The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-03-02
L H E DISPATCH
~~-~-~-,
WEDNESDAY MORNING MARCH 2. 1889
WEDNFSBAY MOKNING............M MARCH e. 1889
T E VA SHINGTON
TRAGEDY!
FULL PARTlCU AIRS.

| ihe papers are Illied with accounts CT the ter
riblc tragedy enacted on Sunday last at the Ma
tionai capital. The prominent position OF the
parties and the national reputation Of both, has
augmented the sensation it created. A letter In
the New York Times, written at Washington, on
the night Of the occurrence, gives history of the
origin Of the tragedy;
| For months past the social world Of Washing,
ton, always quick to relish the details Of private
scandal as it is lax in it's judgments of those by
| whom such scandal may be caused, has been busy
| with the names of Mrs. Sickies and Mr. Kew
| Their intimacy was of that marked and peculiar
kind which msy perfectly well consist in the in
nocence of any absolute guilt--sincs while it was
open 10 public observation, it was hardly con
cealcd from Mr.. Sickles himself, who having mar.
ried his wife, Miss Bas sioli, e New York. In her
| early youth, had always treated her with extreme
| kindness and tenderness, and doubtless looked
| upon her relations with Mr.. Key as the mere
| expression of girlsh love of admiration, and ol
- vanity deliRhting in tae sense of power over a
| man OF fine presence, graceful address, and GER
| tain local reuown in the District for high spirit,
| resolution and gallantry.
| During the whole of the last session OF Congress
the tslT figure of Mr.. Key was constantly TO be
seen in Presidents square, opposite Mr.. Sick les
Washington residence and Mrs. Sckles az
| constantly ia his company at all places Of public
entertainment. In the interval of the Congress s-
| sionai recess Mr.. Key made a short visit to New
| York, still without exciting any absolute suspicion
of positive impropriety ill tho mind of Mr.. Sckles;
| although other friend. Of the unhappy lady, and
among them her mother. repeatedly warned her
OF the fatal precipice on the brink Of which she
was permitting berseif to trihe. It hoped
that the affair would come to an end OF ITSELF and
| that one or both Of the parties most nearly impH
Gated would perceive the real drift of their CON.
duct in time to avoid its almost inevitable conses
quences.
But on the re-assembipg Of Congress, and the
| return of Mrs. Sickles to Washington, Mr. Keys
attentions, and the scandal consequent upon them,
we're revived with greater ardor than before -
| Mr.. Key was particularly noticeable man in
| point OF personal appearance; tall, we'll formed, a
| much more athletic man than Mr. Sickles, and es ,
pecialiy fond of exercise on horse back. He rode
an lron-grey horst; and scarcely day has passed
since the return of Mrs. Sickle to the capital on
| which his tall figure, his white riding cap, WELL
| trimmed moastachs. and iron grey horse might
| not have been seen two three times In the
course OF the morning the circuit of Presi-
dents square, or at the door Of Mr.. Sickes house.
| which stands quite alone on the north side of the
square, and Is a very conspicuous building of
| white stncco. 1t was but on Tuesday last, leo
| swift ard fearful dream does the whole story
| seem that on visiting Mrs Sickles, Tuesday be
ing her day OF reception, l found Mr.. Key there
his horse waiting for him at the door The rooms
were hiled with e pleasant company: the sof,
spring sunlight poured in at the open windows:
and Mrs. Sickle5 herself in all her almost siriish
| beauty wearing boquet of crocuSes the irstliugs
Of The year. seemed the very INCARNATION of sprinr
and youth, and tho beautiful promise of iif.
| was the synonym of hospitality, the most frank
aud generous and easy.
| Iu the early part of the week before last. Mr.
Sicsles went on to Ne. York. During his absence
the tusy spies OF society observed that the a,
| tendance OF Mr.. Key at his house was even more
| unrem!ting than usual. Mr. Sckles returned to
| Washington on the morning. of the day of the
Napier ball, and from that time up to Friday last
| nothing occurred to make the matter of bis wfe's
| relations with Mr.. Key more than ordinarily
prominent ia his mind. So far was he from ma D.
ifestiug anything like inordinate or tyrannicaI
| suspicion, that he allowed Mr.. Key to escort Mrs
| Sickles IS usual on Pennsylvania avenue and
saw them in company with Mr.. Henry Wicke If at
the theatre on Wednesday night. On Tnursday
| MIR. and Mrs. 81 kles entertained large party az
diuner. Over that gay and brilliant company how
near and fearful a doom impended!
On the next day, Mr. slckes received from some
Oue,an anonymous letter, stating with precisCn SO
minute IS to make suspicion im peratve, that MI
Key had rented house On Fifteenth street. above
! X. street, from negro named John GRAY, nd that
he was iu the habit Of meeting Mrs. Sickles there
two or three times week or oftener. The person
and dress of Mrs. Sckles were accurately dcs.
crhed, aud the usual time Of the interview speci-
fed. Accompanied by friend, Mr.. Sickles went
to the house dcsigG and found every state.
ment of the anonymous writer corroborated. Mr.
| Key had taken the house; and he had constant
| met there a 'ady answering very closely in des-
s,iption to Mrs. Sickes.
M-. Sick!es still ciung TO the hope that the per
son who had stopped to the baseness of making
such charges under the veil of secrecy might
have thoroughly deceived him. and that Mrs
siekles was not the lady 10 question. He accord
insly requested his friend, Mr.. George Woodbridge
Of New York, to watch the place from the window
Of the house just opposite.
Oa Saturday meeting took place. and the wo-
man III charge seems to have stated that none had
occurred siuCe Wednesday,
On Saturday evening, Mr.. SickIes resolved no
longer to play the spy upon his honor determined
to confront his wife directly with his terrible
picions Al hTst Mrs Sickies strongly denied her
guilt; bnt on her husbands asking her whether
on the Wednesday previous, she had not entered
the house on Fifteenth street. iu a certain particu
lar dress, aud concealed by hood, she cried ont
| 81 an bftrdyed and i0St,' and swooued away On
recovering her teusesshe admitted her guilt and
| hts uRht mercy and pardon Mr.. Sickles calmly
said he would not iujure her, sir ce be belle we'd her
the victim OF a scouudrel, but that he had right
| to full confession. Two ladies' in the house were
sent for as witnesses, and in their presence Mrs
| Sickles made t5U confession iia aCrftirg stating
that her connection wta Mr. Key had commence ed
in April last under Mr.. Sckies roof but that NJ r
Key had since hired the house in Fifteenth street
in which they hal consa antly met. Mrs. Sickles
confession Was made in the midst of the bitteresi
contritiou and misery. Her husband simply ask, 1
her TO give him back her wediing-ripg. and desr>
ed her to write to her mother to come and take
her from his house forever. Mrs SickIes made nc
objections. admitting the justice of her punish
ment ia The most affecting language Her mother
will arrive tomorrow to remove her from this
|
| Once having quilted the presence of his wife
! Mr. Sickles gave way 10 the most terrible emo.
ton. and passed the night III state bordering on
distraction-a feeling which was worked into
madness this morning on seeing the cause of his
misery, Mr.. hey, with gay audacity, pass oppo-
site the window of his wife's room and wave his
handkerchief-t usual signal for assignatiou.
Asking Mr.. Batterworth, who was at his house
to follow Key and engage him in conversation so
that he would not get out of sight he rushed up
stairs foa his pistols, aud quickly following found
Butterworth and Key together, at the corner of
Sixteenth street, when the tragedy took place.
The parties involved in this sad story ali lived
within the immediate circle of cur daily Wasb.
ington life. Key about AZ years of age, tall
in stature, about six feet, with an easy and fash
iouabie air, but by no means prepossessng in ap-
pearanCe otherwise. His face had q sckiy hue,
and be had been tor some time suffering from
heart disease, imagined he was which gave
him a sour and discontented look. Otherwise he
was extremely popular, aud those who knew him
best said his eccentrcities of manner covered a
very kind and generous heart. His father, Fran.
els ). Key, was the author of the national soUg,
the ''Star-Spangled Banner" He a wdower,
| with four children. 0n his marriage he narrowly
| escaped a duel with Colonel May. who conceived
that be had unfairly ousted him from the affec-
| tions of the lady who became his wife, and who
| was beautiful and charming woman. Mr. Key
| is IA nephew OF Judge Tahey, and br0ther-iu law
| of Mr.. Psudleton, member of Congress from Ohio
| Mr. Sickies, the member for the third district
| OF New York, is native of this city and was
originally printer by occupation. He is a man
of nearly forty years Of age; Of good presence and
| graceful manners. As q member of the State
Senate an we'll as in the House of Represen tatives,
| he had made himself remarked by aquite unusual
| coolness aud self.possession, which gave him
| great advantages in debate, aud had acquired for
| him well deserved rep utation as a rising young
leader of the democratic party. In 1858 Mr..
| sickles was married 10 his wife, now ruined and
| heartrbroken. then young girl, fresh from her
school ife,and remarkable then, as now, 70. some"
thing especially soft, lovely aud youthful, 10 the
ian origin, and possesses all the italian lustre an
depth OF eye, united with singular candor and
delcacy of feature
Mr.. Sckles had seen her grow up from child
| hood, and was attached to her with an almost
iiOatrons affection. Shortly after the marriage