Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-15 00:00:00

STATEMENT OF HON. R. J. WALKER.

At the close of last week I came here from New York.
Sunday mirnincr, after breakfast, I visited. the Hon. 'William
M. Gwin and his family, at his house, where I met Mr.
Samuel F. Butterworth. We were
.conversino-, when a
servant came in and handed a note to Mr. Butterworth,
who then, after reading the note, remarked, " Sickles
wishes to see me immediately ;" adding, "What can this
Mean ?" and left at once. Remained conversing most of
the time with Dr. Gwin, when in the course of an hour
or two some one—a servant, I think—entered and said,
" Mr. Sickles has just shot Mr. Barton Key dead." I
asked, " What was the cause ?" when some one inquired of
me, " Did you never hear the stories as to Mr. Key and
Mrs. Sickles ?" I replied "No," never having heard their
names connected in any way. I proposed in a few moments
to go to the Club House, where the dead body of Mr. Key
was said to be, and ascertain the facts. Dr. Gwin's carriage
being at the door, I drove at once to the Club House, was
informed Of "the death of Mr. Key, and that Mr. Sickles
and Mr. Butterworth had gone to Judge Black's where I
drove at once, and was told Mr. S. and Mr. B. had gone to
the President's. When on the way, meeting the Hon.
John Slidell, I stopped the carriage, and on inquiry learned
that Mr. Sickles and Mr. Butterworth had just gone, or
were going to Mr. Sickles' house, to which I proceeded
at once, and, entering the back parlour, met Mr. But-
terworth there alone. He 'appeared deeply distressed.
This fact, together with my regard and sympathy for Mr.
Sickles, my affection for Mr. Butterworth, my long and inti-
mate acquaintance with Mr. Key, and friendship for him, so
overwhelmed me with grief, that I could not speak to Mr.
Butterworth for several moments,when, at length,with great
deep emotion, he said, " My friend, you should not grieve
so deeply ; it is deplorable, but Mr. Key deserved his fate."

I then asked Mr. Butterworth to. slate the facts to me,
which he did, narrating the incidents substantially as
they are now given in his accompanying statement. I
then said, " The meeting was not advised by you ?" Mr.
Butterworth replied, " No, I did not expect any meeting
to-day, although I apprehended a collision as probable at
some future period, but when or how I did not know, nor
had Mr. Sickles ever stated to me." At that moment Mr.
Sickles entered the room, when, after saluting me warmly,
he threw himself on the sofa in an agony of the deepest
distress I have ever witnessed. His grief was so appalling,
his exclamations so constant of the dishonour Mr. Key had
brought upon his house and upon his wife and child,
that I feared he would become insane, and thought of
sending for a physician. I united, however, with. Mr.
Butterworth in endeavouring to pacify him ; but we did
not succeed for some time. At length he became calm,
and saying' he was ready to accompany the magistrate,
for whoin''he had sent, as I understood, Mr. Butterworth,
Sickles, the magistrate, Mr. Goddard, the Mayor, Mr..
Berret, and myself, all proceeded in the carriage to the.
front room. of the prison, where, after a brief statement
of the mere fact of the killing and death, Mr. Sickles was I
committed for further examination. Mr. Batterivorth and
myself then drove to the Club-room, where the coroner's
inquest was being held over the dead body of Mr. Key.
At the Club-room we met Dr. Gwin, and drove with him
to his house. Mr. Butterworth then repeated substantially
to Mr. Gwin the saw narrative he had given to me, which
narrative Mr. Sickles confirmed in a subsequent statement
to me, interrupted; by deep agony about his daughter and
about his wife, who, he said, was a, mere child, adding that
for their sake he might have triekto,sutfer in.silence, with-
but7
home or hope. in this world; hut after the signals an
the disgrace became public, -4.13 'wither. askea • nor. wau+„ed
advice as_to..iliCcggrse,