Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-04-22
THE WASHINGTON MURDER.
TRIAL. of DANIEL. L. SiCKL.ES FOX THE SiLLiN'
PHILIP BAEToS kEY.

CRIMINAL CU[RT-T. H. CRi E'FOEb, jnige
rnrgLxrH DAr-wEDNEspAY, APGIL 20. l>h.
TIL. trial of In. Hon. Daniel +. Sirkles. charged with IL,
murder Of Philip Barton Key, was continued III the GRIN!
nal cour, to-day.
tell when Mr. Sickle returned 10 the house; several persons
came IN with him, among them Bu,terworth. There were sore
police officers who remained Ia the library; hr iTst entered
the room; witness remained in the library after hrcanie IN,
and did not see him up Stair, thinks lac came out OF TIE
back parlor and passed through the library; thinks TIE door
between the two was closed mo>. of the time; could not lay
! Mrs. Sickles was In the back parlor when The door was
open; only knew lac was there by seeing him come out WIN
Mr.. Bu,icrvorth and Mr.. Walker. thinks Their. we're per
son, in the back parl0r when the door was closed. TN Sat
urlay sicklrs cautioned wi,nes, not To mention Mr..
Sicklcs' name, for suspicion was almost as bad a, reality
or words to that effect; on Friday morning sicHlr' RODE
with witness rs the house In 18th street; just passed by; al
night witness returned TO the house In 10Th street; II was u
stormy, snowy night. might have staid In the neishbolho"i
half All hour, then drove TO the Capitol. IL was dark before
Witness went 10 ;hr place; took a negro named Crit'chden
TO the capitol that night TO See Sicklts; the negro snew an
about Key, but did not know who the woman was; siehir,
gave witness general Instructions IN front VI The treasury
Department 10 find CIT ii the Woman Was Iii VIII; The III
s,rurions were not specific. II Frustrated Mr. s'ckIes a.
once when witness described to lin the dresses and men
toned the change OF the day: went and got the ahony nous
LITTER In Mr. So desk, In the House 81 representatives
took I, to the Jail in the portfolio: and there put Initials on
the letter and envelope: Mr.. :. said "h.s hope was that II
was not his wife r-collect seeing Mr.. Sicklcs come In the
house after the shooting can't Xix the difference in time
exactly when Hutterworth lrt. Mr.. Sicsic' exclamation,
What shall | do" wis not made TO any one.
Thos. MctiaGry testified that he rcsileh In this city and
WA, 4 contractor; knew Key and met hin, at the club: W.T.
ness was a member Of the club before is dissolution: had 4
conversation with Key about Mrs. SckIcS in June, ISIS, anu
on the day Of the Napier ball. February l.. i-3S. Witness
proceeded 10 state the conversation, hut IL was objected 10.
Mr.. Brady said that he proposed to prove that Key, when
spoken to about his over.aftentions 10 Mrs. slckles, replied
that she was + mere child. Of simplicity Of character, aud
that be bore only paternal relations to her Indignantly re-
peling the Idea Of his intimacy. The defence also want 10
prove that when Key was warned on the day OF the NAPIER
ball Of his Intimacy With Mrs. =, he put his hand on his
let breast aud said that he was prepared for any emsr'
gency."
. The admi..IbIlIsy OF the evidence was srsusl by Mss,rs:
Old and Carlile for the United States, aud hy Messr'. Brady
and Graham for the defence. The Court decided that The
evidence was not admissible
I. J. brown testified tina, he had made measurements nj
the house Of Sir. Sickles. lii ~ feet 3inches from the 'front.'
window to the rear windOw-from inner wall to inner wall
The sofa is near the back window. The tllrkne'' oil The
wall Is Il Inches. Made the measurement Tuesday morn
INK The sofa wa, then where lac said.
Felix McClusky testified that h. was attracted TO the
shooting on sunday, 18th Of February, by n crowd: went
there, as witness was near the place: followed the crowd
to Attorney General Blacks. and before witness got there
recognised Sickles; went to Blacks, and witness sent a
note In TO Sickles, and soon heard that he got u; witness went
back to sicklrs' house a little ahead Of the carriage In
which SIR. SIckies and Mr. But,erworti returned TO The
fnrmcr', house: in a few moments the carriage came, and
Mr. sickle. and Mr.. Butterworth and some one e.e got out:
they cainc In and soon wen, into the room back OF the u.
brary; was about to follow when he door was shu', and dd
NOT: saw sicklcs going round, looking Is though he would
Kill every man in the house: watched him. and followed HIM
up stairs; when witness went In the library. Woodbridge and
Miss RiJgely were there; once, when The door was opened.
heard confusion, but the door was shut; in a few moment.
Captain Goddard and the Mayor came; McblaiF followed
witness up the steps; think was the first there.
Charles q. Bacon testified that he had procured from the
surveyors Office 4 certified diagram OF the locality showing
the avenue In front Of President square To be i' iect
vide: the width Of Madison square, l,trreti to be p" fret;
Jackson Place (strrct) w feet. The length OF the SQUARE
facing which The Clubhouse and Sicklss's house stand. Is
4y feet ten inches. The length OF Jackson square IL 80
feet nine inches. exclusive OF the streets no" calico pia.es'
Went to the eastward side Of Commodore McCauley shouse.
and walked rapidly To the second tree, 'where hey was
killed. and Il took him thirty seconds; ran u IN thir'een se'
conds. The distance l.. l2j feet. Witness sa rapid walker
or runner.
John Mcdonald. groom and foo,man for Mr. Sickles. 'e-,
tiled to several meetings Of Mr.. Key ana Mrs. Sickles' aih
TO what they had said al such meetings.
Mr. Ould said that when the defence hal offered certain
testimony, the prosecution had objected on the Frnnhn
that II was not lawful to prove the adulterous intercourse;
but the Court having admitted II TO prove other points, ihc
prosecution now Withdraw all opposition to the introduction
Of that testimony 20 prove the adultery, N"''u"'"s 'S
alleged confession Of Mrs. Sickles.
The defence declared that they woald lie ready on Thurs
day to respond TO the oier.
The United States here called Its relniiing testimony,
Hon. Eugene Pendleton Of Ohio, who testified that he went
10 John tirey's house on the Monday Of the week succeed
Inc the week In which Key was kilIcd-eifit days ater 'he
homicide. Had sent for John Grey and told him that he
wanted 10 examine The house. In company win MI Jones
met Grey In front Of the house. 10 consequence" ' a con.
near. supposed the back door was open. hut. on roinS
around TO It, 1t was found to require force to open Il; VIZ
nes. suggested Il would he better IN send Tor 4 locL>IlHh'
GREY did so. In The meantime t.o gentlemen j"ised thei"'
and conversed with ihem1 .,
In the meantime the locksinith came, and he THINKS 'firI
another back door leading from the passage way anu nn
not open II, and then went IN the back door Ira'Ing i,oh,
the passage TO the kitchen and opened IL. saying thar u hau
not been locked. Anthem entered the house, and ihefs hr
looked abou. for \ few minutes. and then went up STAR
with Jones anil conycr,inc with Jones. On comm: GOWN
found the front door open, the lock having hr"n taken on
Paid Gray half a dollar for tile locksmiih : trouble IN open
Ing the door, a. his suggestion. Gave no directions what
ever abou, taking of the lock. anil did mot know u. design
ed ,alingi II Of. Did no; See that done, or Sno" when II wa.
done, or what became OF 1t.
Witness, had received various articles from diaercnt parties:
said to have belonged 10 Mr. Key. lie produced sdm' Of
them. and detailed some fact In reference ~ how 'hcy
came Into his possession. They were examined rs me ht-
fence; and MI except one paper in cipher. which thcy
wished plac-d In the record 10 be dccilrherrd, we're pro-
nonncrd unimportan'.
Charlie, Lee 10: ~ testified that he visited the house OF
John Grey, With Mr.. Pendls,on, on the Monday week alter
the homiside. By previous appointment met \ roior-d man
there; vent to thu from, door and found II locked. Then
went TO an adjoining yard and got into the yard, and TWO
men rushed In and spoke 10 Grey. Witness had n long con
yer-ntion with those two men. In the meantime wines
examined all the modes Of entrance. Mr.. =. suggested TO
get in hy thu door. 4 locksmi,h wa sent Tor. and when he
camr witness observed him go to a door entering The main
building, and then try the door, and then go to the bacs
lnor and shake II. and exclSim that |, WAS not locked
Witness invited the two gentlemen in: they went in. Witness
and 2. wen, up stairs, aud on searching found no property
belonging to Mr.. Key there. Witness know nothing OF III"
taking of OF the lock from the front door, and had nothing
10 do with Il in any manner.
Upon thu conclusion OF Mr.. Jone-' testimony. 'le court