The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-16

scenes In the Court-Rocm Threats 60 Lynch
pukes aud Tar and Feather the Jurors
seeking the Protection OF the Jail-How tho
>,vswas Received at Harrishurr--An tn.
1,enation Meeting Called.
announced In our tclegIaphic columns
Yesterday morning, Captain LYMAN Dukes,
democratic member Of the Pennsylvania
legislature from Uniontown, Pa. was on
TncSdav acquitted Of the murder of Cap
,,in Mutt. whose daughter, IL was alleged,
be had betrayed. The verdict OF the jury
Sell mon the community like bombshell,
,ro,ISing the most intense indignation, and
threats Of lynching were plentiful. A
,necial 10 The Philadelphia Times thus de-
.,ribc> the closing scenes and incidents of
,be trial aud the excitement at Uniontown
md elsewhere:
outside Of the narrow room in which
tho twelve men sworn TO render verdict
by fhe evidence were gathered. under lock
and kew, there was but one sentiment a. TO
,,bai The verdict should he. When the
,ri.on.r was first arraigned. and pleaded
:. moi guilty " so boldly. the feeling AZ the
community was about evenly divided. hut
under The evidence, and especially the let
,rr. written by Dukes 10 Mutt. almost all
,,mnathv for his murderer melted away.
!, the hotels. where those who had
S.f,ned 10 III the evidence gathered:
rnop the street corners. where the nearest
Professional associates of the prisoner nj the
Nv hsd cOngrcgated. there was hut one
,.,ire. and that for verdict " murder in the
,r.t degree. Coupled with this from many
nbo knew the composition OF The jury
came grave hcad-Shakings and doubts OF
The integrity Of the men with whom the
i..ue rested. The streets Were fun Of poo
,le and from lin rs lip the question ran:
!. WIll they do it," Dare they acquit
hjmsr Old men left their seats 10y the
.nring fire and hobbled ont TO add their
voices 10 the general denunciation. Men
II middle age and the young men OF the
town walked the streets or sat listening ior
the ringing OF the courthouse bell, which
would indicate that the jury had agreed
upon their verdict.
TIE JURY DELWERATING.
II had been announced that il the jury
,.rccd before 9 o'clock the bell would be
RING, and the whole town hung anNiously
upon the summons. Meanwhile the twelve
men sworn TO render righteous verdict
al I'm their little room debating whether
they should find Dukes guilty OF man.
Slaughter or acquit him altogether. Not
voice wa, raised in favor OF CONVICTION ior
murder even in the second de [ree. lmme-
diaicly upon their retiring they resolved 10
keen their Deliberations secret. Ihen the
tr,t ballot was taken. which resulted IN
. nine for ac0uitial and three for manslaugh-
Ter. The slow work OF talking over the
evidence and taking standing votes and
votes by holding up the right hand went
on until eight ballots had been taken.
II was now fifteen minutes 10 o'clock.
one Of the tipstrves on guard was told to
notify Judge Wilson that the luly had
agreed upon their verdict. A. he walked
acro,, 10 the Judges residence. on Main
street. some of the watchiul eyes caught
him. There was on instant surmlse what
il meant. and the nearest group started LOT
The courthouse on run. several tunes
before. when the church-bcll rang or the
clock struck the hour, there was raise
alarm. and the more eXcitable ran, but this
time the cry went up, ''Thcy have agreed;
the jury are coming IN
GREAT RUSH TO Court.
The sound Of hurry ing feet passed the
word. The evening papers, with the last
detail. Of the trial, were flung upon the
floor. stores and shops were deserted.
The ate-cOmerS to the hotel supper tables.
infected with the excitement, dropped
knife and fork and ran. The walters drop
bed their napkins and ran after them. Be
fore the first tap Of the bell summoned
those in the remOter quarters oil the town
the courthouse yard was mass OF peo-
Die. The courtroom was damned a. II had
never been, even during the days of the
trial. With one step upon the platform by
hi, desk Judge Wilson said, forebodingly
81 am afraid the verdict comes too quick
Is In be the right one
The jury fled slowly in aud took their
seats. Ia came the counsel in the case.
In. at length. came the prisoner, his step
"a. steady, In face rs stOlid and impassiye
a, ever. 1t j. said he had an mixing OF
the verdict. He sat tilted back IN his char,
with his plump hands folded placidly upon
his stomach while the clerk called over the
names Of the Jurors. HIS eyes were bent
upon the table in front OF him TIL the clerk
went through the formula and CAME to the
question: - How say your"
NOT GUILTY.
Juror Mcintyre. who had been selected
TO deliver the verdict. broke in premature
Is Not The clerk said, "Hold on"
Dukes glanced up at the juror who had
thus foreshadowed the verdict, while Clerk
| Scaright went on with his formal ques-
ton:
is the prisoner guilty as he stands in
dicted or not guilty?"
"Not guilty."
" the words fell from the lips Of the
Juror there was hiss or two and few
feeble cheers. The majority seemed TO
doubt il they heard Alright and did moth
ing. The prisoner made no sign that he
had heard what was said. Judge Wilson
seemed amazed, and said
- suppose the verdict that you have
rendered i one that You thought you
should render under your Oaths, but 1t l.
enc that gives dissatisfaction to the Court,
because We thought the evidence was suib-
cient 10 justify you in rendering diiieren'
verdict. II YOU have committed an error
Il i, one that We cannot avoid, but can only
express our condemnation OF it in this
mild way. The prisoner is discharged
nUgEs sEEKs THE PROTECTION OF THE JAIL.
The crowd rushed out, but waited about
the halls 10 see the acquitted man start out.
He started down the back way, but re-
NAMED concealed on the stairway while
hi. counsel passed out the other way, and
the crowd, seeing him 20, in measure
dispersed. On the streets indignation ut
The verdict ran high. An impromptu pros
ce,,ion formed at once and paraded the
streets with rude efiigy OF Dukes upon q
pole and crying his name with oaths ana
teeT,. Threats of lynching were freely
made. Dukes sought the protection OF the
= sheriff, and coseted himself in the lail
building for the night. He was not locked
up, but remained in the sberiil7s parlor.
The Jurors diSanpeared i'm the confusion