06-20
DUKES SHOT AND KILLED.
SENT TO HIS DEATH BY THE SON OF THE MAN HE HAD MURDERED.
James Mutt Fires Four Shots Into Dnkes's BOdy-The Victim Instantly killed-The
 Terrible Ending of a Series of Tragedies.


 Terrible Ending of n Series of Tragedies.
 A letter from Uniontown, Pa., says :: The slayer of Capt. Mutt is himself slain, and the slayer this time is James Nutt Capt. Nutt's eldest son, who is now in jail. Just at dusk on the evening of June 13, when many people were passing along the street, the sound of five pistol shots rang out upon the air in the direc- tion of the Post Office. In moment everybody was running to the scene, and the word quickly passed along that Dukes was dead. The excited crowd gathered around the Post Office, and there on the floor lay the lifeless body of Nicholas Lyman Dukes. The work was done so quickly, and so paralyzing was its effect upon those who witnessed it that 1t was difficult to get the correct story. Officers Frank Pegg, Geo. B. Hutchins, Ali Collins, and others who saw the occurrence described it as fol- lows :-
 James Mutt was standing against post inside of room that joins the Post Office and fronts on Main street. The room was until lately occupied by drug store, and the front wall taken out, it bein now fitted up for room for the First National Bank. While standing there Dukes came down the street from the direction of the Jennings Hotel, walking briskly, with cane un- der his arm. Just as he turned the corner toward the Post Office door, young Mutt stepped outside, pulled revolver, and fired two shots at him in rapid succession. Dukes looked around, and started to run into the Post Office door, whereupon Mutt fired again and followed in pursuit. Just as Dukes got inside the Post Office his assailant fired two more shots, and Dukes fell heavily to the floor upon his face.
 E. A. Lingo rushed into the office and stopped to pick him up. Dukes tried to say something, but could only gasp, and in 8 moment he was dead. By this time Officer Pegg reached young Mutt and laid hold of him. The latter struggled fiercely to free himself, but when he discovered it was an officer he quietly yielded, and was taken to the jail. Dukes's body was removed to his oom at the hotel, where Coroner Stur- geon impanelled jury.
 On examining the body it was found | that three of the balls entered the back near the side under the left arm andpen- ! Atrated toward the heart, lodging in the breast very near the skin, where they were cut out. They all three entered within two or three inches of each other. On Dukess body was found his oll pis- | tol, the one with which he killed Mutt, and hanging to his suspender button in front was dirk knife. The pistol used | by young Mutt was 42-calibre Smith & Wesson. He had in his pocket another smaller pistol. A fourth bail slightly grazed Dukes's leg near the foot, while the fifth missing its aim, passed through one of the Post Office lock boxes. | The revolver with which the shooting was done is the same that Capt. Mutt carried on the morning of Sis death. Young Mutt gave himself up, and is now in jail. He was calm, but as pale as sheet.
 The causes leading to the tragedy were as follows:
 Capt. A. c. Mutt, cashier of the Penn sylvania State Treasury, was shot and instantly killed in Uniontown on Sunday, Dec. "A, 1882, by N. l.. Dukes, lead l ing lawyer and A. member of the Iegis- lature. The tragedy grew out of Dukes's alleged improper intimacy with Capt. Nutt's eldest daughter. Mutt, accom- panied by his nephew, Breckenridge, went to Dukes's room in the Jennings House by appointment. Mutt entered the room, but Breckenridge remained outside. A scuffie followed between Mutt and Dukes, and Breckenridge en- tered and endeavored to separate them. man connected with the hotel ran in.
 He found Breckenridge holding Mutt. | TT T. T ia getting him into corner of the room.
 1t this moment Dukes raised his revolver and shot Mutt through the head The
 wounded man fell into his nephew's arms and expired in few moments. Dukes
 walked to the Sheriff's office and surren-
 lered himself. . Dukes's trial opened at Umontown on
 March 12, 1883. Letters between Dukes
 and Mutt were produced in evidence
 concerning the formers intimacy with
 Miss Lizzie Mutt. Dukes admitted the
 intimacy, but alleged that the young
 woman encouraged him, claimed that
 other young men whom he named bore
 the same relations toward her, and said
 that under similar circumstances Nut
 would have been guilty of the same con
 duct In his reply Mutt said:
 eff had invaded the sanctity of z
 home, as you have confessed to doing, would hold myself fit only to be shot. ; When I cross the threshold of mans door and become the guest of his family or any member of it, his wife and daugh ters are as sacred to me socially as my
 own. I have the physical courage tt seek you out and give you the alterna tive of repairing the ruin which you have wrought or suffering death. It remains with you to say whether there shall bt Q legal farce or a tragedy. You canno escape from me or evade me. Leaving | Uniontown when I go there will no avail you. Twill be home again on thu l 23d."
 Dukes replied by applying an offensive f epithet to Nutt's daughter, and said h' would be justified by Nutt's letter il shooting him on sight. He appointed
 the meeting with him at which the trag r edy took place. He said he thought thu - meeting would result in an amicabl' l understanding.
 Breckenridge was the principal witness
 at the trial. Two others described tn , shooting. After being out short tim the jury returned verdict of not guilty ;. though Judge Wilson's charge was dis n tinctly against Dukes. ''The verdict i
 one that gives dissatisfaction to tn
 Court" Judge Wilson said, after it wa
 announced, "because we thought tn s evidence sufficient to justify a ditferen & verdict. fine prisoner is discharged"
 An indignation meeting of citizens wa t held the next night, and circulars signe g by leading citizens were posted denoumc @ ing Dukes as an assassin. He wa $ hanged in efigy from telegraph pole a and gas lamps in dozen different places He was permitted to resign his seat i