Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-03-16
.DENOUNCING A VERDICT
INDlGNAriON MEErING AT UNION.
TOWN.

Tho clsazens Pronounoe In Bitter Invscs,ve |
Against N. L. DuksstTexe Of the
Resolutions and Speeches
Dispatch to the Patriot
Owing to the cold and clustering |
weather, grave doubts were entertained |
Of the success of the meeting called for |
last evening to express the indignation of
the community touching the verdict of
the jury acquitting Dukes of the murder |
Of Captain Mutt. Tho assemblage was to
have convened on the postofRce corner,
but the blasts were too wintry, 80 it was
decided to have it in the public school
hall. In ten minutes after the ringing of
the school house bell there was not stand
ing room in the hall. People of
all classes, conditions and creed, and
of every party flocked there. Many
were unable to gain admission. Captain
John Bierer was called to preside.
He spoke for about ten minutes. He
reviewed the character of Captain Mutt in
his relations to society and his family. He
dwelt upon the deep damnation of his
taking of, and when he came to speak of
the jurors who acquitted his assassin, 40
words were too strong in which to frame
his powerful condemnation of their acts.
When he affirmed his abiding belief in the
absolute purity of the young girl whom
Dukes had traduced his audience burst
into storm Of applause, which clearly
indicated how fully his sentiments were
received. Aspecial train from Connells-
vills had brought large delegations from
that place, Dunbar and intermediate
points on the Southwest railway. While
Mr.. Bierer was speaking and the enthusi-
asm of the meeting was rising to high
pitch, G: 81. Beall capped the climax by
rising to his feet and declaring, 81 was
born in Maryland and am glad of it. I
don't belong to Fayette county"
Messages OF sympathy.
o. j. Sturgess read number of tele-
grams that had been sent to the meeting.
Ex.Attorney General Palmer telegraphed
as follows from Wilkesbarre &: The uni
versal sentiment here is that Dukes ac.
quittal irretrievably disgraces Fayette
county and humiliates every Pennsylva-
from Confluence d" Hang the murde rer
and penitentiary the Jurors" Bellverraon
shook hands with Hon. w. Fl. Playford in
these words "Can't be present, but
indignation great. You did nobly." The
mountain town Ursina sent greeting in this
style " Feeling against Dukes universal.
No sympathy for him here" These
kilograms were applauded again and again,
particularly the one from Confluence. It
struck responsive chord in the breast
of everyone present. G. H. Living
ston, merchant, followed in five
minute speech. He said that his
opinion and the opinion of every
other honest man was that notwithstand-
ing the verdict Dukes richly merited
halter about his neck, and that when he
failed to get it he failed of justice. The
verdict was mockery of justice, a scan-
dalous shame and whitening disgrace to
Fayette county. Nathan Ewing, q mem
ber of the bar, said he had often felt in
private his inability to adequately express
his feelings, and on this public OCCASION
he doubly lamented his weakness in this
regard to do justice to them. He had
never felt before as he did now had never
felt how inadequate the courts are to the
administration of justice, as since the
infamous verdict that had set free red
handed murderer among an honest and
law-loving people, notwithstanding the
| verdict of twelve base men. The time
has come when the courts cannot be relied
| upon to see that justice is done. Then We
the law in our own hands. Applause. ]
Tho Resolutions.
The resolutions then unanimously
adopted declared that "a great public
calamity has befallen us. An esteemed
citizen has fallen by the hand of the base
traducer of the honor of his family, and
with shame and humiliation be it said a
jury has been found in Fayette county so
grossly disqualified for the proper dis
charge of their high trust to make exemp-
| frnr Sh
crime.
''That the acquittal of N. L. Dukes, the
murderer of Captain Mutt, by Fayette
county jury, is a reproach to the intelli-
gence and decency of our people and
destroys public confidence in the intelli-
gence and purity OF the decisions of the
jury box:
acquitting N. L. Dukes Fayette county
jury has proclaimed license and protection
to the ibertine and assassin, and has
brought dismay to the hearthstone of
every household.
''That the methods adopted by N. L.
Dukes and some of his friends to thwart
public justice by packing and trammeling
the jury before which he was tried are
worthy of the betrayer of youthful inno-
cence and the apologists of seduction and
murder.
'That we calmly but imperatively de-
mand N. L. Dukes to seek future homo
where great crimes have no refuge in the
jury box from speady and condign punish
ment.
''That we demand exemption from the
partisan efferts of public officers to tam
per with the behest of justice and offer as
the only alternative the bloody arena at
the shrine of Judge Lynch"
ThankSt te the court and Commonwealth
counsel and coincidence for Nuts family
were also, expressed. Rev. Kerr closed
the meeting with fiery speech.
A dispatch from Uniontown says: Dis.
patches from youngstown, O., Millers-
town, Scottdale. Greensburg, C0nnells.
vile, West Newton, Bellevernon, Browns.
vile, and in fact almost every town in
Western Pennsylvania have been received
here strongly condemning the verdict,
and pronouncing it disgrace to the state.
DUKES ACCOUNT uF TaE aoMIClDE.
He Related IL to !" Times y" Reporter.
81 was sitting by my fire that morn
ing, "he said, when there came a knock
at my door. called out 'come in,'
thinking it was the porter of the hotel.
The door did not open Immediately and I
arose and went to it. had my hand upon
it when it opened and saw Clark Brock