Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-03-10


usual on Pennsylvania Avenue, and l sa'
them, in company with Mr.. Henry Wikof
at the theatre on Wednesday night. o
Thursday Mr. and Mrs. Sickless entertaine
large party at dinner. Over that ga
and brilliant company how near and feal
full doom impendedl
| On the next day Mr.. Sickless receive,
enanonymous letter, stating with precision
SO minute as to make suspicion imperative
that Mr.. Key had rented house on FIJI
teenth street, above K. street, from ne
gro woman, and that he was in the habi
of meeting Mrs. Sickles there two or thre
times week, or oftener. The person ant
dress of Mrs. Sickles were accurately describ
ed, and the usual time of the interview
specified. Accompanied by friend, Mr.
Sickles went to the house designated ant
found every statement of the anonymous
writer corroborated. Mr.. Key had taker
the house; and he had constantly met thers
a lady answering we're closely in description
to Mrs. Sickles.
Mr.. Sickles still chung 10 the hope thai
the person who had stopped to the base
ness of making such charges under the vel
of secresy, might have thoroughly deceived
him, and that Mrs. Sickles was not the
lady in question. He accordingly request
ed bis friend, Mr.. George Woodbridge, OF
New York, to watch the place from the
window of the house just opposite.
On Saturday, no meeting took place,
and the woman in charge seems to have
stated that none had occurred since Wednes-
day. ..s
On Saturday evening Mr.. Sickles resolv-
ed no longer to play the spy upon his honor,
determined to confront his wife directly
with his terrible suspicious. At first Mrs.
Siekles strongly denied her guilt; but on
her husbands asking her whether, on
Wednesday previous, she had not entered
the house on Fifteenth street, in a certain
particular dress, and concealed by hood,
she cried out, ~ am betrayed and lostt'
and swooned away. On recovering her
senses, she admitted her guilt and besought
mercy and pardon. Mr.. Sickles calmly
said he would not injure her, since he be-
lieved her the victim of scoundrel, but
lie had right to a full confession. Two
ladies in the house were sent for as witness
ses, and in their presence, Mrs. Sickles
made a full confession in writing, stating
that her connection with Mr.. Key had
commenced in April last, under Mr.. Sick
les roof, but that Mr.. Key had since hired
the house in Fifteenth street, in which they
bad constantly net. Mrs. Sickles' con-
fession was made in the midst of the BIT
terest contrition and misery. Her husband
simply asked her to give him back her
wedding-ring, and desired her to write to
her mother to come and take her from his
house forever. Mrs. Sickles made no OBJ
lection, admitting tie justice of her pun
ishment in the most affecting language.
Once having quilted the presence of his
wife, Mr.. Sickles gave way to the most ter
rible emotion, and passed the night in a
state bordering on distraction-a feeling
which was worked into madness this morn
ing on seeing the cause of his misery, Mr..
Key, with gay audacity walk past opposite
the window of his wife's room and wave
his handkerchief usual signal for as
signation.
Asking Mr.. Butterworth who was at his
house, to follow Key and engage him in
so that he would not get out
of sight, he rushed up stares for his pistols,
and quickly following, found Butterworth
and Key together at the corner of Six
teenth street when the tragedy took place
On coming up Sickles walked directly to
Key and said, "You have dishonored my
,ed and family, you scoundrel-prepare to
lie pat the same time drawing his pis-
ol. Almost simultaneously Key placed
lis hand inside his vest, and drawing what
appeared to be pistol, but what was real
y an opera glass, said, "You had better
not shootp'
Sickles at once fired, Key at the same
lime throwing his glass at him. This shot
only grazed Key, slightly raising the skin
'f bis side, and he Immediately leaped be-
hind tree to avoid another shot. Sick
ess followed, and Key catching his arm,
,ndeavored to prevent him from firing, but
sickles disengaged himself andfring again,
mot Key in the upper part of the right
high, close to the main artery.
Falling on his hip and supporting him
elf with his hand, he cried, "Murder! don't
hootp Sickles still following, fired again
With his pistol close to Key, the ball pass
ng through his body below the breast.
In the meahtime the report of the pistol
nd Keys cries startled those in the neigh
,orhood. Mr.. Thomas Martin, a Clerk in
he Treasury Department who happened
t the moment to be leaving the Club, rush
d back, and calling out, 'Key is murder
d" Mr.. Doyle, Mr.. Upsher and Mr.. It'd
all, who were in the Club at the time, I
roceeded hastily to the spot, when they
'und Sickles standing over the body Of
ley, with his pistol presented al his head, {
nd which he tried twice to discharge, but
'hich snapped both times-and Mr.. But
,rworth standing by composedIy.
On Mr.. Doyle's touching Sickles on the
boulder, the latter at once desisted, and l
lrning around said: "Gentlemen, this man ]
as dishonored my bed!" Upon this he i
'ok Butterworth's arm, and walking from
'e spot with the most perfect selfposses- ,
on, proceeded to Attorney General Blacks .
I'd delivered himself into custody.
On M. Sickles leaving, Messrs. Doyle, f
idball, Upshur and Martin conveyed the a
'dy, which still held faint gasps Of breath S
g, to the parlor of the Clubhouse, where a
lie Assistant Surgeon General was in at O
n1,d1ance, nd but Key was beyond medical r
nil. He breathed but twice after being {