The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-08-11
P0STHUMOUS PLEA
oF THE MURDERER OF CAPT. MUTT
For the JustIncstIOn Of his Bloody Dssd-A Cool
mud Hsartisss Review erths nurdsr from
Dak.I IStandpOInt-Haby IaeonsIst.
snoes In the Statement.

OLENELANUt Va huRunt lV.-1uc btuuH
has the following from Uuiontown, Pa:
Just after the acQuittal Of n. L. Dukes for
the murder OF Captain Mutt, and when
public feeling against the former was rum
ming highest, It was suggested to him by
his friends, in view Of the manifest fact
that his life was in grave danger, that it
would be wise to prepare for posthumous
il necessary, statement by
his own hand, giving his own individual
side OF the great tragedy in which he was a
performer. This advice Dukes acted on.
He was killed, as was expected, and in
three weeks the trial OF his murderer will
take place.
The full text OF the statement OF Dukes
has been obtained by your correspondent,
and is as follows:
"7o my friends in FaydLe County and slse
trhere:
"My mouth having been closed by the
law during my trial, | feel that l owe to
the many friends throughout the county OF
Fayette and elsewhere, who have refused
to believe the vile calumnies that have
been heaped against me, some explanation
OF the dire calamity which has overtaken
me. therefore submit for their consider.
alton brief account OF the tragndy, and
offer few comments on the tragedy and
On the morning OF the
oath Of December, 1882, l was sitting be.
eide my desk in my room in the Jennings
Hotel rejecting upon my trouble. The por.
ter raped at my door (his rap is very
familiar to me because he carries my coal).
said, Come The door swung open, the
colored porter stepped back, and Mr..
Breckenridge stood in the door. rose as
was uttering these words, and stepped
within about six feet OF the door, and was
going to shake hands with him and offer
him chair. He said, Captain Mutt wants
to see you.' Ihad no time to reply, when the
Captain pushed into view and passed Alr.
Breckenridge and into the room, and slam.
med the door shut without turning. He
did not lift his eyes 10 mine, but hissed
through his teeth, 4 want to see you, and
and rushed upon me instantly with his
cane upraised.
TIE PRELIMINARY STRUGGLE.
instinctively threw down my head and
threw up my arms, and the blow fell Sc
verely diagonaly across the arm. lat once
grappled with him, and caught his cane.
We struggled few moments about the
foot Of the bed, and l wrested the cane
from him, and attempted to strike him
down with 1t. He then threw himself up
against me snd the blow had no effect.
We were struggling once more, and scuf-
fled over into the corner back OF the bed by
the window. l now knew that | was his
superior in physical strength, and could
have drawn my pistol and shot him in the
struggle, the pistol being selt-acting. but l
did not want 10 kill him. concluded, as
was physically bis superior, to do moth
ing but keep him from hurting me, and l
cried murder, murder with the
full force OF my lungs, in order to
bring some one to the rescue. AS soon as
this alarm was given, Captain Mutt called,
'Uiark, Clark, Clark, in much lower tone
Of voice than that employed by me. This
call for his nephew, who had accompanied
him there, coupled with the threat in his
letter OF an avenger, filled me with t-rror
and desperation. instantly threw myself
on the cane with all my power, and it was
mine. He sprang away from me to avoid
another stroke from the cane back toward
the mantle, and as he went he thrust his
right hand into his overc1 lat pocket and
attempted to draw his pistol, but It seemed
to be entangled. shall never forget the
murderous look in his eyes.
TIE AWFUL MOMENT HAD CONE.
The awful moment had come. 1t was
he or l, and in the twinkling OF an eye my
pistol was drawn from my hip pocket, my
right foot and arm advanced, the trigger
pressed, Hash, and Captain Mutt sank
down along the wardrobe. My position
threw my back toward the door, and as
CAPTAIN Mutt sank down, heard aconfus-
ion behind me. l turned my head and
saw Mr.. Breckenridge about the foot OF the
bed, fastening forward toward Captain
Mutt. Mr.. Feather, barC-headed, was just
behind him, his face as white as the coun.
terpane upon the bed, turned
toward me and Just in the door
was the black face and white
eyes Of the negro. The whole picture is
indelibly impressed on my mind, and
can never forget 1t. Breckenridge went
and stopped over Captain Mutt, and
Feather came around the bed to me and
took hold OF the pistol. which was now
down at my side. / ssid, BE careful, be
care. .uI, it will 20 off, and let 60. There
was no struggle between him and me,
The statement that Mr.. Breckenridge, or
any one else, separated US is positively in.
correct. did not know OF the presence
OF any person in that room other than
Captain Mutt and myself when the shot
was fired.
THE FATAL SHOT.
The shot was fired almost instantly after
he sprang back from me. Captain Mutt
was positively not leaning upon the man
tel when be was shot. His arm was
akimbo, his hand clutching his pistol. He
did throw his hands up over his head and
fall. He sank down without single mo-
tion, lust as thousands OF people have seen
objects in animal life sink when shot; !
over by the lounge and handed to
Mr. Jennings Mr.. Nuts cane, which still
held in my hand, and told him to
keep 1t carefully. 1t was very
heavy cane. stood few mo.
ments in the corner by my desk dumb
founded. Captain Mutt was carried to the
bed and DR.. Ewing came in. put my
oyercoat and hat on and walked down
through the sitting room, through the OF.
fice. md passed ont at the alley door. !
stopped lust moment on the step to con-
alder what to do. My mind was 10 whirl.
wind OF confusion, but ! felt that ] had
been driven to desperate act for sclf-pre.
seryation, and would submit myself my:
self to the law. Immediately prnCeeded