The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-21
THE TRAGEDY.

II hAbED1.
Dukes had courted Nuts daughter.
There is reason to believe he tells the
truth about her fastness but having
danced he was not willing to pay the
piper. Like a coward and sneak, he
not only refused to cover her shame by
marriage, but ever proposed an abor-
ton to the father. This, we suppose,
accounts for the local Indignation
against the jury. The public feels that
no matter if Dukes were not guilty of
murder. he ought to be hanged for de-
serting the girl. Dukes. however,
claims that If he, alone, had been the
cause of the girls ruin, he would have
acted differently and it must be con-
iessed that no man would care to marry
a girl who had had half a dozen init
mates. Dukes wrote on the 4th of De-
cember:
1T is inexpressibly painful to me to
write you upon the subject which | now
have III hand. But | consider it a ,'utv
both to myself and to you. About four
years ago | met your daughter Lizzie at
a festival in the Methodist church. /
was struck by her beauty and charmed
with her innocence and simplicity. /
sought and obtained an introduction.
Probably a year ago / visited her. i'm the
company of a mutual friend, and spent
a very pleasant evening. Subsequently
| called upon her alone. She showed
me a burn upon her wrist. | took her
hand in mine to look al it, and when
done | was surprised that she permitted
her hand to linger in mine. This flat
tered my vanity. When l was about to
depart L attempted to kiss her. and to
my still further surprise, Instead of re-
pulsing me she advanced her face to
mine. l called again, and as the front
door of you new house was not then
completed | started to 90 around and
enter by the back way. Passing the
library window / looked in and was
shocked and grieved to see Lizzie sitting
on Alonzo Hagan's lap. l left without
entering. On my next visit | made
certain propositions to your daughter.
- (The girl denies the in
tImacy as OF course is natural. A re-
cent case in North Carolina would IL
lustrate. But if Dukes were lying why
should he propose to call in a Doctor y
Col. Mutt did not appear to be in an
hurry to answer-did not rush in search
of Dukes, as any Southern father would
have done and this gives weight to
Dukes claim that the family knew the
truth. The father finally replied:-
You say 1 would have done as you
did. YOu are a If |
had invaded the sanctity of a home. as
you have confessed to doing, / would
hold myself tit 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 dauyh-
tiers are as sacred to me socially as my
own. The suggestion that l should re-
sort TO the hellish acts of the abortion
lists could only have emenated from a
creature like you. l have the physical
courage to seek you out and give you
the alternative of repairing the rum
which you hare arrought or suffering
death. 1t remains with you to say
whether there shall be a legal farce or a
tragedy. You cdnnot escape from me
nor Grade me. Leaving Uniontown
when l go there will 0 avail you. /
will be home again on the 3d."
To this letter Dukes replied on the
10Th, saying: I'm the light of your let
ter l would be justified in shooting you
on 81 ,ht. As for marrying our daugh-
ter. / would sooner suffer death than to
be mated to a wanton, a toy of the
town. However, l think a meeting be-
tween us will result in an amicable un-
Outstanding, and therefore / will meet
you at my office at 8 O'Clock on Satur-
day evening, the I'D, or in my room at
9 o'clock on Sunday morning." The
tragedy followed these letters.
Dukes was found not to be guilty of
murder Wednesday. When the verdict
was announced, Judge Wilson, who
heard the case. looked amazed and said:
Gentlemen of the jury, l suppose the
verdict is one you thought you should
render under your oaths, but it is one