Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-01-16
A BLOODY STORY
RetoId in the Trial of James Mutt
al Pittsburgh.
How Nicholas [. Dukes Was Slain by the
Man Whose Father H. Had Murder
I'd a,d Waose Sister He
Had Traduced.

PIrrsBURGH, January l5.-The second
| day Of the Mutt trial made no diminiution
| in number Of persons seeking adInls-
s:or. When the court opened the prisoner
| wss brought in anu took a seat beside his
| counsel Mrs. Mutt and daughter were
present, closely vel ed. Senator Voorhees,
was also on baud and will assist the conn
el for the defense. John Boyle, Esq, of
! Fsy, tie county, made the opening argu-
ment for the prosec5 lon and outlined the
case.
The first witness, Johu ID. Boyd, testified
hat he was a civil engineer. represented
plans Of the round coraer of the street
where Dukes WIS Killed,
and by permission Of the court explained
the points likely to be brought out in the
evidence, and thus save time. The plans
were closely examined by the jurors, and
the witness was examined more minutely
than he had been under the care OF the
court.
Wallace Miller was the next witness
called. He was a resident of Uniontovn,
and an intimate acquaintance Of the pris-
oner. he described the manner of the
shooting, and expressed his bslief that
Mutt fired the tstal shots. He told
how Dukes was standing when be
was shot, and the appearance OF the
body VIXEN the effects of the bullets
were discovered. Thomas S. Bell wit
messed the shooting and knew Dukes and
Mutt. He told the story OF the killing as
already published, and pointed out the
localities necessary to make the testimony
intelligent
Officer Pegg, Of Uniontown, who arrested
Mutt after he hsd shot Dukes, said he saw
Dukes and Nut coming around the post
offie corner, walking fast or running. He
heard one shot and saw il flash before he
saw Dukes.
Mutt was Following with q Revolver
in his haud and pointed it at him. A sec
ond shot was fred as Dukes came around
the corner, ana the third stot as he en-.
tered the postoffCe. When he arrested
Nut, the latter said: Here, take it,
as you can. After starting to the Jail,
Peeg, the policeman, said: "Jim,. you
have killed iiukes and, | think, another
mar" | am sorry for the other man."
said Mutt, but Dukes | could not help"
He rave me another revolver, self-cOck.
ing and very large one. In the cross ex-
animation FegS sad no body else was
yolver was then exhibited and
while it was being shown it was curious to
see how the ten or fifteen ladies present
craE ed their necks forward to get look at
the weapon. Their love for the horrible
was plainly shown. Ex.Coroner Sturgeon
sai1 that when he arrived the body Of
Dukes was lying in the postotfice. There
were three bullet holes in his back, and
One Ball Had Lsdg ed In the Heart
He xtracted three balls from the body,
which were produced and shown to the
Jury men. The witness said the bullets no
doubt produced death. Cross examined
by Mr.. Playfo-d: What did you find
on Dukes body Mr.. Patterson cEed
to the question snd the court sustained
him, whe said that only matter relating to
the killing was pertinent John Wyatt
and Alfred Ansell were also examined, but
their testimony did not materially differ
from the other witnesses. The latter said
that when Mutt was arrested he did not
struggle but quietly went with the officer.
Cress-e1smined: Did you ever see pistol
in Dukes hands" Patterson objected and
the court sustained him. A recess was then
taken.
George Seaton. Luke Frazier, Arthur
Strickler, Samuel Gold and Charles II.
Biersr supported the other witnesses as
the manner Of the shooting. John Mess.
mere, little psle-fcced boy, said he he was
nine years old; knew how to read, but did
not go to church. He said that telling an
uutruth would send him TO the bad place.
he was sworn by the Judge himself and
said that be remembered the killing OF
Dukes; on the afternoon of the day OF the
killing he was at Mrs Nuts house, playing
With Willie Mutt, boy Of his own age.
He Saw and Heard some Shooting
Done.
Saw Jim Mutt shooting at board with his
upCle Steve. The board was sgainst the
csrrisge house door. They were q short
distsnce awsy. Some other man whom
the boy 6idn't know was with the uncle
srd Mutt. They had two pistols. They
shot four or five times and hit the board
shot at. After they got through shooting
jim went into the house and his uncle
went home. Just before leaving, his uncle
told Jim not 10 fail. This was all the wit
ne Sc heard. The boys story was told very
sirsightly and without q break. he was
rCt cross examined.
George Grimes said he owned q straw.
berry patch opposite Mrs. Nuts residence,
ard on the afternoon OF the day Mutt shot
Dukes, ,the:witness heard shooting on the
Mutt property. Messrs. Playiord and
s hwariIwel6er
Objected 10 the Evidencef
but the court thought it entirely compe-
tent. The witness said he saw James Mutt
8 sn all boy and q man. Jim and the man
we're examining something. Anderson
Craft also heard shooting at Nuts on the
afternoon of the killing OF Dukes and upon
going to Nuts spring for water noticed
some men and little boys there. Harvey
Coburn heard shooting in the neighbor.
hood OF Nuts stable and upon looking
up saw two or three men and little boy.
After the men shot they would 60 forward
asd exsmine the effect OF the shots. Ex-
Sheriff Hoover said he had q conversation
with Mutt IN the Jail the night Of the shoot
ing. Mutt asked il there was much excite
ment and IL any body else was hurt. He
told him no other person was hurt and ba
said he was glad Of it as he would have
been sorry il any other person but Dukes
had been injured. Said Mutt
.Is Had 60 be Dsae ana Dsne It>
and was prepared to do 1t"
Tha commonwealth hora clnaed In naAa