The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-15 00:00:00

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IllaThltay to the spot, wlicro thoy toulia4 t. 7
ling oN r the body of Key, with his pistt." A 4
at his ,head, which lie tried twice to disclgtze, bit S
which snapped both times, and Mr. Builerwolih
standing by composedly. On Mr. boyle's touching
Sickles on the shoulder the latter at once 'desisted,
and ttfrning round said, Gentlemen, this man has
dishonoured my bed!' Upon this he took Butter-
worth's arm, and walking from the spot' with the
most perfect self-possession, proceeded to Attorney
General Black's, and delivered himself into custody.
On Mr. Sickles leaving, Messrs. Doyle, 'Tidbail,
Upshur, and Martin conveyed the body, which still
had faint gasps of breathing, to the parlour of the
club-house, when the Assistant-Surgeon-General
was at once in attendanc, but Key was beyond all
medical skill. He breathed but twice after being
laid upon the floor. The parties involved in this
sad story all lived within- the immediate circle of
our daily Washington life; two, at least, of them
being also as well known in New York as in the
federal metropolis. Key was about 42 years of age,
tall in stature, about six feet, with an easy and
fashionable air, but by no means prepossessing
in appearance otherwise. His face had a
sickly hue, and he had been for some time
utlering from heart disease, or I imagined,
he was, which gave him a soured and dis-
contented look. Otherwise he was extremely po-
pular, and those who knew him best said his eccen-
tricities of manner covered a very kind and generous
heart. His father, Francis S. key, was the author
of the national song, the Star-spangled Banner.'
He was a' widower with four children. On his mar-
riage he narrowly escaped a duel with Colonel May,
who conceived that he had unfairly ousted him
from the affections of the lady who became his wife,
and who was a beautiful and charming woman.
" Mr. Sickles, the member for the Third District
of New York, is a native of this city, and was ori-
ginally a printer by occupation. He is a man of
nearly 40 years of age, of good presence and grace-
ful manners, As a member of the State Senate, as
well as in the House of Representatives, he had made
himself remarked by a quite unusual coolness and
self-possession, which gave him great advantages in
debate, and had acquired for :him a well-deserved
reputation as a rising youngleaderof the Democratic
party. In 1853 Mr. Sickles was married to his wife,
now ruined and heartbroken, then a young girl fresh
from her school life, and remarkable then as now for
something especially soft, lovely, and youthful in
the type of her very peculiar beauty. She is of
Italian origin, and possesses all the Italian lustre
and depth of eye, united with a singular contour
and delicacy of feature. Mr. Sickles had seen her
grow up from childhood, and was attached to her
with an almost idolatrous affection. Shortly after
their marriage Mr. Sickles was appointed Secretary
of the American Legation at London, in the
household of Mr. Buchanan and his beautiful wife
won universal admiration abroad, not more by
her charms of person and manner than by the
gaiety and innocent joyousness of her character.
Mrs. Sickles may be 22, and has two children-
She is the daughter of Bagloli, the celebrated music
teacher, of Fourteenth-street. When Mr. Sickles
surrendered himself to Attorney-General Black he
requested such disposition to be made of him as
was proper. The Attornev-General sent for a
magistrate, who, with the (lief of Police, came
speedily. Soon after the Mayor arrived, announc-
ing the death of Key, and Mr. Sickles was con-
ducted in a carriage to the gaol, where he now is,
awaiting an examination. I called upon him this
evening, and found him surrounded by several col-
leagues and other sympathising friends. He was
evidently labouring under strong mental excite-
ment, and his haggard countenance presented
marked evidence of the effects of the fearful emotions
which have harrowed his very soul during the
last 24 hours. Nevertheless, his manner was
calm and collected, with his nerves steady. Of
course I did not question him relative to the
affair. He volunteered the remark, however, that
it was unavoidable, and that he could not have
done otherwise. ie added, ' Satisfied as I was of
his guilt, we could not live together upon the same
planet.' She was induced to sign or write a paper
purporting to be a full acknowledgment of her
infidelity with the deceased. In it she admitted
that the deceased and herself had signals, by which
she could let him know whether she could meet hints'
and explained those signals. Shortly after she e*r-
plained the signals the deceased came over from the
club house, where he had been using a lorgnette to see
whether the signal was out, into Lafayette-square,
and in sight of those in the house he waved his
handkerchief at the house. She declares that she
has had enough of fashionable life in Washington,
and prays for oblivion. She describes her husband,
when he returned to the house, after having accom-
plished his bloody work, as entering her room look-
ing looking like a marble statue, only uttering the
single sentence, I have killed him. Mr. Sickles ,
was accompanied to his house by two subordinate
officers of the district, who made him pledge his
word of honour, before they would consent to allow
him to enter his wife's room, that he would do her
no harm. That he still entertains for her feelings'
of the strongest affection there is no doubt. He
believes that Key seduced her from the path of
rectitude, and that but for him she would never
have proved false. When a gentleman remarked
to him in the gaol, This must be a terrible blow
to Mrs. Sickles,' he exclaimed, pressing his hand
upon his brow, ' Yes, poor child ! poor child!' and
walked away. When Mr. Sickles procured the
written confession of guilt from his wife, and di-
rected her to send for her parents to take her hothe,
he determined that she should not take with her
their child, a beautiful girl of sixyears ; but to-day
he has consented that the child may go with her,
and remain until his case is determined here. The
wedding ring which he demanded and obtained
from her has caused her the greatest grief, and to
day he directed that it be returned to her. Mrs.
Sickles concedes that her husband has done right,
and states that Mr. Key received an anonymous
letter on Thursday night last, which he showed
to her, warning him against continuing his
visits at Mr. Sickles's house, calling his atten-
tion to the fact that he was much older than
Mrs. Sickles and ought not to pursue her, arta
assuring him that, unless he desisted, Mr. Sickles
would detect him, and that in such an event the
consequences would be serious if not fatal to one or
both of the parties. It is believed that this letter
was found upon the body of Mr. Key before the
coroner's inquest. Mrs. Sickles's mother arrived
in this city from New York this evening, and will
accompany her daughter back to her home. It is
reported that Mrs. Sickles is enceinte, and has
made an affidavit that she became so in consequence
of her intercourse with Key. 'When Mr. Sickles
entered the room assigned him at the gaol—the
best in the building—he asked the gaoler if he
hadn't a better one to put him in. No,' replied
the gaoler ; this is the best place you members of
Congress have afforded us.' Mr. Sickles ' caved.'
Numerous offers of bail have been pouring in upon
Mr. Sickles ever since he was committed, but,
having voluntarily placed himself at once' in the
hands of public justice, he prefers patiently to wait
until his act shall be finally pronounced upon by a
fury of his country after a full and complete hear-
ing of the case ; and while this may subject him to
some inconvenience, his own feelings and those of
others involved, whom he is willing as far as
possible to spare, will be saved from the repeated
discussion of the unhappy circumstances attending
this case.
" Mr. Sickles's father arrived last night and had
a painful interview with him. The mother of Mrs.
Sickles also visited him this morning in company
with Surveyor Hart, of New York, and was so; over •
come b_y her feelings as to faint.
"Mr.Butterworth has published a minute statement
showing how far he was connected with the recent
terrible occurrence. He says that when be left the
house of Mr. Sickles he had no thought of meeting
or seeing Mr. Key, his object being to see Mr.
Stewart. He had no arms with him, and did not
know that Mr. Sickles intended to take arms. Mr.
Sickles left the house after he (Butterworth) had
done so, and without any suggestion on the part of
him (Butterworth) came towards the club house.
When Mr. Key satuted him (Butterworth), he did
not know that 'Mr. Sickles was approaching, nor
did he see him until he turned to leave Mr. Key.
It is not true that he sought or detained Mr. Key,
who first addressed him (Butterworth). Their
interview did not last one minute. It is freelY
rumoured that a brother of the deceased declares
his purpose to kill Sickles on sight. Mr. Sickles
has consented that for the present Mrs. Sickles and
their child shall remain with her mother, who has
been telegraphed for, and expected to arrive here
to-night. The gaol was to-day visited by many of
Mr. Sickles's friends. Numerous rumours are afloat
concerning all the parties, having the effect to
aggravate the facts already painfully distressing,
and many of the reports are pure fiction. The
verdict of the coroner's jury was, Mr. Key came
to his death by pistol balls fired by Daniel E.
Sickles, while standing on the south-east corner, of
Lafayette-square, the wounds therefrom causing his
death in a few moments.' "

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DINNER TO SIR WILLIAM ARMSTRONG AND CO.'S
WORKMEN.—On Saturday Sir W. Armstrong and Co. gave
a dinner to the workmen employed in their manufactory in
celebration• of the honour which her Majesty has conferred
upon Sir William by admitting him to the order of knight-
hood. The works were stopped at noon' and a half day's
holiday was given to the men. About four o'clock they
mustered in the works to the number of about 900, and
marched in procession to the Assembly Rooms, where the
dinner took place. The only drawback to the enjoyment
of the festivity was the absence of the donor of the feast.
It was understood that Sir William was unavoidably absent
in London on urgent business connected with his recent ap-
pointment as Inspector of Rifled Ordnance.-ICeuvastie
Chronicle.

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