Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-04-14

'rought on his daughter. Ills calming down was
cry gradual The impression Of the witness Wa
hat Butterworth proposed going before magis-
rate - soon ~ Sickles recovered from his cnn-
Iulsions of grief. He said he vas prepared to 30.
Witness accompanied him 10 q magistrate for fear
hat the paroxysms Of despair should return
saw several persons In the front ROOM bat do not
ecolect who they were. Did not know the
whereabouts Of Butterwosth now. Saw him last
the city the latter part Of last week. Witness
wa, in the city several days after the death OF
Key-untl, perhaps. the Sd Of March. Visited
prisoner two or three times in Jail. Is not GER
tain of the time Of day when he went to Sckles'
house on February 9th.
Francis Mohon called. tcst6ed-IIad resided in
Washington street 10 years knew Sickles for 3
years. not intimately; saw him the day before
Keys decease, about Sun down. near Adams Ex-
press office his whole appearance was very
strange; witness almost thought him crazy.
by Oald-Sickles was coming from the Capitol;
his wild appearance excited witness attention;
did not see him again till be saw him in the
Court room; 8. was walking at a more rapid rSce
than he had ever seen him.
Bridget Du0y called, testiied-Am nurse and
ladies maid, and partly chamber maid in Sicklcs
family. Have been there q yeur. Knew Key.
Saw him q short time before tho family came to
Washington last winter. Remembers that the
Saturday befure Keys death. Sickles came home
between and o o'clock in the evening. There
y. ..
at home that afternoon. Did not see Sickles at
dinner. On Saturday night saw that some unhnp-
Ply feeling existed between them. Dir. s. went
into the dining room, but did not eat anything. -
lie asked witness to bring him up something TO
eat. lie seemed troubled. A half hour after
wards, saw Mr.. and Mrs. s. in the bed room
Witness went into her own room about o'clock.
Mr.. SIS door was purity open. Heard loud talk.
ing in the room. Listened few moments and
then went to the kitchen. Staid there long
time. and repeated what she had heard up stairs
Went up stairs again and found Mr.. and Mrs. s.
still in their room talking. The room was at the
head and in front Of the steps. Went into tho
room about O'Clock to fix the fire.
Mr.. Brady showed the witness paper, with
her signature affixed. and asked If she signed her
name " it ut Mrs. SIS request. She replied yes.
Resumed-Miss RidseIy also signed the paper
in her presence. Left the room after signing the
paper. Mrs. Sckles' signature was identified by
witness. Saw Mrs. s. write on the sheet of pa
per which witness signed. Witncs returned to
bed about II o'clock. Mr.. S. and wife were in
their room up to that hour Did not know wheth
or either Of them went to bed that hight. Mrs.
s. remained on the floor all night in the room nd
joining the bed room. Saw her next morning
sitting on the floor, with her head on CHAIR
Mr.. s. had gone Down sairs. Mr.. >. staid on the
floor all day. She had on the same dress she had
worn tho day before. During TINT night heard
Mr.. and Mrs. $. crying. In the morning, about
half past o'clock, met Mr.. S. on the stairs lie
WAS crying. His face was in his hands. lie sob
bed, and frequently made EXPLANATIONS of grief.
Witness went down TO the kitchen and began to
cry herself.
Mr. Brady handed to the prosecution Mrs. Sic
kles confession, written the night referred to
by witness.
Mr. Guild objected to its introduction MS testi-
inony, and handed it to the Court for examination
Nv Brady said that the paper WAS offered rs
evidence of the increase Of that state of mind I'M
der which the prisoner laboring when he
killed Key.
Mr. Guild said that the evidence was inadmiss-
bic on many grounds, striking, it did, at the
roots OF many of the most cardinal principles of
evidence. In the first place, it was mere hearsay.
1t was merely communication lassing between
husband and wife, the husband Icing the deien-
dant in the case. If the wife could not be wit
in the cnse like this in which her husband is
concerned, this evidence could not bo introduced.
lilo also commended that neither could the paper he
admitted showing the increase OF the prisoner $
state Of mind under the influence of which, it was
alleged, the prisoner killed the deceased. 1t was
no legal evidence that the prisoner insane
when he committed the act. The facts of insanity
should lie proven directly, and not indirectly by
means of the paper which it was sought to intro
duce The paper could not be depended on as
proof of insanity.
The Court proceeded to examine the paper
which contained the confession Of Mrs. Sickles.
TO BE CONTINUED