The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-12-05
THE TRIAL OF MUTT,
Which BeEins To-day AN Affecting
Meeting-Cnse Reviewed.

| uSIoNrowE, Pa, December 4.-To-mor
row morning will mark the commence
ment Of a murder trial In this county which
is perhaps unparalleled in history. The de
fendant, as your readers will guess, L
James Mutt, whose name Is now familia,
to the newspaper reading public. Already
the streets Of Uniontown are filled with
strange faces. and the hotels are crowded.
It would really seem that the people out.
side OF Fayette county take as much in
terest in young Nutt's trial ss those who
have known the Mutt family for years.
Viewing the young ayenger from the
popular standpoint, he has nothing to fear,
but his relations and those most deeply in.
terested In the trial are not over confident
The popular voice says "Jim Mutt will
walk out OF the court room free man."
Others land they are his friends) look
through darker glasses, and carefully weigh
ing the anticipated evidence on both sides
express the opinion that the scale Of justice
will not balance. The latter cla3s argue to
themselves and others that young Mutt
commi. ted premeditated crime, that all
the elements Of murder are to be seen In
his act, and that II the Jury steps into the
box without pecsion, fear, favor or affect.
ion, pledging themselves to be governed
only by the law and the evidence, con-
viction Is inevitable.
UNCERTAINTY OF JURIEs.
OF course all this talk is pretty much a
waste Of wind, as there is no telling what
iuries will do, nor is the line Of defense
fully known. An opinion, however, shared
In alike by all parties, and which is, more.
over, feasible one, is that Mutt, even il
convicted Of the highest grade of murder,
would not have long to wait for a pardon.
The counsel for both sides will be here this
evening, and the District Attorney has put
the case Of "The Commonwealth va. Jame1
Mutt" first on to.morrow's trial list.
Mrs. Mutt, at her sons request, visited
him twice to-day, once in the morning and |
once in the afternoon. That distreFled
look which rested on her face when first |
informed Of her sons crime Is again notice |
able on her pale, emaciated face. Nor is |
The prisoners appearance lee, calculated |
% arouse public sympathy. Although he |
has borne up bravely, still, the hollow |
ayes, sallow complexion, and ambling gate, |
ell the stoiy Of his long imprisonment.
TIE CASE REVIEWED.
In connection with the foregoing It is
pertinent to give a brief statement Of the
,ase condensed. Capt. A. @. Mutt was
killed by Nicholes Lyman Dukes on Sun
lay morning, December "a, 1882. Dukes
lad been engaged to his daughter, and took |
advantage Of this intimacy to cast reaec-
ions upon her virtue. He wrote letter
% Capt. Mutt in which he plainly intima-
ed that bis daughter had accomplished |
ler own ruin, and that he wss not the au-
.hor Of 1t. To this scurrilous epistle Mutt |
replied, stating that he would hold him |
'Dukes) responsible. Dukes answered |
with another villainous letter, concluding
by inviting Captain Mutt to meet him for |
q friendly conference.
On December 2Sd Captain Mutt ar
rived home. The next morning he went
10 the room Of Dukes in the Jennings
House for the conference which the latter |
had suggested. There they had fight. |
After they had been separated by men at |
tracted to the room by the struggling,
Dukes drew revolver and instantly Killed |
Mutt. In the following March Dukes was
.ried and and acquitted.
Public indignation waI aroused, but
Dukes insisted upon remaining IN Union |
own. One evening in June last he met |
Young Mutt on Main street, and laughed in |
his face.