Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-03-09
Reaaing
From the New York Times.
SID STORY OF DOMESTIC RUIN And BLOODY
REVENGE,
WASHINGTON, Sunday, Fel

The vulgar nonotony of partisan passions and
political souabbles has been terribly broken in
upon to-day by an outburst of personal revenge.
which has filled the city with horror and con-
sternation,-I cannot unfortunately add, with
absolute surprise.
For months past the social world Of Washing
ton always as quick to relish the details Of pri-
y.te scandal, as it is always lax inits judgments
of those by whom such scandal may be caused,
las been busy with the names of Mrs. Sickles
and of Mr.. Key. Their intimacy was Of that
marked and peculiar kind which may perfectly
we'll consist in the innocence Of any absolute
cuilt-since while it was open to public obser-
Vation, it was hardly concealed from Mr.. Sckles
himself who having married bis wife, Miss Ba-
cioli, of New York, in her early youth, had
always treated her with extreme kindness and
tenderness, and doubtless looked upon her rela-
ii ms with Mr.. Key as the mere expression Of
rirsh love Of admiration and Of vanity de-
lighting in the sense of power over man of fine
presence, graceful address, and certain local
renown in the District for high spirit, resolution
and ganlantry.
During the whole of the last session of Con-
cress the tall figure of Mr.. Key was constantly
t., be seen in Presidents square, opposite Mr..
Sickles' Washington residence; and Mrs Sickles
was Us constantly in his company at all places
of public entertainment. In tho interval OF
the Congressional recess, Mr. Key made short
visit to New York, still without exciting any
absolute suspicion of positive improperly in the
mind of Mr.. SickeS although other friends of
the unhappy lady, and among them her mother,
repeatedly warned her of the fatal precipice on
tue brink of which she was permitting herself
to trihe. 1t was hoped that the affair would
c,me to an end of itself, and that one or both
of the parties most nearly implicated, would
perceive the real drift Of their conduct in time
:, avoid its almost inevitable consequences
But on the re.assembng Of Congress, and the
return Of Mrs. Sicklcs tU Washington, Mr..
KEYS attentions, and the scandal consequent
uoon the,n, wcre revived With greater Hrdor
tim bef,rc. Alr. Key was particularly no.
ticeable man In point Of personal appearance
tall, we'll f.rmed, a much more athletic man
than Mr.. Sckle., and especially fond of"exer-
c;sc On horseback. lie rode aa ron-grey horse,
and scarcely day has passed since the return
uf Mrs Sickles 10 the capital, on which bis tall
figure, his white riding-cap, well-trimmed nous.
tache and iron-grey horse might not have. been
seen two or three times in the course.of the MORN
ing on the circuit Of Presidents-square, or at the
door of Mr.. S;ckles' house, which stands quite
sione on the north side of the square, and is a
very conspicuous building of white stucco. 1t
was but on Tuesday last $50 swift and fearful a
dream does the whole story seem. that, on Wis
iting Mrs. Sickles, Tuesday being her day Of
reception, I found Mr.. Key there, his horse
waiting for him at the door. The rooms were
filled with pleasant company the soft Spring
sunlight poured in at the open Windows; and
Mrs. Sickles herself in all her almost girlish
beauty, wearing boquct of crocuses, tue trst-
lings Of the year, seemed the very incarnation
of Spring and youth, and the beautiful promise
of life. What is the twilisht-what the house
that then was the synonym Of hospitality, tho
most frank, and generous and easy!
In the early part Of the week before last Mr.
Sicklcs went On ~ New York During his alb
sence the busy spies Of society observed that
the attendance Of Mr.. Key, at his house was
even more unrelnitting than u,ucl. Mr.. Sickles
returned to Washington on the morning OF the
day Of the Napier Ball, and frcm that time up
to Fid.y last nothing occurred to make tue