The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-03-13
A PROMINENT TRIAL.
THE Dvkss-NvrT MURDER CASE.
The Opening Evidence In the Domestic Tragedy.
Oae Witness Makes Very bad Showing for
Dukes-PoiitIeAi Pr'JudIets Allsgsdto
Have Been Appealed 10.

UNIoNTowN, Pa, March l2.-Immense
crowds witnessed the beginning Of the tes'
timony in the Dukes murder trial this
morning. A. D. Doyd opened for the
Commonwealth, and outlined their plan,
which would be to show that Dukes
opened up a correspondence with Captain
Mutt, and that alter writing scandalous and
villainous letters he invited Mutt to come
TO his room for peaceable settlement OF
their difficulties; that Mutt at first declined
the interview, but that Dukes wrote again,
in which he assured Mutt that he would be
unarmed; that Mutt then went, and being
inveigled into Dukes own room, was there
murdered by him. The defense made
a great effort TO keep out anything
bearing on the contents Of the letters, and
stated that they objected TO their admission
as irrelevant. The court allowed the COM
monwcalth 10 refer to the letters as throw
ing light on why Mutt went 10 the room,
but not to go into detail as to their contents
ut this time. A great legal battle will be
fought over the admission OF these letters.
Breckenridge was the only witness ex.
amined during the forenoon. He related
his going 10 Dukes room tO get an inter-
view with Dukes for Mutt, and described
the killing. The defense tried hard to
break his testimony as 10 Nuts making
no motion TO get revolver at the time
Dukes fred, but did not succeed.
+. 9. Breckenridge was on the witness
stand all morning in the Dukes.Nutt mur-
der case. The point OF his testimony was
that when Mutt was shot by Dukes he was
standing with his right arm resting on the
mantel and his left arm hanging by his
side. He was exhausted and breathing
heavily from the struggle with Dukes,
which was Just over, and making no move.
ment Of any kind. The defense in cross.
examining Breckenridge sought to break
him down by showing that at the hearing
before the Coroner lie had not testified
with absolute certainty to these facts. but
wanted TO do so. Breckenridge stated that
he was in a state OF great mental excite.
ment and physical prostration when the
Coroner examined him. Immediately al
ter the murder OF his uncle he said that
his recollection was not as clear then as
now.
James r. Feather testified this afternoon
in the Dukes.Nutt murder trial, that after
Dukes and Mutt had been separated in the
formers room, he pushed Dukes 10 one
corner, when Dukes said: "He came in
here to whip me, and I'll shoot him.
Feathers said, ale can whip you now."
But Dukes drew his revolver and fred
across the room at Mutt, killing him. Mutt
was making no movement to draw a
weapon. He was standing ut rest with his
right arm on the mantel.
WIN. Pickard, clerk in Springer's, hard.
ware store, testified that on the Friday pre-
ceeding the Sunday when the shooting was
done he had sold Dukes a - calibre Smith
4 Wesson double-acting revolver. Dukes
selected it with great care from q number
OF others, saying he wanted weapon that
was sure. A party happened to drop in
the store at the time when Dukes cornered
him, saying that he did not want every
body to know his business. Some other
evidence OF comparative unimportanCe was
taken, after which court adjourned.