Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-03-04

".l.en my , ..."s ,n,dc in the midst Of the
S;,,nrost cortr;,;on and misery. Her husband
.;,,',i, asl cd her TO give him back her wedding
snfs Ia desired her to write to her mother to
us a,J take her from his house forever Mrs.
S;clIcs made no objections admitting the justice
of her punishment in the most affecting
,aru,asc. Her mother will arrive tomorrow
70 remove her from this fearful scene Of guilt,
rcmorsc. and blood.
Once having quilted the presence Of his wife
Mr.. Sickles gave way to the most terrible emo
ton, and passed the night in state bordering;
on distraction-a feeling which was worked
into madness this morning on seeing the cause
Of his misery, Mr.. Kew. with gay audacity pass
opposite the window Of his wites room anu
wave his handkerchief the usual signal TOR as
signation. ~.
Asking Mr.. Butterworth, who was nj MS
house TO follow Key and engage him in con
ycrsation so that he would not get out OF sight
he rushed ND stairs for his pistols, and quickly
following found Buttcrworth and Key together
,t rho corner of Sixteenth street, when the
tragedy took place
In coming IN Sckes walked directly to
Key and said, ''You have dishonorcd my bed
and family. YOU scoundrel-prepare to die =
NJ the same time drawing his pistol Almost
simultaneously Key placed his hand inside his
vest and drawing what appeared to he pistol
but what was really an opera-glass, said, ~ Oh
had better not shoot
Sickles at once fired, Key at the same time
throwing his glass at him. This shot only
crazed Key, slightly raising the skin oil ms
side, and he Immediately lcaped behind tree
to avoid another shot. SickleS followed, anu
IN
him from firing, but Sicklcs discngaged linn
self and firing again, shot Key in the upper
part of the right thigh, close to the main ar'e'
ry ,.;o,,
Falling on his hip and supporting himself
with his hand he cried, Murder. don
shoot Sickles still following hred again.
with his pistol close to Key, the ball passing
through his body below the breast
In the meantime the report of the pistol and
KEYS cries startled those in the neighborhood.
Mr.. Thomas Martin, Clerk in the Treasury
Department. who happened at the moment TO
be leaving the Club, rushed back, and calling
ont, Kew is murdered" Mr.. Doyle, Mr. Up
shur and Mr.. Tidbal, who were in the Club at
the time. proceeded hastily to the spot, when
they found Sickles standing over the body OF
Key. with his pistol presented at his head ana
which he tried twice to discharge, but winch
snapped both timcS-and Mr.. Butterworth
standing by composedly.
On Mr.. Doylc's touching Sickles on the
shoulder the latter at once desisted, and turn
inr around, said Gentlemen, tins man has
dehonored my bed" Upon this he took But
terworth's arm, and walking from the spot with
the most perfect selfpossession. proceeded to
Attorney General Blacks. and delivered him
self into custody.
On Mr.. Sickles leaving Mc>srS. Doyle, lis
ball, CpShur and Martin conveyed the body,
which still held faint gra>ps Of breathing, to
the parlor of the Clubhouse, when the Assist
ant Surgeon General was at once in attendance
but Kew was beyond all medical skill. lie
breathcd but twice after being laid upon the
floor
When Martin and Upshur raised Key from
the ground, the former inquired il he had any
thing to say. Key made no reply. and was
evidently unconscious.
In few minutes the news spread over the
CITY, and the streets became thronged with VI,
sitors to the scene oc the terrible event, and
groups were cycrvwherc noticed engaged III
excited discussion about it, The Club House
was speedily surrounded byan immense crowd
eager To view the body Of the Inflated hey
Many of the leading gentlemen of Washington
drove up in their carriages, ana III abont Il
Quarter of IN hour the brothcr-ln-aw oil the
deceased the Hon Mr.. Pendlc,on OF Ohio, ar
rived
At about three the Coroner's Inquest was
held in the parlor where the body lay, when
sufficient facts were elected to show that de-
ceased was killed by Daniel f. Sicklcs. and
ror1ict was rendered accordingly.
While write, the body Of Key is being re-
moved TO his late residence on street, nearly
opposite Col Benton'S house.
The parties involved i'll this sad story all
lived within the immediate circle OF our daily
Washington life; two, at least, OF them being
also AS we'll known in New York rs in the tedc.
raj Metropolis. Key was about 40 years OF
age tall in stature. about six feet, with an easy
and fashionable air. bit by no means prepos:.
sessinr in appearance otherwise. His face had
n sicily hue, and he had been for some time
suffering from heart disease, or imagined nc
was which gave him Il soured and discomfort
ed look. Otherwise he was extremely popu-
lar and those who knew him best said his &C.
centrictics Of manner covered a very kind and
generous heart. His father, Francis ). Key,
was the author Of the national song. the star
Spanc,cd Banner" lie was widowcr with
four children On his marriage he narrowly
cscaped a duel with Colonel May, who conceiv-
cd that he had unfairly ousted him from the az
fcctions of the lady who became his wife, and
who was beautiful and charming woman
Mr. Sicklcs, the member for the third district
of New York. is a native of this city, and was
ORIGINALLY a printer bv occupation. He is man
of nearly 40 years Of age; Of good presence
and graceful manners. As member OF the
State Senate, as we'll as in the House of Repre-
scntatves, he had made himself remarked by
n quite unusual GOODNESS and selfpossesson,
which gave him great advantages IN debate
and had acquired for him well-deseryed repnta-
ton rs n rising young leader OF the Democratic
party. In 1858 Mr.. SickleS was married to his
wife. now ruined and hcart-broken, then
Young girl fresh from her school-life, and re-
markable then rs now for something especially
soft, lovely and youthful in the type o, her very
pcculiar beauty. She is Of Italian origin. and
possesses all the Italian lustrc and depth OF eye
united with singular candor and delicacy OF
feature. ~
Mr.. Sickles had seen her grow up from child
hood and was attached to her with an almost
idolatrous affection Shortly after their mar
riagc, Mr. Sicklcs was appointed Secretary Of
the American Legation at LONDON IN tne mousse
hold of Mr.. Buchanan, and his beautiful bride
won universal admiration abroad, not more by
her charms of person and manner than by the
cayety and innocent jioyousness of her charac:
ter. On their return to America they resided
for some time on the Bloomingdalc road, in
charming house overlooking the Hudson river,
and on his election to Congress, Mr.. Sickes
took his present house on Presidents square.
1t faces directly the Club House. to which was
brought to-day the corpse of the man who HIM
self had slain all that made the life OF that
mansion, but few days since so gay among
the gaycst, and 50 hospitable among the most
hospitable Of the homes OF Washington. !,
Mrs. Sicklcs NAV be %, and has two chill
drcn. She is the daughter of Bagioli, the cclc:
brated music teacher Of Fourteeth-street Amid
the general gloom which this sad altar mas cast
n thought