White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1859-04-21
"reminiscences of the Key Family,
Duel. etcetera.

The Washington correspondent OF th'
Chicago Tribune gives the following in
teresting "reminiscences Of the Key family
and of the early life of Philip Bartor
Key, who. it appears, persuaded, Mis-
Swami Of Baltimore, to break her en-
gagement with Col. May
The Keys are family unfortunate II
their personal differences. / have referred
to the case of an elder brother Of Dir
Key, who was killed in duel about
twenty years ago. 1t has been erroneous
ly stated, IN Washington print, the
quarrel was about woman. 1t was a
boyish caprice. and yet the cause and
course of it we're characterized on both
sides. Sherburne and Key were young
midshipmen together. They sailed in the
same ship on one Of the long and fruitless
cruises prescribed for the exercise Of our
navy. Mr.. Sherburne was from New
Hampshire. quiet and unobtrusire. Mr..
Key was Marylander, connected with
the most aristocratic families Of that State
and Virginia. He took dislike to Mr..
Sherburne, and pursued him with cease
less insults on board ship. A party of
young midshipmen attended an evening
party given by Congressional mess, at
a fashionable boarding house here in
Washington The middies took wine
together, but Mr.. Key was observed to
leave his wine untasted. He was called
on for an explanation, and gave it blunt
ly, by saying that Sherburne was cow
ard for not resenting the indignities he
had before inflicted on him, and he could
not drink with him. The poor young
man was at last aroused. He looked
steadily at Mr.. Key, also setting his glass
down, and said az understand you
you have made a mistake; you ought to
have known me better Il will correct
your mistake" He then bowed to his
companions excepting Key, drank to
them, and retired. The next morning
Mr.. Sherburne sent a message, which pro-
duced meeting at Bladensburg Key
was shot through the kidneys, and lin
gered two days in intolerable anguish.
Keys marriage was also attended and
preceded by evidences Of the same strong
and erratic temperament. Col. Charles
May, of Palo Alto celebrity, had courted
the beautiful Miss Swami, of Baltimore,
and been accepted By Ter. He introduced
her to Key as his intended bride. The
two fell in love at first sight, and the gal
liant captain of dragons was left to mourn
the Inconsistency of the. female heart.
He, of course, challenged Key. The af-
fair produced an awful tumult in Wash
ington. Key and May were pursued by
the police. They barricaded themselves
in separate apartments, and de6ed the
civil power; but of course the deed was
prevented. The captain went to the wars, |
where he achieved fame or the field, and
Key, having married the beauty, was ap-
pointed, through family influence, to the
office which be held at his death. This
lady, one of the loveliest l ever saw, died
two or three years ago, and it is thought
by some that Key, from the oddly of his |
dress, and the singularity of his behavior
became partially deranged by |
The bereavement. But this was an I'M
founded conjecture. His friends had
known him always to possess an unbal-
lnced and extravagant mind, in which |
violent anger and passionate tenderness
llternated.