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Punctuating Capn' with a comma
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As far as I know the apostophe is placed where the letters are missing. Cap[tai]n = Cap[']n
The the placement of the apostrophe in the word nuthin' is correct as the apostrophe replaces the missing letter g.
I'm going cross-eyed, here!
Yes, as the apostrophe is part of the word, it goes inside the period or comma which, in the States, goes inside the quotation mark. You do the hokey-pokey and you turn it all around, that's what it's all about!

Sergeant Blake trembled. "Capn', I didn't do nuthin'."
It looks weird to put the comma and period outside the apostrophe, but it would be illogical to put it inside. This is dialog in fiction, obviously.
Thanks for any insights!