Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-06-28
AVENGED.
Dukes, the Unfontown (Pa.) Assassin, Shot
Dead by His Victims SOn-Sketch OF the
Determined and Youthful Avenger.
PITTSBURGH, Pa, June a.


| Il PITTSBURGH. Pa, June Il
Nicholas L.sDukes, who killed Captain A.
! c. Mutt, Cashier of the State Treasury. at
| Uniontown, Fayette County, on December
"a last, was himself shot and instantly
killed Wednesday evening, at Uniontown,
| by James Mutt, nineteen-year old son Of
| the deceased Captain Mutt. The friends Of
| Dukes had pleaded with him to remain
| away from Uniontown, on the ground
that his life was in danger. They
told him that ne remained
there he would certainly be killed sooner or
later His invariable reply was that he
would stay there or in the cemetery. His
acauittal at the March term of court seemed
to give him renewed confidence in his safety,
and his presence was conspicuous on the
streets daily, but he never ventured ont OF
his hotel after night. Wednesday afternoon
he was in Pittsburgh in the company OF his
counsel, Hon. G. e. Boyle. They left
at four o'clock and arrived in Uniontown
about half-past seven. Dukes was walking
up Main street toward his hotel, and when he
got to the corner of Main street he observed
James Mutt standing in doorway. He
glanced casually at Mutt, but did not at
tempt to stop. Young Mutt, however, as
soon as Dukes got up to him, drew revolt
yer and fired at him, the ball taking effect
in his side. Dukes started to run toward the
post-office, with the intention of seeking a
shelter there. He was hit by second shot
before reaching the post-Office doorway. just
as he got to the doorway a third shot struck
him and laid him prone upon the post
Office floor Young Mutt had followed him up,
discharging the revolver as rapidly as he
could, and completed the assault by firing
two bullets into the body of Dukes while
it lay on the floor. One OF these balls
passed through his neck, and each one of
the five took effect. Dukes was dead before
any one could get to him. Mutt surrendered
himself to the Sheriff and was committed
to Jail. He was perfectly calm, but
CHASTITY white, and labOring under the most
intense excitement.
Every one is surprised that the deed was
committed by James Mutt, who was the last
person in the world from whom vengeance
for his fathers killing was expected. His
disposition is docile and kindly almost to
weakness. He is only boy yet, but in
stature overtops an ordinary man, being fully
six feet high. His placidity of disposition
even as boy kept him free from boyiSh
quarrels and fights. He is an industrious lad
manually, but not mentally. His tastes, unlike
his fathers, are not intellectual. He disliked
to go to school, because study involved mental
activity, which was distasteful to him.
When at work on his fathers farm he was
contented. His character is SO sluggish that
Ny Hidlly ilC ID CUIISluCICu WCdh-iuHluCus IL
was constant brooding over his fathers
death and Dukes acquittal that wrought
him up to the commission of this crime.
Both he and his sister Lizzie have been prac-
ticing with revolvers for months, and those
who were aware of this understood
the object Young Mutt killed Dukes pre-
meditatedly and with malice, but hardly
any one believes, even in the face of that
fact and the present high state of excite
ment, that he will ever be hung.
The murder which led to the tragedy is
still fresh in the minds of all. Dukes, who
was engaged to Miss Lizzie Mutt, had writ
ten infamous letters to her father, Captain
A. c. Mutt, questioning her chastity, and
Captain Mutt, upon the invitation of Dukes,
had gone to the latter's room in hotel on
December "a to settle the affair quietly,
when Dukes shot and killed him. The muir
der created intense excitement and Dukes
was arrested, tried and acquitted. His re-
lease caused great indignation, and threats
on his life were heard on all sides, but no
attempt was made to carry them out, and it
was generally believed that he would be al
lowed to remain in Uniontown unmolested.