Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-04-12
LOCAL NEWS.
THE MADISON PLACE MURDER.
Trial Of Daniel T.. sickIes for the killing
of Philip Barton Key.


CRfNiNAL COURT. n CRAWFORD, Judge.
When our first edition was quito press yesterday.
Mr.. Brady was noting an exception to the ruling
Of the Judge that the letters which the defence
proposed to give to the jury evidence had no
bearing on the issue, at all, and taken altogether
were not evidence.
Mr.. Brady then called the first witness for the
defence:
TESTIMONY Mr.. WILLIAM BApsER
VIM Badger was first sworn for defence.-He
resides in Philadelphia. Is Navy Agent of the
United States; been in that situation two years.
Knew the deceased; knows Mr. Sckles; known
the latter since his return from the Court Of St
James rs Secretary Of Legation. The relations be-
most intimate character, 90 far as the witness
knew. Knows Mrs. Sickles. Was at a dinner
party given by Sckles at his house shortly before
MIR. KEYS death. Mr.. Key there, the guest Of
Mr.. Slckles. Mrs :. was at the table, as also her
husband
The defence (Brady) proposed to ask the witness
who else was there n prove the presence then and
there of Mr. and Mrs. Pendleton, the sister and
brother in-aw Of Key.
But here Mr.. Carlisle interPOsed, thinking that
whoever else present was not evidence
Mr.. Brady had by this simply proposed to show
that other intimate friends in fact Mr. Keys sister
and brothrr-in-law were there also, and that they
were inmates of Mr.. Keys house.
Mr.. Carlisle did not see how the gentleman pro-
posed to- bring into the the fact that other per-
sons were ON intimate terms with the parties.
This was i collateral issue.
Mr. Brady thought the question an important
one. There was no warrant for excluding cvi
depce which proved impOrtant facts on the one
hand. because ID showed state of facts detrimen-
tai to the other side Intimacy aud friendship
terms which were capable of great enlarge
uIent and restriction.
Ths speaker insisted that this intimacy bnre
upon the condition Of Mr.. Sicklcs' mind. The
was now very near the commission of the
tragedy: surely there nothing greater TO show
the intimacy between the parties, than the fact
that the families of the principals also on
the most intimate terms
The Court 1t Is proposed tn prove that on the
10th Of February the parties intimate
terms. The Court had always held that facts
tending to prove the intimacy Of such parties was
competent testimony, but could not see how the
intimacy presence of a sister of of them on
the occasion bore on the point in question. The
Court therefore ruled the question out.
The witness then Misunderstanding that nc re-
manned at the dinner till the company left the
diuner; So did Key. This was till near II p. IN.
The time was the 10th of February Key left
about the time witness did. Saw hey afterwards
when he Was Witness guest, together with Mr..
and Mrs. Sickles. at a hop at the hotel the next
night. hey came either after or before Mrs. Sic
This witness was not crOss-eNamined.
TESTIMONY uF HON. JOHN B. HAskIN
Mr.. Haskin IN. &. from New York; testified
that be is resident If WestChcSter county. ". Y.
Has known SickIcS between - and 20 years
Knew Mr.. Kew since March. immediately after the
Inauguration of Mr. Buchanan. Was introduced
to him by MIR =. Knew Mrs =. Hos known her
- wears. While they resided in Washington
of Sicklrs and frequently met Key there. Saw
Key last at the opera where Piccolomini performed
some two or three weeks before his death. He
then alone. Did not converse with him.
Remembers a whist party ut Marshal HOover's
shortly after Buchanan's inauguration. Sickles
was there as well as witness. At that time Sckles
mentioned to Key that he had seen the President
aud had urged his reappOintment to the office he
held at the time of his death Key replied. thank
ing him for his intercesson, and hoped he would
persist in his interccsSiOns successfully. They
very intimate. Their intimacy Of the
closest, nearest, and dearest character. Had con-
verSation with Key about correspondence with
Sickles. II was in February or March, 1858 Key
called at Witness house
Mr.. Ould claimed that general conversations
were not evidence.
Mr.. Brady cOnfeDded that this conversation re-
lated to the immediate intimacy between the
parties.
The Court decided that the witness might give
evidence showing friendly relations between the
parties-key and SickleS.
The witness resumcd:-That conversation took
place at his house; MIR. Key, Mr.. McElhone, and
myself being present. in relation to cOrrespOn-
dence which had taken place-Key and Nc Elbone
called together, and Key stated that
Mr.. Ould. Docs this come within your hon.
said Mr. sickles was not present y
Mr.. Brady. s'Why not, This is an admission
by hey Of the friendly relations between him and
Mr.. Ould commended that the United States had
foreshadOwed its course, and the gentleman was
Of course in possession Of knowledge which would
The Court Thought the conversation between
the witness and Key should not be admitted, and
s ruled
Witness rcsumng-After that conversation
hey and Scklss together. This ON the
Aght Of the opera referred to before saw both
sickles and hey there; Mrs. =. was there also
Miss Badger and Mr.. Hart, Of New York. were
with Mrs. :. Saw a mere recognition between
Sickles and Key on that occasion; witness told
Sickles the conversation between him and Key;
Sickles replied that he believed Kew a man of
honor and his friend; they had been mutual
friends and he did not object to Key visiting his
house when he (Sickles) invited him.
Mr.. Brady said this was all here; but he should
have occasion to call the witness again
TESTIMONY OF Mr.. DANIEL poUGHERTY
Mr.. Daniel Dougherty testified that he was
member of the bar Of Philadelphia. Been since
MAY. 1Si9. Had known Sckles intimately since
the time of Pierce's Inauguration. Knows his
wife; met her first the 5th 9th Of March
Isl. shortly after Buchanan's inauguration. Wis
tied sic kles house in New y Ork and in this city
Knew Key; first met him in September, last year
IN New York Became rather intimate with him
Was at dinner party at Sickles's on the Thursday
before Keys death.
After the d inner say 10 y. m, Mrs Sirkles went
- Wizards Hotel; and about the same time wit
mess went TO a hop there Saw hey there, and
thinks he first with Mrs. Sickles and after
wards promenadcd with witness wife. This
was before Mr.. :. came in. After Sickles came
IN did not see hey with Mrs. :. When witness
f - met Key II was in New York. and 1T the cable
celebration. Broadway was alive with people,
aud witness slw Mrs = in carriage; and wish
inc her went and desired her to 20 up tn the
Metropolitan Hotel. where Sicklts was. and there
witness saw key. ItwdS in private parlor of the
hotel.
Can't say whether Sickles' father and mother
were in the room at the time. but they were in the
house at the time the procession passed. Last time
witness saw Kew. was at II O'Clock IL. or Satur
dly. the day before his death. Witness was en-
Joying the hospitality Of Marshal Hoover, and was
leaving Mr.. HOOvcr's To pay his respects To Mr..
and Mrs. Sickles, and he was lelving, hey
in and witness and hey went out, and at
Madison Place kcy left witness abruptly. but
good naturally, and went into the Club House.
Witness went 10 Sickles' house. and walking
down the Avenue in front of the Statue Of jackson,
met Key going towards Sickles hOuss. Passed a
few words with him. aud babe him goodbye.
This was at IL o'clock IN. on Saturday before
suited. On Tuesday before Keys death, witness
at SickleS' house at reception. Saw Mr.
KEY there.
CrusS-examined by Carlisle:-Can't remember
what the date Of his arrival in this city at that
time but thinks he arrived sometime about the
18th.
By Brady Witness wife and Mrs. Hoover
went In the reception with witness. and witness
left them there. and went tn pay visit to friend,
~ hnsL hem