Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-02-06
JIM NUTS WORK.
Will Probably Prove the Last
He Will Do.
EUr1-DUKE TRAGEDY RECALLED.

Young Mutt, who Associated His Sic.
ter's Alleged Detrayer, Attacks . Woman
and Fatally Wounds Her-Later She
smashes His Head to . Jelly with an Az
"A Hired Maa Badly Hurt-Blixt Tells
of the G ng Murder.
ATCHIsoN, Kas., Feb. 6-Jim Mutt,
made famous for killing Lawyer W. W.
Duke in Uniontown, Pa, over a decade
ago because he. as alleged, seduced Miss
Mutt, is dying from wounds inflicted By
Mrs. John Payton, who committed the
act after Mutt, in a drunken rage, had IA
tally shot her Neither can live. Leonard
Coleman, a hired man who attempted to
save Mrs. Payton's life, is lying seriously
wounded, having received bullet from
Nuts revolver, but will recover. The
crime was most horrible and unprovoked.
The prominence of the families concerned
makes it most sensational. The Nuts
and Dukes were at one time prominent
politicians in Pennsylvania, while Cole
man, who is "a years of age, originally
came from New York, where he was we'll
known. Fourteen years ago W. W. Duke,
then prominent lawyer in Cnlontown.
d., was ny yOuHc ~Ntitt
seduced Miss Mutt.
Was CowsrdIy Assass;nated.
The killing of Duke was a coldb!ooicd,
cowardly assassination. He had always
declared that he did not scducc Mss Mutt,
and had been acquitted of killing her
father when he made an assault on Duke
in the latter's room. One night leEg
9fterward Duke was walking along the
street when he was shot from ambush by
young Mutt, who was acquitted by u jury.
Shortly aftcrward young Mutt moved to
Kansas, near where his present farm is
situated, and managed his mothers farm.
He was considered a good citizen and be-
came prosperous. Until two years ago
the Paytons worked for Mutt, living on
his farm. Their relations became strained,
however, and the Payton family, consist
ing of the parents and five children, rented
farm eight miles from Nuts place, from
Mrs A. f. Bradbury. Payton has been
away from home most of the present win
ter cutting ice, during which time Mutt
renewed his relations with the family.
Does Another Dastardly Deed.
Nothing out of the way was discernable
in his conduct, however, until he saun-
tered into the Payt ton household at a late
hour under the influence of liquor. Pay
ton was absent and Coleman, the hired
| man, was the only other man on the prem
| ises. Mutt, who had been on a weeks
spree, was in no pleasant mood, and
gruf1ly ordered Mrs. Payton to get him
| some supper. Mrs. Payton com piled
more through fear than because she cared
| to, and scenting trouble she quietly got
the children from the room. As he ate
| MT nl,
Payton, and seemed to be turning mad.
| When he had finished eating he deliber-
ately drew his revolver and pointing it at
the now thoroughly frightened woman
cried: 81 am going to kill you" Before
she could make a move he had carried
his threat into effect and sent three bull
lets into her body. This attracted Cole
man, who rushed into the house with an
AK in his hand.
Mrs. Payton Takes bloody Revenge.
| The instant he entered Mutt leveled his
weapon at him and fired. Two shots
struck the wouldbe rescurer. He fell to
the floor and for time lay unconscious
in the blood that poured from his wounds:
In the meantime Mrs. Payton. with a
superhuman effort, had raised herself
from the floor and secured the AK. Mutt
lad become weakened now and literally
4
where he lay the woman, her wounds
bleeding profusely and herself weak from
excitement and loss Of blood, rained blow
after blow upon Nuts head. Not until
her victims head was a mass of jelly and
she too weak to longer WELD the
AK did she desist. Then she
sank to the floor and went into a
state of unconsciousness that lasted sew
| eral hoLrs
The Two Principals will Die.
When Coleman recovered consciousness
he found both Mutt and Mrs. Payton
lying in great pools of their blood. Tying
Mutt to a chair, lest he SHOULD escape,
Coleman gave the alarm. When assist
ance arrived the woman was beyond help.
As soon as Nuts wounds were dressed
he was removed to Atchison, arriving
here last evening. Both he and Mrs. Pay
ton are too badly injured to live and
neither is able to relate the story of the
crime. Coleman is also in bad way, but
will recover. Aside from the above facts
he steadfastly refuses to be interviewed.
THE STORY OF CLAUS BLIxT.