The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-16
CRIME BY LAW.

dSSdSSln DukeS, ~ OHlOnVOWu, Id.i LIE myS-
terry of mob violence is ~effectually dispelled.
A more deliberately diabolical and heinous
offense than Dukes committed can scarcely
be conceived. yet a jury of twelve men has
pronounced him g~uiltless and set him free,
thereby indorsing his action and encouraging
its commission by others. According to the
evidence furnished by Dukes himself the
story of his crime is as follows; He was a
friend of his victim, and as such enjoyed his
confidence to such a degree that he was adj
mitted as a sutton for his daughters hand.
An engagement followed, but whether from
affection on the part of Dukes or
simply as a means of accomplishing his
lustful designs cannot be determined. Be
that as it may, Dukes succeeded in ruin
detection became inevitable. At this
point the true character of the man mani
tested itself, and it is altogether safe to say
that a more brutal course was never pursued.
Captain Mutt, the father of the unfortunate
girl, was away from home, and Dukes, hoping
to anticipate and to shift the responsibility,
with diabolical deliberation wrote him a
letter calculated to drive Captain Mutt to the
verge of irresponsible madness, and with
malicious cunning opened a way by which
he could murder the friend he had wronged
and make it appear that the second crime
was committed in self defense. This letter
has already been published in the Journal.
1t shows that Dukes began by recounting
the whole story of his part in the be-
trayal of Captain Nuts daughter, going
into all the dreadful details, in
a manner that betrsys the most malicious
spirit, making no attempt to mitigate the
shock and apparently g~loating over the re-
Voting incidents. His only attempt at any
thing like a defense of his infamy is in the
statement that he twas but human" and
that Others than himself enjoyed like favors,
which latter declaration is wholly unsup-
ported by any evidence adduced, and is
probably false. At the conclusion of the
letter he suggests a further crime. That this
letter was deliberately planned is proved by
the fact that it was written Dec. 4, and was
not mailed until Dec. II, a week later. An
ticipating the fathers return, the dastardly
Dukes made it convenient to be absent from
the town.
The reply of Captain Mutt shows him at
once a stricken but brave and honorable man.
There is not a line or word in it that would
not instinctively spring from the heart of a
determined man, abused beyond the limit of
endurance. He said:
"You say l Y would have done as you did.
You are a -- liar. If / had invaded
the swanctity of a home as you have confessed
to doing, l would hold myself fit only to be
shot, When cross the threshold of a mans
door and become the guest of his family, or
any member of it, his wife and daughters
are as sacred to me socially as my own. The
suggestion that | should resort to the hellish
acts OF the abortionist could only have ema-
mated from a creature like you. No. | have the
moral courage to face the community in
which live, and if disgrace should come l
have no fear but, under the circumstances,
the sympathy and support of the community
will be mine. | have also the physical cour-
age to seek you out and give you the alterna-
tive of repairing the ruin which you have
wrought or suffering death. 1t remains with
you to say whether there shall be a legal
farce or a tragedy. You cannot skulk from
me nor evade me-. Leaving Uniontown when
| go there will not avail you. | will be home
again on the 23d."
Instead of making reparation or attempt
ing to avoid the man crazed by his infamy,
Dukes, a lawyer, laid a trap, so that he might
assassinate him and yet escape the penalty.
Declining to marry Miss Mutt, he invited her
father to meet him at his (Dukes') Office or
room. There the unhappy man went, and
revolver he had evidently purchased for the
purpose, having bought it the day before,
after asking the dealer for lone that would
kill" Such is the story as told by Dukes.
There was not a ~scintilla of evidence that
any other person than himself had any part
in the downfall of the girl. But even sup
posing there had been, his conduct follow
ing the liaison was such as should nave sent
him to the gallows with u~nerring certainty.
Yet, in the face Of all this, the jury, with
little or no deliberation, returns a verdict of
not guilty, and the libertine and assassin is
again turned loose on society. The whole
conduct OF the trial, and the evident conf
dence Of the accused that he would be ac-
quilted, all go to prove that the result must
have been known to him in advance, No
honest, unbiased jury could have rendered
such an infamoas verdict. The presiding
Judge was prompt to express his indignation,
and the populace, who had followed the trial
and were conversant with all the facts, were
enraged almost to the poin. of taking the
miscreantis miserable life. 1t is such out
-..oz ,.n, ;ne,;on nc tl;o chat fngp;rau p,oh