Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-06-18
THE UNIoNTowN TRAGEDY.
Lady Friend of Dukes Anxious About
His Will.
Unionfoaon Pa Special. i5fh

The excitement in UniontOwn over the
murder of Dukes by young Mutt is fast
/ dying out, and after the funeral is over.
/ tomorrow, will have entirely subsided.
Young Mutt was visited again to-day by
his two uncles and his mother. He re-
fuses to speak concerning the tragedy
save to his counsel, and seems uncon-
cerned.
A petition is being prepared, which
Will probably be presented to the Court
tomorrow by the Hon. VIM. Playford.
asking for Nutt's release. There is much
speculation over the probable action of
the Court, and the best lawyers declare
they can make no positive predictions re-
garding it. The funeral of Dukes will
take place from the residence of his
mother and stepfather, in German town
ship, at IL O'Clock tomorrow. Itnow ap-
pears that an intimate female friend of
Dukes eYinced great anxiety to procure
his keys from the Coroner on the night of
the shooting, and public opinion is di-
vided as to whether she wished to pro-
cure letters written him by her, or, think
ing he had made will was desirous of
securing it.
Although Dukes was not vet thirty
three years old he had made three wills.
one five years ago. just before starting on
2 Western tour, and a seeond soon after
his return. This he DESTROYED and did
not make another until after the killing
of Captain Mutt. The third he made
while supposed to be in Jail, although in
reality he was enjoying the comforts of
the Sheriff's sitting room.
The morning of the hearing on the ha-
beas corpus, while sitting with the Sheriff
an hour previous to the hearing, he called
in Mr.. G. ID. Conner, who was passing by,
and said to him: Here is NV will /
want you to witness it for do not know
what may happen" He doubtless feared
being shot down as he went along the
street to the courtroom. No one vet
knows the contents of the last will.
Dukes owned between $4,000 and $12,-
600 worth of property, a great deal of
which is in Western lands.
Mr.. Henry Jennings, proprietor of the
hotel where Dukes boarded, says that
Dukes told him few days ago that he
had received several anonymous warn
ingS, which made him feel nervous. and
soon after his acquittal he told a friend
he expected to be attacked, but would
take care to kill the man who might try
to kill him. He also added that there was
man IN town whom he would like to pro-
woke an encounter with so as to kill him,
This mans name could not be learned,
but 1t has been aScertained that he is a
prominent citizen towards whom no one
has any enmity.
The funeral ceremonies will be attend
ed tomorrow by large and curious crowds.
Only the intimate friends of Dukes, who
are few in number, will go from here.
Young Struble, Dukes stepbrother, was
in town to-day, and spent much time in
Dukes former Office, doubtless looking for
the will and any important papers which
the safe may contain.
An old gentleman said here to-day:
"The Scriptures have been fulfilled,
''WhosOever sheddeth mans blood. bv
man shall his blood be she'd" The gen
eral opinion is that those who advised
Dukes to remain here are quite as respon-
sible for his death as young Mutt.
His cousin, Mr.. Clark Breckenridge ,and
Mr.. X. p. Kennedy, Nutt's visitors to-day,
say he is quiet and takes his imprison-
ment easily. He reads and walks the
corridors OF the jail. Friends visit him
every day and endeavOr to keep up his
spirits. Confinement will tell on him,
however, as he has been accustomed to
an Out-Of-dOor life. COngratulatOry tele-
grams continue to pour in.
The friends Of Miss Mary Beeson deAy
that she was engaged to Dukes, say that
they were only friends and are annoyed
that her name has been used in connec-
ton with his