The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-03-03


for the District Of Columbia. He was 4
widower. with four children, and was IL
years old. lie had rented a house Of a
negro in Fifteenth street which he used
for designations with Mrs. Sickles, and TO
which-(from a Club house which he frc-
quented opposite the residence of the Mr..
Sckles, )-he was in the habit of signaling
her with a wave of his white handkerchief.
Mr. Sickles was informed Of the intimacy
Of his wife with Key, doubted its truth
at first, but received ocular proof finally,
as we'll as the confession Of Mrs. SickIes,
believed, and determined on dire reyeHge.
On Sunday he saw Key walk past his
house two or three times, and give the
criminal signal to Mrs. S., and on seeing
this, requested his particular friend, S.
T. Butterworth, Esq, to follow Key, en-
page him in conversation and detain him
until he could 90 up stairs and arm him
self, which he did with a hye-bore six
inch revolver and two single barrel Der
ringer pistols, went out of his house
and walked down past the Presidents,
and met Mr.. Key. The latter greeted
the former, and was about Offering him
his hand, when Mr. Slckles, refusing to
take Mr. Keys hand, SAID, Sir, you have
dishonored me; prepare to die" Mr..
Key started back few feet, ezclaiming,
What for? What for? Don't don't!"
and made a movement as if seeking for a
weapon in his left breast, but which prov
ed to be an opera-glass, which he threw
at Sickles.
Mr.. Sicklos then drew one of his Der
ringers and shot Mr.. Key, who staggered
some; Mr.. Siokles shot at Mr.. Key again,
with his second. Dorringer, which sent
him rceling against a tree; he cried out
murder" when Mr. Siokles fred a third
time, from his revolver, and Mr. Key fell.
Mr.. Sickles, believing him dying, dosiSt-
ed and did not fire again.
Nr. Key was carried to the clubhouse,
where he died soon after. lie was a
nephew of Chief Justice Taney, and was
a much esteemed citizen.
With impertur.blo sing trojd, as soon
as his '.job' was done, Mr.. Sickles went
to the Office Of United States Attorney
General Black. lie expressed a desire
to surrender himself and accordingly sent
for the Mayor, the Marshal Of the Dis
trict being absent, and, in company with
that magistrate, rode in bis carriage to
the District Jail, where he has been Wis
tied by large number of his friends,
from different sections Of the country, all
Of whom expressed great sympathy for
Mr.. Sickles, of course There is very
little danger of Mr.. Sickles having jus
tice done him, as the Administration is
on his side, and will be untiring in its
efforts to secure the acquittal Of one of its
most servlle tools. The vacancy occa-
stoned by the death Of Mr.. Key will of
course be filled at once by an appointment
Of the President, and with a view to favor
the perpetrator of the "Iatest" Congress
ional homicide. The crime Of Mr.. Key
was nearly equal, in point Of moral force,
to that Of MIR. Sickles, and we would not
excuse the former one jota, while at the
same time that of Mr.. Sickles is, aud
should be punished as, frst-elass crime.
The following editorial remarks of the ~
T. Ere. Post, in relation to the position
of the murderer, meet our aearty approval: ::
"The provocation which Sickles alIeg-
es, was the criminal intimacy Of Key with
his wife. The trends OF Aey, 1t Is SAID,
deny the charge; but the accounts from
Washington affirm that Mrs. Sickles has
fully acknowledged her guilt. We should
not wonder if this were true. Mrs. Sick
les was married to her husband at Il time
when she was not yet out Of her girlhood,
and she is even now but twenty-five years
of age. The character of the husband
too often corrupts that of the wife, par
ticularly at the impresslble period Of early
youth. Courses" it is said in the Old
proverb, "come home to roost;' and so,
it may be said with equal truth, do aduI-
teries. Sickles was excluded from decent
society in this city long ago; and it would