Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1859-03-05
THE TRAGEDY AT WASHINGTON.


E Tbn asatI, Of philip Barton Key, Esq., in Wash-
fns,on3 on Snnday afternoon, 81 the hands OF the
Hon. DANIEL E. scklss, msnssr Of scongress from !.
Nav YORK. has created vide spread and PFOteusd
and ths tacss inrcTsd in the rne.ancacly
lstssir are looked upon with iptsrss
THs DaAD 1oDr.
In sr,sif room ia the RESP por ION OF the e'lno
house the dsad body OF Mr. Key lay
me ii all closhiag the saafs and pan
and crd offriends gaz ng upon u N ss1s
horror and Win fearful eyes. Ine iAes 8 - szs.l.
And 6nrlIied, as i II sleep and save sss
me al ale deceased mig 3 nave beSA
71ft ortafr Or TiiE rfkpkpY --NRs. sickIAs.
Prom N ashius ION letter 10 the New YoEk TINES
written on sunday might ne cory the following
particulars
Far nsoutut, psst the social World of Washington,
always as quick relish the details q
sSaI as ii isiax IN It's Judgments OF those by whom
s,tn stsnd Al may be caused beeh busy with the
names OF Mfs Sfckles aud Mr. Key Their lnttrne-
a. was of that marked aud pscnliar kind which
may perfectly We consist In the innoeenee OF any
ehsoltiie eyliit<since while il open q public
in was hardly concealed fTotn nr Sick
iss himself who having married us y MISS
eio, of in her mas
locked UPON her with Mr. Key a. the mere
e1pressioni st eiflish icge OF AdrirAho and OF
vanity de hung IN the YsI ltsn
cal reno Il The District Tor hg spirit, rssoir-
ton and gallantry
During me whole the last session OF Con
the tall figure OF Mr. Key was constantly 10 be seen
in residents square, opposite Ut Siekles w ssh
ingion residences and Mrs Sick les was as constant
lyin his company Vii pinees OF pubic enteraln-
the val of the Cdngr essional recess
Alr. Key made short visit to York. stll With
out exciting any absolute suspicion Of positive ns
proprety in the mind OF Mr. Sickles IN the MIND Of
Air. Sicklss although other risnds OF The unhappy
Iady, and among hem her MOI sarn-
ed her the fatal precrpice onithe brink OF which
she MAS permitting herself to trthe. IL was hoped
that the afair would come 10 an end OF ITSELF and
that one or both of the parties most nearly implt-
oatrt perceive the real DRIFT OF their conduct
in time 10 avoid it almoet ineyltable consequences
But ON the reassembling OF Congress, anu the re
turn OF Mfs Seklss to w ashingttn, Mr.. Key 8 at
tsntions, and the scaneAl consequent upon them
were revived with grea alter ardor than before.
irtIss VENT IA Nav YORK. During his absence the
busy spies of society observed that the attendance
of Mr. Key al his house Wa even more nnremitnng
than usuaL Mr. Sickless returned TO washington
on the morning OF the day OF the Napier ball, end
from that time up to Friday last nothing occurred
to make tho matter OF hi lies relations with Mr.
| Key more than ordinarily prominent IN his mind.
On the next day, Mr., Sickes resolved rom some:
one an anony mons letter, stating with precision
so minute as TO make snsp eion Imperative thai Mr.
Key had rented house ns II feenth ST., above h.
street, and there he Wassin the habit OF meeting
Mrs. Sicklea Two or three times week or Otter
The per son and dress OF Mrs. Slckles were accu-
rats " described, and the usua tine OF the inter-
view specified Accompanied by "a friend, Mr..
| Sickles went to the House designated and found
every statement of the anonymous writer corrobo-
rated. Mr.. Key had taken the house and he had
constantly met there 2 lady answering very close
| ly in description to- Mrs. 5ickles.
II He accordingly requested his friendly Mr.. Geo.
| Woodbridge, of New York, to watch the place from
the window OF q b5use just opposite
/ On Saturday mo meeting took place.
On Saturday evening Mr.. Slckles resolved no lon
! ger to place thespy upou his honor, determined 10
confront with his Wife directly with his terrible
suspicious. AT first Mrs Sickles strong denied
her guilt; but on her husbands asking her whether
| on the Wednesday previous, she han not entered
| the house on Fifteenth street. in certain Partcu-
lar dress and concealed by hood, she cried ont 4
| am betrayed and lost and sWoOned away. On
Towering her senses, she admitted her guilt and be-
sought mercy and pardon. Mr. Sickles calmly said
he would not injure her, since he believed her the
/ victim of sounded, but that he had right to a
full confession. Two ladies In the house were sent
for witnesses, aud in their presence Mrs. Sckles
made full confession, in writing stating that her
| connection with Mr.. Key had commenced in AREii
last. ui6er Mr. Sckles' roof but that AL Key had
since hired the house in Fifteenth street, In which
they hid constantly met Mrs. Sickles' confession
wa2 made in the bitterest ,eonnition and misery
Hey husband simply Asket her give him back her
wehdlngtng, and desired her TO write TO hertnolhs
e. to come and biz house fesakar Mrs
ickles de Injections, hitting The Justice OF
her punishment IN the most affecting langnage.-H
Her mother has already arrived 10 remove her
from tas fearful scene OF guilt, renorse and blood
II
With the Immediate circle of 6nr daily Washington:
life. Key WAS about AZ years of age tall in stature
about six feet, with an easy and fashionable ar
but DO no means sprepossingin appearance otnsr>
/, wise. His face had sickly hue, aud he bad been
for sometime suffering from heart disease or imsg
ined he was, which gave him sour and discontinued
look. Otherwise hes was extremely popular, aud
those whe knew him best said his eccentricites OF
manner covered q very kind generous heart. His
gifted father Francis s. Kew. was the author OF the
natfo nal song, tile sStar-Spapgled Banner he was
4 widoWer, with four childIep. On his marriage
be narrowly escaped duel with Colonel May, who
conceived that he had unfairly ousied hiEl from the
Affections Of the lady Who became his wife, and who
was beautiful and charming women. Mr. Key
is nephew of Judge Tawney, and brother in-law
of Mr.. Pendleton, member of Congress from Ohio.
Mr. SickIes t he member from the third district of
New York, is native of this city and was origin
ally ps inter by occupation. he is man OF near
~ forty yearsof age; of good presence and grace
In 1853 Mr. SickIes was married to his wife now
fnined and hear Il roken then young girl, fresh
from her school life, and then, As nov
for something especially soft, lovely aud youthful
IN the type her very peculiar beauty. She is OF
of Italian origin and possesses all the italian us
and depth of eye united y sing ulAr candor
and de- lcacy OF feature.
Mr. siekles had seen her grow up from Oh fdhGod
and attached 10 her vita an Utmost q oiasrons
affection. s5hortly after their marriage MIR, Sckles
was appointed Secretary OF the American Legation
in Lonfon, in the household of Mr. Buchanan and
her universal admiration abroad not more by her
charms OF person and than by the 9ayety
aud lnnocent joyoasness Of her character
Mrs sickles may be "a aud has two CHILDREN.
She is the daughter OF Begol the celebrated music
teacher, of Fourteenth street Few women are bet
ter calculated win their way polite society or
TO contribute more h lis yisacit5.
When Mr. Siekles surrendered himself 10 Attor>
ney Geners sent for "a magistrate, Who, With the 4
chief of police, came speedily. Soon alter the
mayor aEfiyed apnouncing the death Of Key !, Mt.
s5iekles WIS conducted IN carriage 10 the Jail.
Another Washington letter sayss
Mr.. and Mrs Siekies lived ia elegant style b re.
oocpyipg house of geo rent. Mrs Sickies rode
in spieadcd carriaRe with pntride wore Jew IS
10 the value Of $s,ooc and seemed 10 nothing
that she did not have. Hsrather has been ~
ident OF New York for thirty yeart Her mothers /
name wis Cook, and WIS born IN New York. An
elder brother OF Key was killed ia dnsl BY Mid
shipman Sherburne, OF New Hampshire.