Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-02-28


STAR OFFICE.
THETRAGEDr YEsTERDAY.-Phnjp Barton Key.
o. y District Attorney, shot dead by Hon. Daniel
E. Sickiss, Of Ns- YorE-Perhaps for the last quar-
ter Of century event has caused such thrill
Of horror in this community as the terrible affair
that tranSpired yesterday afternoon. resulting in
the death Of Philip Barton Kew at the hands of
Daniel +. Sickles, of New York city. The en-
counter. which took place about p. m. occurred
in Madison Place Crecently named. and resulted
~ the death of Mr. key, who received three or more
piStol-shots From the prominence of the par
ties concerned, the greatest excitement created
by the affair and the streets in the vicinity of the
club house. To which the body of deceased was
taken. and of Mr. Sickles's residence on the oppo-
sit, side of Lafayette Square was instantly filled
hy throngS of people. Many Of Mr. KEYS warm
Personal friends. who were the ground seemed
quite overcome by the affair. some exhibiting their
feelings in passionate ordinations of grief and
some in vehement denunciations Of SickIes Va
Tious statements to the provocstives 10 the ter
riEle deed in circulation TO the general effect
that Sickles had received an ANONYMOUS note
sitting that his wife had held criminal intercourse
with MIR key at an designation house; also, that
Kew was IN the habit Of nlaknT signals for meet
ing with MIS- Sickies by waving white hand
kerchief opposite her residence; and that Mrs
Sickles had confessed to her husband to such Grim
inal intimacy and had signed PAPER to that eff
feet.
THE DEAD BODY.
In small room In the rear portion Of the Club
house the dead body of Mr. Key Law sire tr he'd upou
the floor. denuded Of all clothing except the shirt
and pdntalOOnS- Il crowd of friends gazing upon il
in s'irnt horror, ard with fearful ewes The face
waS calm and unruffied. as if in sleep; and ave
the unnatural position Of the left and the ap-
Pearance Of blood upon the apparel. the unfort,l-
rate decreased might have been supposed to be in
gentle slumbeT.
The INQUEST
On the arrival # Coroner Woodward at the
Clnb-hO jury was empanneIIcd as follows
Nichols Callan. Jos. w Nairn A. H. PickreII
t'o". w. Stewart. John :. Berry. VIM Wilson,
Nimue r.. roe, Geo A. Perry, James Piltring.
samuel f. Douglass John France. Elias Marsh
The jury having been sworn, the examination
commenced Ivy calling
Dr.. Richord n. Cooiedss sworn. who testified as
fellows About O'Clock today was sitting in
INV room. S,S VI street. corner Of Vermont avenue
and heard three pistol shots in succession. Pistol
ming helng common occurrence in this neigh
b1Tho"d. especially on Sunday night. | Thought
nothing If il. until saw persons running; then
ran to TINS room. being directed by persons in the
street. found the body of Mr. Barton Key living
IN The position of the body at this time; he was
PulseleSS- and his heart ceased to beat but h,
bredthed partially twice after ] saw him: there
was nothing Surgicaly nor medically 10 bt done
for him; he was dead. examined the body eY-
ternaly. and found pistol or gun shot wound i'm
the upper and front part of the thigh very near
character on the left side. between the false ribs;
the ball having passed through the body and
having made its appearance At corresponding
point under the skin on the right side: | made no
examination for other wounds II was twenty
minutes past O'Clock after | ceased from INV ex-
animation; ] would not like to say that these
wounds were the cause of the death until lad
minute examination of the parts traversad I find
hut the two wounds already described; after an
examination. ! believe that the shots above re-
f"rreti To were the cause of his DEATH think that
PoSt-inorten examination should he had. in order
to give more minute description of the wounds
pom an examination of the body of the de-
ceased, poe ket book continuing SIilr3. and an
empty opera glass case found upon his person
Dr. Robert A. Stone, sworn.-When | arrived
here found Mr.. hey still warm. but dead, per-
fectly puseleSs; on examining the body in con
ncciion with DIR. Coolidge. ! found a yun-shot
w";lnd on the right thigh. directly over the re-
zion Of the thcrmCral artery: also second wound
Cn the left side of the BODY or tlorax of course
the direct course of the balls could only be de-
senbed after post norteln examination. which
i not usually done after short time: I shouId
death. - HIS
Joseph l.. DEdro,r. sworn.-I was walking on
uhc opposite side OF the avenue had got rather Cd
Po>te The curner and heard the report of 4 pistol;
turned round quick to where il come from
ana saw ms gentleman. now lying here. jump
aside and say something. but could not hear
Whdi " was; after he jumped aside. Mr. Sickl,.s
raised his pistol To fire the second time they Were,
bs LII LIE J" ,h anu on the opposite side; after
hnd aftrr they tu>>led awhile they got in thu.
street MT; hey followed him up apiece appa-
rcntly for tNe purpose of kCepi,, Sic kS FINN am,
the second tine al him. but he (ckIeS ..nt ,yr,T
from hun and hred at him the second timr: before,
hs hred tine second time Mr.. key exclaimed two
or thre" Times don't shoot me- they were
about fifteen feet apart when th. second tre MAS
gwen after lac received the second FIRE Mr. Rev
ran 70 d tree and got behind it. when Mr. Sicklcs
l"ilowed him MP and fired the third shot MIR Key
Then i"lI when Mr.. Sicklcs stepped on the nave
inent and put the muzzle of the pistol to his fore
hesl ana snapped the cap; the pistol looked like
st"i. revolver; saw no weapon in the hands uf
WI hey; did not see the position of the parti.S
prior 1" th" INST shot after the attempt To- fire the
Io s uhIe Mr Slckles said something to him
~hdt ~ was 81" not knOw-aftcr which he WAS
'h on ny some friend and went To the plarc where
ne was su1scq uently arrested lac was arrested and
oxen rom JndSe Blacks residence on X street
h"hdId IT, DorH,T. sworn was standiuu on
fHteenth street and heard pistol shot: 4 ran
f,oh Fifteenth To Sixteenth street and heard an
other shot; Stw 4 man run around the cnrnCr
~" 'i'sr got To the corner heard third shot; I
Know Mr.. Key; when got Ia the place Mr. Nov
%,is down aud apparently dead: Mr.. SickIes wis
anout tu7nln" away when got there; he had a
Colt : revolver IN his hand; I think no s1iJ IL
me damned r'Scal dead, he sld soIn.thiuy and
otleSc thlt th1f expression WIS made use Of. I
never knew Mr.. Sickles prior To Ills. I .,,y NO
pistol IN the hands If Mr.. Key: 1 mel rd ni>trI
uP from the pavement il is Derriuger pistol
t'he pistol was here shOwn;) it war unoaded and
W. cap WIS cNTi"ded; picked il up on the corner
"i sixteenth street and PENNSYLVANIA avenue Inn
do not know to whom il belonged. TVois-Tbe
b,tnhscr pistol referred TO had evidently been
v"rE rrrrntly frcd.-Rspl
>"'iH-l +. BNftSTIroTfh. sworn was present
when thlS hrln5 took place; I was st:,pdjn,s AT
WAY n'fa corner tliking 10 Mr. Key, when Mr.
SIekleS approached aud called Mr. Ecy by name:
" wiS about O'Clock in the day; Mr. Key was
Alndlhg facing Mo. SIcklcs. when Mr. SfckIrs
suh on sOnndrGl. YOU have dshonorcd me-
ar my idInil =; do not know precisely which,
l' was Standing about ten feet from him at the
tnIe: desire not IL 20 into j minute examination
~ thls tlhlc. state that Mr. SiCkles fired and MIR
Ne FELL. MIR. Key simultaneously with the first
ht'AT dftw something. which supposed was a
PiSinl. and threw II at Mr. Sickles-which after
wards piCkc'l up ard found to be an opera-plass-
Ny 10 kies nrCd three times; ] stood by the side
Of NJ KEY. Mr. Sicklts did not put the pistol to
Mr. Keys forehead
TN answer to question as To whether he ex-
Pcted an attack would be made the witnes.
refused u answer. Stating that he had bcen snm
EdIn0yl D-iIfsLf IT,. sworn Il had inst L.,
Jndge Carroll sand going To the avenue and