The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-01-18
is MUTT CRAZY?
MANY PHYSICIANS THINK He IS,
Pfosrsss Of the Trial Of JAMES Mutt for aarder.
Tsstinoay OF the Threatened Nltnsss-Tho
4 MsAk.miadsd Mutt Famlly-rhysiclaas Y
Think Mutt IL an lmbeclle.

| PlrrsuunGu, Pa, January 17.-When th
Mutt trial opened this morning the con
room IVES crowded. As usual Mrs. M
and family were not In their accustome
seats. Among those present, however
w1 Mrs. breckenridge, accompanied b
her husband, who Ia cashier Of the People
National Bank Of Uniontown, who receis
ed letters threatening his life II he appear
cd as a witness here.
The prisoner was brought in, lookin
fresh and smiling. 1t Is now thought tha
the trial will extend well into next week
as there is only barc possibility that tn
defense will more than get through will
their witnesses by Saturday. ut
TIE TARGET PRACTICE. Hlu Is
James Wells, uncle Of James Mutt, th
witness last examined yesterday, resumed
bis eeat in the witness box and his exami
nation was resumed. He said: =. y
"On the afternoon Of June 18th I was IL
the stable saddling horse. I heard shoot
Ing and went out and eaw Stephen aut
James indulging in target practice. Fl,
said, Uncle James, you shoot took til,
pistol and tried once. Stephen Mutt trieu
to shoot with his pistol, but it would not &C
gu, and James said, never mind, Unclt
Stephen; l will 60 to the house and get q
pistol that will shoot He then brought q
pistol out OF tho house and we fired ut q
board with Il. Alters lew shots We started
home, laughing and chatting. l did moi
near Stephen say, now, Jim, don't fail !;
don't remember hearing him aay anything,
Stephen had been talking to James abou,
gardening. l did not hear Jim cay any.
thing about Dukes; never spoke to him
on the subject because Dukes' name used
TO Affect him 80 much. 81
THE MUTT FAMILY WEAK MINDED.
Captain Mutt had sister Mary whose
mind was affected, and a'commit,ee was
appointed by the court to take charge ol
her. George Nut, Capt. Nuts hall.broth.
Or, died an imbecile. James and Noses
bis full brothers, were both deaf mutes
Ihere were court proceedings in the case
OF George Mutt als9,- he being mentally in
competent. Young Jim was peculiar, and
When talked 10 he would get excited. lie
was always a nervous boy. told him tha
it was said Dukes WIS following Lizzie
and 1t excited him, but be didnn't say any.
thing. | have talked TO him about Dukes
and told him to keep away from town; thai
itwouId be best. After Dukes trial he would
shudder ut Dukes name, and hc lost all
Interest in things and they could not stil
him up" go
FURTHER EVIDENCE AS TO ilDEClLlrY.
Isaac Hurst said: ~ have been gc
quainted with defendant all his life, and
always thought him weak-minded. Bsiora
his fathers death James worked on the
larm. Alter he came home irem Roches.
Ter to attend bis fathers funeral, he ap-
peared much depressed. He did not eeeln
to have any inclination 10 care for the farm
Ike be had before. He would not talk 10
me on the subject Of bis fathers death.
After Dukes scquittal he grew moody. l
used TO speak 10 him when l met him in
town and sometimes he would not answer.
He appeared to be in deep study about
something. I met him on the road going
to town the night Dukes was shot and
walked part Of the way with him. Wchad
some conversation about an Alderney cali,
but don't remember saying anything else"
THE THREATENED WITNESS.
Mr.. Breckenridge, cashier OF the Peoples
Bank Of Uniontown, told the atory Of Capt.
Nutt's death. After Dakes' trial, Capt.
Nuts pistol went into the possession OF
MI. Boyd. The witness was administrator
Of the Mutt estate, and QUE day young
Mutt came to his office and said his mother
said he could have his fathers revolver
Witness told him he would like to keep it,
but he said mo, would like to have my
fathers pistol" l sent him to Mr..
Boyd's Office and the latter got it from
the safe and gave it to him. James was in
the habit Of carrying revolver. He came
lor tho revolver about three days after the
a:quittal OF Dukes. I.. II
Tho prosecution here attempted to show
that Capt. Mutt had gone to the Jennings
house with ,felonious intent, butthe do.
Tense objected and the court sustained
them, ruling that tho Mutt cese could moi
be- tried over. 's
Clark Breckinridge, in an interview, says
that the letters received by him were most
acurrilous. They advised him to leave lhe
country, called him vile names and cast re-.
Elections on himself and the Mutt family.
La case Of Nuts acqui.al he did not think,
it wise for him 10 return 10 Uniontowp.
and thought it would be we'll for him to 90
Yves: for ,ime. There are those in Union.
town who bear him no good will, but he
doubted if any open demonstrations Of an.
imosity would be made. A number. o.
other people from Uniontown expressed
themselves in the same way, and some
thought it might develop into sectional
matter which would create a lasting and
traditional animosity.
James Junk, another uncle, said Jim
would cit with his faco in his hands for
hours without saying anything. He ate
dinner at Nutt's house the day Of the shoot.
ing and was with the prisoner four or five
hours. He didn't talk much, and appeared
more reserved than usual.
Dr. Sturgeon was next called, but was
absent. "a, T.,,,
MIR. Playtord offered 10 tho prosecution
10 submit what was desired to prove by this
witness il 1t was admissible evidence. Mr..
Voorhees, produced the evidence Of the
Doctor. Il is 10 the effect that Dakes was
armed at the time Of the shooting, with a
revolver and Bowie knife.
Mr.. Patterson objected to the offer made
BY Playford being read to the jury. The
Court sustained the objection and adjourn
ed for dinner. I.
:. .i-f'T AFTERNOON SESSION. \
Court resumed at. Ills P. NJ. Leonora
Philips, school teacher, said James Mutt
was one Of her scholars in 1870 and 1880.
He was slow in learning, and when he
stopped school he did not show much i'm
proyement He was good boy, and tried
hard to learn. ". ..1..t.7
MEDICAL TESTIMONY.
Dr. A. NJ. Pollock said he felt competent
to give testimony as an. expert in CAGES OF
mental difficulties, A hvpothe,ical casc