Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-06-20
THE SLAYER SLAIN.
NICHOLAS LYMAN DUKES,
THE MURDERER OF CAP
TAIN MUTT, KILLED.
A Son of the Latter the AVengel


UNIoNTowN, Pa, June 13.-The
slayer of Captain Mutt is himself slain,
and now lies lifeless inthe same room in
the hotel in which the tragedy of Decem-
der oath was enacted The slayer this
time is James Mutt, Captain Nuts
eldest son, who now is in Jail. The
news of the second awful tragedy came
upon the community like thunder
clap 1t was the work of but an in
slant.
Just as dusk was drawing on this
evening and many people were pass
ing along the streets, the sound of five
pistol shots rang out upon the air in
the direction of the post-oflice. In a
moment every one was running to the
scene, and the word quickly flashed
from mouth to mouth and ear to ear
that Dukes was dead.
HOW 1T OCCURRED.
The excited crowd gathered around
the post-office, and there on the floor
lay the inanimate body of the man
whose deeds had cast shadow over
the whole of Fayette county. The
work was done so quickly, and so par
alyzing was its effect upon those who
witnessed it, that it was difficult for a
time obtain the correct story. Officers
Frank Pegg, George B. Hutchinson,
Alf Collins, and others, who saw the
occurrence, describe it as follow:
James Mutt was standing against a
post inside of a room that joins the
post-office and fronts on Main street.
The room was, until lately, occupied
by drug store, and the front was all
taken out, it being now fitted up as the
business office for the First National
Bank. While in this position Dukes
came down the street from the direc,
tion of the Jennings Hotel, walking
briskly, with cane under his arm.
Just as he turned the corner toward the
post-ofice door, young Mutt stepped
down to the outside, and, as the hand
of the clock pointed five minutes past
eight, he pulled a revolver and fired
two shots in rapid succession.
A SINGLE GASP, THEN DEATH.
Dukes looked around, and started to
run into the post-office door, whereupon
Mutt fired again, and followed in close
pursuit. Just as Dukes got inside the
post-ollice his assailant raised his arm
again, and two more shots sounded on
the ears of the bystanders. AS they
entered. the body of Dukes fell heavily
to the floor upon his face
In an instant e. A. Lingo rushed in
to the office and stopped down to pick
him mp. Dukes tried to say some.
thing, but could only gasp and in a
moment he was dead.
TAKEN TO JAIL.
By this time Officer Pegg reached
young Mutt and laid his hand upon his
arm. The latter struggled fercely tc
free himself but when he discovered il
was an officer he quietly yielded and
was taken to Jail.
THREE BALLS NEAR THE HEART-WEAP.
oNs ON DEAD AND LIVING.
UNIoNTowN, PA, June 13.-On an
examination of Dukes body it was
found that three of the balls entered the
back near the side, under the left arm,
and penetrated toward the heart, lodg-
ing in the breast very near the skin,
where they were cut out. They all
three entered within two or three
inches of each other. A fourth ball
slightly grazed Dukes leg, near the
| foot, while the fifth missed its aim,
crashed through one Of the post-oflice
lock-boxes and whistled past the ears
OF Clerk George Minor, who was in
the inside apartment.
On the body was found the old pis'
tol of Dukes, the one with which he
killed Captain Mutt, and hanging to
his suspendcr button in font was dirk
knife The pistol used by young Mutt
was 42-calibre Smith Il Wesson
He had in his pocket another smaller
pistol which he refused to surrender t.
Officer Pegg, but gave to Officer Mar
tin.
The movements Of the two men just
previous to the tragedy were noted by
several persons. 1t appears that Dukes
started down to the post-ollice, as was
his custom in the evening, for his mail
The distance is only a square. A
short time after the trains came in Mutt
was seen starting up from Broadway
toward the post-ollice, which is about
half way between that street and the
Jennings Hotel He spoke to friends
as he passed along and nothing IN.
usual was noticed in his manner
Meanwhile Dukes was seen standing
in front OF the Jennings Hotel chatting
with some of his friends. Then, when
the mail was being distributed, Mutt
had reached the well known round cor.
ner building in which the post-oilce ia
located. He stepped up on the inside
and was standing there when Dukes
came walking along. None OF those
who witnessed the shooting are able to
say whether Dukes saw Mutt before he
fired or not. There il also difference
Of opinion az to whether Dukes ever
looked back after the shots began,
some saying that he started to run at
once and never turned around.
Postmistress Johns and others were
in the Office and several parties were
standing about on the outside, 80 that
IL il almost marvellous that no one else
was hurt.
Dukes had been frequently warned
of his danger in remaining in Union.
town, and he lately said he would
either stay there or in the cemetery.
1t il said that he expressed fear OF Cap
tain Nuts son. To-day young Mutt
was seen practicing with revolver at
his home.
YOUNG NUTT's CHARACTER.
James Mutt is the second Of Cap
tain Nuts children, being next in age
to Miss Lizzie, and will be twenty-one
years old In August next. lie IL n
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