The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-01-17
THE PRISONER MENrALLY pErlclENr.

Dr. Smith Fuller testified that he bad at
tended the Mutt family for seventeen years
and treated tie defendant several times
when sick that he always believed him to
be mentally deficient and without sound
mental attributes; that he would be in
clined to harbor feeling OF enmity, which
would increase with time, and probably
become monomanic on the subject. TIE
Doctor further stated that in person like
James Mutt, broodiBg upon his fathers
death would uneetlle his mind and incs.
pacltate him for mental control over him.
self. He said he considered him an inba-
cile, not an idiot.
The admission Of this evidence DESTROY
ed tho prosecutions attempt 10 rule out the
defense, OF emotional insanity and gives a
clear fad for the defense.
TESTIMONY OF THE rRIEoSER's MOTHER.
Mrs. Mutt was then called. She said:
"My husbands name was Allison G. Mutt"
(At the name OF his father the prisoner
commenced cryiug,) Continuing, Mrs.
Mutt said: "My husband died suddenly
at the Jennings House. 4 have niue
children. At the time Of my husbands
death Jim was ut school at Rochester, N,
Y. He came home Immediately. lie wre
q good boy and much attachedto his father
and myself. always considered him the
reverse OF mentally strong, and his father
often said il he died be disliked to leave
Jim more than the rest OF the children, Gs
he was not 30 able to care for himself.
"The excitement greatly affected the
boy. He was accustomed to use pistol
for years, shooting at mark being bis ia.
yorite .pas,ime. After his father was killed
James made q request for his pistol and l
gave 1t to him. Before Dukes trial he vas
quite listless and took little interest in any,
thing. After the acquittal OF Dukee, be
wns greatly excited, and grew more 60
when he heard Of Dukes' letters. For a
week before the killing Of Dukes, he often
screamed murder; at night, waking up all
in the house. One day he went 10 the
pos.ottice and when he returned he was
much agitated. lie walked the floor and
finally left the room. l followed him, and
he said, mother, don't you think that VII
lain Dukes had the impudence to look at
me and laugh Several other times when
in town be would return much excited.
This was when he would meet Dukes"
The prosecutor objected to the admission
OF this testimony, but the court overruied
the objection and the witness continued:
II saw nothing unusual about jim the
night OF the shooting" The witness yns
then shown the letters, which ahe identified
as those written by'Dukes, and shown her
by her husband. They were the game
letters read at the Dukes trial. The court
adjourned for dinner.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The trial was resumed with Mrs. Mutt
on the stand. Senator Voorhees, arose and
stated that the defense would put in two
letters addressed to Capt. Mutt by Dukes
and one addressed to Dukes by Nuts
father. The letters would not be- read at
present, but 1t was agreed that counsel
could make remarks upon them previous
to their being given to the jury. ~
Mr.. Brown: "Alrs. Mutt, did your con
read in the newspapers an account of tie
indignation meeting and the hanging OF
Mrs, Mutt; "Yes sir; my son kept the
papers in trunk in his room and spent
much OF his time there. After Dukes Trial
ho did not attend 10 work around the
farm and when l told him he ought to take
more interest in the work eaid, Mother,
I have no heart to do anything" AZ
How did he spend his .;me?" q,
TILE sat around and brooded over his
troubles. :; Some time after Dukes was &C.
Quilted 1t wac reported to me that he was
following Lizzie about" ID. .g.
"Would James come home excited when
he heard anything about Dukes?" ,@01
"Yes, sir."
"Then why in that state OF mind did you
communicate to him anything about Dukes
following Lizzie about?' # sl
ut WAS communicated by others in bis
presence" ~
"How old was James when you first no.
ticed anything peculiar about him?'
"When he was a small child. He. com.
meneed carrying pistol when nine years
old and has been armed ever since. We
permitted him to carry pistol but often
warned him to be careful" i41. Ii
"You noticed strange conduct on his
part up to the 18th OF. June?" II did, I
""You knew that Dukes being in town
agitated James2" II did. ni7l }S3J5.!ssSl.