Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-06-16
RErRisurlom.
The Son of Murdered Captain Mutt
Stays His Fathers Murderer


The Son of Murdered Captain Nut
Stays His Fathers Murderer
UNIoNrows, Pennsylvania, June ID
James Mutt, son OF State Treasurer
Captain A. Mutt, deceased, shot ant
killed Dukes, his fathers murderer, thii
evening at half past seven o'clock.
Officer Frank Pegg, George Hutchin
son, Alfred Collins and others who saw
the occurrence, describe it as follows
James Mutt was standing against post
inside the room that joins the postoffic,
and fronts on Main street. This room
was, until lately, occupied by dru,
store. While standing here Dukes cam,
down the street from the direotion O
jennings hotel. walking briskly, with
cane under his arm. Just as be turned
the corner toward the postoffice dool
young Mutt stepped down the step
pulled his revolver and fired two shot
at him in quick succession Duke
Hooked around and started to run int
the postofiice door, whereupon Mutt free
again and followed in close pursuit
Just rs Dukes got inside the postoffic,
his assailant free two more slots, ans
Dukes fell heavily to the floor upon biz
face. Il. A. Lingo rushed into the office
and stopped down to pick him up
Dufes tried to say something, but could
only gasp, and in moment he was dead
BY this time Officer Pegg reached young
Mutt and laid hold of him. The latter
struggled fiercely 70 free himself, bui
when he discovered II was an officer be
quietly Welded and was taken to Jail
Dukes body was removed to his room 81
the hotel, where Coroner Sturgeon i'm.
paneled jury. No Testimony was taken,
owing to the difficulty in getting wit.
nesses, and the inquest was adjourned
until tomorrow morning. On examin-
ing the body it was found that three OF
the balls entered the back near the side
under the left arm and penetrated to.
ward 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 Dukes
body was found his old pistol.
SKETCH OF THE SLAYER.
James Mutt Is the second of Cap.
tain Nuts children, being next in age
to Miss Lizzie, and will be twenty -one
years old in August. He is q quiet
young man, seldom having anything to
say except when spoken to, and then
not much. He is of peculiar tenor of
mind, not being very aociable, but de-
cidedly retired. When his father was
killed not few predicted James would
avenge the murder. Dukes himself
feared this boy more than any other
person. Mrs. Mutt was also apprehen-
sive that her son would thus take the
matter into his own hands, and has tried
hard and often to induce him to prom
ise her that he would not do it. She
could never get him to give her any assur-
ance, however, US he persistently refused
to make any promises. A few days ago
he went home in a very irritable mood
and said to his mother: II cant stand
this. met Dukes on the street to-day
and he laughed in my face" She feared
from this time on that the worst would
come. II is not known when or where
James purchased his revolver, nor is it
thought that any one had any intimation
he had formed such purpose. He per-
formed II with coolness and delibera ton,
and remarked afterwards that it had to
be done. After he was in the hands Of
the officers he asked anxiously whether
he had hurt any one else. He repeated
this inquiry to those who visited him
after he was in jail, and when assured
that his bullets had harmed only Dukes,
he seemed satisfied.
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
Last fall N. L. Dukes, member elect
Of the Pennsylvania Legislature, wrote
q letter to Captain Mutt concerning the
daughter of the latter. The parties all
lived in Uniontown, Fayette county, of
which Dukes and Mutt were prominent
citizens, while Miss Mutt was beauti-
full and popular belle. Dukes letter to
Mutt. couched in the most atrocious lam
guage, was to the effect that Miss Mutt
was notoriously unchaste, and 1t con-
tanned the names of several young men
of Uniontown who. he said could testify
from personal experience to the truth of
his assertions. He wrote that the young
lady had surrendered herself to him,
and gave the details to the father in the
most shocking terms. Two or three
letters passed between them, and then,
at the suggestion of Dukes. Captain Mutt
called at the formers room in his hotel
The two were alone for few minutes,
when other persons entered the apart
ment and found them elinchsd. They
were separated, when Dukes drew a
pistol and shot Mutt dead. At the sub
sequent trial Dukes was acquitted, and
the Indignation OF the people was so
great that several of the jurors were
mobbed, and ali were hung in effigy.
The Legislature refused to permit Dukes
to take his seat, and he resigned. The
gentlemen allu led to in Dukes letter all
denied the truth OF his assertion. and the
universal opinion of the people Of Union
town was that the young lady was chaste
and virtuous. Dukes has ever since been
completely ostraeised by the people, was
disbarred at the unanimous request of
the legal fraternity of Uniontown. has
been stoned in the streets by women,
and. up to the hour of his death. skunk
throughthe streets of his native town,
hated, despised and disbonored.