Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-01-17
THIRD EDITION,
IER. a'layferd's Opening statssne
-Mes. Nuts Testimony.

'uH. lslay ford's Opening Statement
MRS. Nuts Testimony.
PITTsBURG, Pa, Jan. l6.-The cold
morning probably had some influence
In reducing the usual crowd at the
opening Of the Mutt trial to-day, and the
fact that none we're admitted without
tickets undoubtedly kept away some
Of those who have thr0nged the hall.
ways and vestibules since the trial be-
gan. There was o larger number Of
ladies present than heretofore. Mrs.
Mutt and Miss Lizzie were early on
hand, and occupied their accustomed
seats. Hon. DOniel Voorhees, was also In
his place. He will do the summing up
for the defence.
Mr.. Playford, for the defense, began
the proceedings. In outlining the case
he said: at has truly been said that
prosperity Is the test of friendship. On
the altar of friendship cast my offer.
ing this morning, and am here to defend
that boy, whose father was my friend. "
He claimed that Nuts reason was
overthrown by the murder of his father
and the disgrace of his sister. Mr..
Playford said that up to the trial of
the terrible letters that Dukes had
written casting terrible aspersions upon
his sister, bankrupting his family's
honor, as we'll as destroying its bead.
When the bog heard those terrible let
ters-the most damnably horrible that
q human being ever penned-hls mind
gave way, he walked the floor the night
long. weeping; his appetite forsoOk
him, reason was overthrown. Not for
fifty years has man been convicted
for Staying his sisters seducer, and
there is no case parallel to this No
man who had committed such crime
as that of Dukes could 90 unpunishcd.
Dukes knew 1t himself"
DR.. Smith Fuller, the physician of the
Mutt family, was the first witness. He
testified that he had attended the Mutt
family II years, and had treated the
defendant several times when sick !;
that he always believed him to be men
tally deficient and without sound men,
tai attributes, and that he would be in
clined to harbor feelings OF enmity
which would increase With time, and
would probably become mouomanlac
on the subject.
Mrs. Mutt called, and testified "My
husbands name was Allison c. Mutt,
(at the mention of his fathers name the
prisoner burst into tears) my husband
died suddenly at the Jennings House !;
I have nine children. At the time OF
my husbands death Jim was at school
at Rochester, N. Y. He came home
Immediately. He was good boy, and
much attached to his father and myself.
1 always considered him the reverse OF
mentally strong, and his father often
said If he died he disliked to leave jim
more than the rest of the children, as he
was not so able to take care Of himself
Excitement greatly affected the boy all
through life.
4" He WAS accustomed to use 4 pistol
for years, shooting at mark being his
favoriIe pastime. After his father was
killed James made request for his
pistol, anu gave it to him. Before
Dukes trial be was quite listless, and
took little interest in anything. After
the acquittal Of Dukes he was greatly
excited and grew morose. When he
heard OF Dukes letters, and for week
before the killing of Dukes, defendant
often screamed murder at night,
waking up all who We're in the house.
"One day he went to the Post-otticc,
and when he returned lie was muciI
agitated. He walked the floor, and
finally left the room. | followed him,
and he said Mother, don't you think
that villain Dukes had the impuience
to look ut me and laugh Several
other times, when in town, he would
return much excited this was when he
would meet Dukes. saw nothing IN
usual about Jim on the night of the
shooting"
Stephen r. Mutt, an uncle Of the de-
fendant, testified : "Jamus was n way
melancholy, and preferred helng by
himself. | was visiting my sjstrr-in-
law, Mrs. Mutt, on the 18Th OF June, |
and upon going to the stable he dis
covered that had an English bulldog |
pistol with me. l pulled it out and !
showed it IL jim, and knowing that
was / good Judge of pistols nv
handled them freY..en ..y-asked hjrS
what he thought Of it.
"Wnen | started for home do not
recollect making the remark, Slim. do
not fail | never anticipated that Inn
intended to shoot Dukes: ", III. con.
trary, L urged him to av il, nukes for
l knew the boys disposi don lin an
peared to b. in an exc ,lleut humor that
day. The prisoler va, Ia tears during
tne Rreater part OF the time his mother,
grandmother and uncle we're testifylng.