The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1859-03-08

4 sad story Of Domestic Ram and Hsr-rgs.-
Farther and Melancholy Particulars.
Correspondence O. the y. \. Daily Tribune.
WASHINGTON. Feb. -, is59.


This city has been thrown into al. unusua, state
O. excitement this afternoon by the shooting OF
Phillip Barton Kew. United States Attorney FOX
tie District Of Columbia, by Daniel +. Schles,
\. nber OF Congress from Hid District in New
York, resulting in the almost instant death Of the
former. The circumstances, a. | have learned
them from the parties most interested on both
sides. including NJ. Sckles, with whom | have
had an interview in the District Jail, are a. fol-
lows:
For more than . wear there have been floating
rumors OF improper intimacy between Mr.. he!
and Mrs Sickles. They have from time to tinc
attended parties, the opera, and rode out e eth
cr Mr. Sickles hrs heard OF these reports, but
would never credit them until Thursday evening
last On that evening. just a. party was about
breaking up al his house, Hr. Schles received
/ among his papers al Anonymous letter. With
out opening his mail, or knowing the contents
of tie letter he accompanied his ~ife to hop
at Wizards. On his return home at midnight,
Mr. Sicl,les opened the anonymous letter, which
Informed him Of the utiylity OF his wife, Of her
intimacy With Mr.. Kew. and stated AL the details
OF the manner of their meeting, and raining o."
place of the rendezvous. The letter was 80
plausible IN its statements, and gave such pre-
else description. for the detection OF the parties
/ in their as-gnatiOn meetings. that ar. SckieS
iescided 10 investigate the facts. Accordingly
/ he placed the letter in the hands Of two OF his
most intimate friends who last evening possess
ed themselves of the evidence satisfactory TO Mir
| -icklcs that Key had rented a house OF Il negro
| in Fifteenth street, which he used as place of
rendezvous with Mrs. Sickles.
| This morning, being in great agony of mind,
| Mr. Sickles in the presence Of two Witnesses
charged his wife with having Illicit intercourse
with Mr. kev At first Mrs. Skies declared
| her innocence. Mr. Sickes then Iarsded before
her the evidence of her Kilt. She became over
whelmed with the sudden arragnment, and fam
ted and finally confessed her Gilt. Mr.. Sickle
was not satisfied with this verbal confession, but
| desired Ms Sickes IN make the confession in
writing She complied. She also Informed him
! !. " often Nr Key had been in the habit of see
/ ing brr ami his mode Of ,e!egraphiag 70 her by
waye o' his handkerchief when he wanted her
to come out.
| Mr.. Sickies' residence Is No. :, President :
square, IN view Of the Jackson statue. which is
opposite the White House. in full view Of Mr.
-chles' residence, the other side of The square
| Fifteen an :-a-half street, is the Washington
Club House, where Mr.. Key irequented and
fou, the windows OF which Mrs. Sicsles fays, he
was in the habit of teegraphinG her with his
white handkerchief. If Mr. S.chas was absent,
! she was in the habit of rcturniL - . - =.
| About O'Clock to-day Mr.. II ,a'cs saw Tr
| Key come out of the Cub-House and 20 around
! the square aHd walk past lis (Sck'eso Mouse two
or three times He msde The signal for Mrs
Scklc- once or twice, when Mr.. Sick.cs, arming
| himself with afiye-bore six inch revolver and two
singie-barrc Deyringers, which CARY each a bal,
dol:,ir The size OF ihs rcvovers, went ont Of lis
| house and walked down past the Presidents, and
mt VI. Key. TIE latter greeted the former,
ard "a, about Offering his his hand when Mr
! Sickle, refusing to TAX Mr. key's hand, said,
! ''>ir. No. bav, dishouUs5i me prepare To die"
! Mr. Icy started back few feet, cxclaming,
.'Nha+ tor. " hat for. Don't don't and
made movement A. if seeking for .. weapon i.
| his 'et, breast, bat which proved 70 be opera
| elaSs which he threw ~ Sicblcs
! NJ. Schles then drew one of lis Dclriugers
AID ahot Mr. kev, who struggled some: Mr.
Sicklcs shot AZ iir. Key again. with his second
Derfinger, which sent him recing against a tree:
| he cried out murder, when Mr.. Sichlc- fired
| third time, from biz revolver, and VI. kcy fell
, Mr. Sickles believing him dying, de-i.ted, and
| did not fire again.
NJ. Samuel +. Butter~orth, Superintendent
| of the Assay Office, New York, was conversing
with Mr. Key when Mr. Scklcs came up, and
witnessed the affair, and then went with Mr..
Sickes to the Office Of United States Attorney
render himself and accordingly sent TOY the May
or, the Marshal Of the Disirict being absent and
in company with that magistrate. rode in his car
riage 10 the District jail, where he had been VIZ
tied by 4 large number Of his friends from DIFF
tereUt sections Of the country, all of whom ex-
press great sympathy for Mr.. Sickes
After learning the facts, Mr. Siekes conversed
freely GA the subject, and jl.,ities himself He
said 10 NE. "He has dishonored me, and wecou.i
not I've together on the same planet
Since writing the above, | learn that aitcs Nr-
Sckles confessed her suil., her husband deman-
led her to return to him her wedding ring and
desired her TO write 10 her father to sead Tor her
and t.se her in charge. Her father j. Antonio
i}agio, al Italian music master in New York
city, where he has resided about thirty years
Her mothers name was Cook, and Was born in
New York.
Mr. Sickles married lis wife when She was sil-
teen years Of age. He took her to England with
him when he was Secretary of Legation a. Lon
don under Mr.. Buchanan; Introduced her 10 ire
Queen; carried her 10 the Continent snd intro
duced her to tie mos. fashionable society. Nj
Sicklcs loved her with gr,a. devotion. AID lGy 81.
cd all lis means upon her. they lived i1 vle-
CANT style here, occupying house Of i3p.uI
rent Mrs Sickles rode in = splendid c4--isre
with outriders; wore Jewel, 10 the rsi-a OF 81
'pp, ana seemed - Wd.t -Utlug l4at -t- cd
not possess.
Immediately after tie shooting. t.. body Of
VI. key was picked up and conveyed into o.,
Club-H House, from which he was in the t,".t Of
t-lesraphing 10 Ms Sicklcs
One shot took effect in the groin, IL. bal las
sing through the bcdy to the skin a. the back. F.
where it remains Another entered the r;-tt
chest, and the third gr.zei the kin Immediately
outside where the first ball lodged
A coroDers inquest was held. anl verdict .
returned that Mr.. key came TO his death H., .
two balls fred from pistols in the hands Of Dan /
lei Z. ScAlcs, and that either would prove II +
tai"
Mr. Key i q nephew OF Judge Taney. and .
trother-in-law q Mr.. Peudiet0r, member OF Con 4
gress from Ohio. The father OF NJ. Key Wa
the author of The Star Spanglei Banner !
XIV and Sickles were both the intimate friends .
of the President:
Co--esl oni=ac- O.: he y Y. daily Times.
W.sHIyGros, Sunday, Feb. 27-P u.
Fer months past the social world Of Washing 4
ION. a,wavs a. quick To relish the details of phi
vate scandal i Is lax in is judgments Of those
ov whom such scandal nav BE- caused. has been |
b1-y WI lu- names Of Ms Sickle and Of NJ /
Key. Their intiua va. @; that marked and /
peculiar kind which may perfectly vel coDsi-,
in the innocence OF any absolute guilt - since .
while il was open 10 public observation. Il was