The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-06
AGAIN 4 MURDERER
The Woman Shot by James Mutt
Will Die.
She Beat His Head to a Jelly
With an Ak.
THOUGHT TO BE CRAZY
Neighbors Say Mutt Has Acted
Strangely for Some Time.

ArcH1soN, Feb 6.-The following ad-
ditional particulars have been ascertalneo
regarding the tragedy which occurred at
the Peyton farm, IN which James Mutt,
the SLAYER of w. W. Duke at Uniontown,
Pa, shot Mrs. Jess Peyton and Leonard
Coleman:
Mutt had been to the town of Hor-
ton, in Brown county, and was driving
to his farm in Atchison county. He
reached the Payton farm at
had been drinking, and Mrs. Pay
ton prepared supper for him
while Coleman, farm hand,
put up his team. AS near as can
be learned, Mutt, after partaking of
the meal, and when abont ready to
depart, drew a revolver and COM
menced shooting. Mrs Payton re-
ceived one shot in the back OF the
head, which came out near the jaw,
ana another shot in the body. Cole
man rushing to her assistance, was
shot three times by, Mutt, who also
made an attempt to assault a baby,
which had fallen from Mrs. Payton's
| arms Coleman, continuing in his
endeavor to disarm Mutt, called
upon Mrs. Payton to bring him
a stick of cordwood. Instead she
brought him an ak, with the
broadside of which he felled
their assailant to the floor, where he
lay unconscious. Coleman then Sc
cured a rope and bound his hands and
feet. Leaving him in this position
he went to the home of the nearest
| neighbor, half mile away, for help.
He reached that place in an exhausted
condition from loss of blood, but he
had done good work in tying Mutt,
who was found still securely bound
and placed under arrest.
Mrs. Payton will die, but it is
thought that Coleman will recover.
worked on Nuts farm, quitting
his employ two years ago. They
| have always been the best of
friends, and the shooting occasioned
great surprise in the neighborhood.
| As near as is known, there was no
provocation whatever for the shooting
and there is much Imagination
against Mutt. Mrs. Payton is the
mother of five children, ranging in
ages from months to 8 years. Mr..
Payton was not at home at the time
of the shooting, being employed in
Atchison temporarily. When he
heard of the shooting he was almost
crazed with grief, as he had always
believed Mutt to be his friend.
Mutt was brought to AtchisOn and
locked up in the county Jail To a
correspondent who sought an inter-
view, Mutt refused to talk of the
shooting He said: Mother has had
trouble enough already and I want to
keep this matter quiet" He is abo1t
"a years of age, was married in Ken
lucky in 1893 and has one child. He
came to Kansas Immediately after
the Pennsylvania tragedy and located
on a farm in Atchison county owned
by his mother, which he has since
farmed successfully. This is the first
trouble he has had since coming here.
Neighbors of Mutt say he has been
acting strangely for two years and
was suspected of being crazy. This
theory. however, is not generally
credited.
The Nuts and Dukes were at one
time prominent politicians in Penn
sylvania, while Coleman, who is 81
years old, originally came from New
York, where he is well known. Four
teen years ago w. w. Duke. then a
prominent lawyer in Uniontown, Pa,
was killed bv Mutt for having seduced
his sister. Before that the Nuts and
Dukes were frequently at war and
during ore encounter Duke killed
Nuts father. He was acquitted,
however, making a plea of self-de-
Tense. When young Mutt later came
to trial he also was promptly &C
quilted, the trial at the time creating