Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1859-03-04


Barton Key, U. s. Attorney for the Dis
trict Of Columbia, aud shot him dead where
he was standing, on the corner Of Lafayette
Square. He gave himself up to the au-
thoritios and was put in prison. A coro-
ners jury was empanncled, who returned
verdict simply stating the cause Of Keys
death. The matter is now undergoing ju-
dicisl investigating.
We subjoin from the special Washington
correspondence of the N. Y. Times, such
Of the particulars Of this painful tragedy as
we think viii be Of interest 10 our readers
For months past the social world Of
Washington, has been busy With the names
Of Mrs. Sickles and Mr.. Key. Their init
macy was Of that marked and peculiar kind
which may perfectly well consist in the alb
sence Of any absolute guilt--since while it
was open to public observation, it was hard
ly concealed from Mr.. Sickles himself, who
having married his wife, Miss Bagioli, of
New York, in her early youth, had always
treated her with extreme kindness and ten
derness, and doubtless looked upon her re-
lations with Mr.. Key as tho nero express
ion of n girlish love of admiration, and 4
vanity delighting in the sense of power over
man of fine presence, graceful address,
and a certain local renown in the District
for high spirit, resolution and gallantry.
During the whole Of the last session of
Congress the tall figure of Mr.. Key was con-
stantly to be seen in tho Presidents square,
opposite Mr.. Sckles' residence; and Mrs.
Sicklos was as constantly in his company at
all places Of public entertainment. In the
interval Of the Congressional recess, Mr.. Key
made a short visit to New York, still with
out exciting any absolute suspicion of posi-
tive impropropriety in the mind of Mr..
Sickles; although other friends of the un-
happy lady, and among them her mother,
repeatedly warned her of the fatal preci-
pice on the brink of which she was permit
ting herself to trife. 1t was hoped that the
affair would come 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 TO avoid its almost in
evitable consequences.
But on tho re-assembling of Congress,
and the return of Mrs. Sickles to Washing
ton, Mr.. Keys attentions, and the scandal
consequent upon them, were revived with
greater ardor than before. Mr.. Key was
particularly noticeable man in point of per-
sonal appearance tall, well-sormed, a much
more athletic man than Mr.. Sickles, and es-
pecially fond of exercise on horseback.
In the carly part of week before last Mr.
Sickles went on to New York. During his
absence the busy spies of society observed
that the attendance of Mr.. Key at his house
was even more unromitting than usual
Mr.. Sickles 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 wife's re-
lations with Mr.. Key more than ordinarily
prominent in his mind. So far was he
from manifesting anything like inordinate
or tyranical suspicion, that he allowed Mr..
Key to escort Mrs. Sickles as usual on Penn
sylvania avenue, and saw them, in COM
pany with Mr.. Henry Wikof, at the thea
tre on Wednesday night. On Thursday Mr.
and Mrs. Sickles entertained a large party
at dinner.
On the next day (the day before yester-
lday) Mr.. Sickles received from some enemy
of mankind an anonymous letter, stating
with precision so minute as to make sus-
picion imperative, that Mr.. Key had rented
a house on Fifth street, above K. street,
from negro woman, and that he was in
the habit Of meeting Mrs. Sickles two or
three times week, or oftener. The per-
son and dress of Mrs. Sckes were accurate
ly described, and the usual time of the in
teryicw specified. Accompanied by friend,
Mr.. Sickles went to the house designated
and found every statement of the anony-
nous writer corroborated Mr.. Key had
taken the house, and had constantly met
} there lady answering very closely in de-
scription to Mrs. Sickles.
Mr.. Sickles still clung to the hope that
, the person who had stopped to the basenoss
of making such charges under tho veil ot
secresy, might have thoroughly deceived
him, and that Mrs Sickles was not the lady
in question. He accordingly requested his
friend, Mrs. George Woodbridge, of New
York, to watch the place from the window
of house Just opposite.
On Saturday no meeting took place, ant
the woman in charge seems TO have stateC
that none had occurred since Wednesday
On Saturday evening, Mr.. Sickles re
solved no longer to play the spy upon hi
honor, determined to confront his wife di
rectly with bis terrible suspicious. AT frs
Mrs, Sickles strongly denied her guilt; bu
on her husbands asking whether on the
Wednesday evening previous, she had nc
entered the house on Fifteenth street, in
certain particular dress, and concealed by I
hood, she cried cut, "I am betrayed dne
lost" aud swooned away. On recovering
her senses shc admitted her guilt, and be
sought mercy and pardon. Mr.. Sickle
:. calmly said that he would not injure her
since he believed her to be tho within of (
sccandrrl but that ho had right to ful
confession. Two ladies in the house wer
: sout for as witnesses, and in their presenc
Mrs Sickles made a ftdi confession IN wril
: ing, stating that hei connection with Nj
Key, had commenced in April last, unde
Mr.. Sickles' root, but that Mr. Key ha,
! since hired the house 10 Fifteenth street, j
which they had constantly met. Mr.
; Sickies' confession was made in the mids
2 of tho bi,tercst contrition and misery. He
y husband simply asked her to give him bac
y her weddinO RING. and desired her 70 writ