New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-03-31
THE SICKLES TRAGEDY.
FROM AN FNGrIsH POINT or yIgw,
e., IA. LII Inn.


We Published yesterday very strange AMI very
sad story from Washington. With the recollection Il
Sir Cresswell Cresswe clients before eyes arc
not abOut 10 fly into paroXyams Of viituOus indgns
ton because in the Tilted States as elsewhere, wO-
man is sometimes lrai, and man generally yudiCtyc.
Such thipgs Of ali ages and e AL cOurtnes, art
this WashY gton story about NJ. and Mrs Sckle and
Mr.. Kew might a. given reason md "a counter
pant in the scandalous chronicles Of any Of the Euro
pcan capiJBls-LOudOn included. IL u true indeed
that the husbands vengeance was swift, savage end
severe. Such IL no. the way IN which such injuries
are resented in England but according 10 the civi-
cation OF a country is the fashion OF ia revenge.
One nation ste'tO, anotlOr revolver, another
an old fut-guu fourth a barris.er. We employ the
fourth weapon in the Tilted States the second comes
more fsmhafly TO the hand OF ou,rs ged hus band.
The remarkable part of this occurrence then, IS
far are concerned, is tire iolm TIhch the
husband vengeance assumed Had sue q story as
this happened IN Ergand ana had the husband III de
course put bis into the hands OF the family sole
it0r and had that useful personage stu IN due COURSE
feed council a0d brought IL before the Judge Ordinary
we should scarcely have given the report second
glance. Deny il who may, the truth is that haot
renders ali persons bat the nme date family friends
and acquaintance OF the parties 70 such suits pro
fouudly Indifferent to the matter. We can hardly cay
If equal apathy exists on the other tide Of the Atlantic
when injuries OF this class avenged IN the terrb
fashion Of ths WashI gton tragedy. AT fret sight,
the fact that an injured husband a. rushe5 to the
conclusion thst nothing bnt the blood OF the aduterer
can be accepted an eIpialon for bis Hlopg, would
seem 10 argue higher conception OF The marriage
bond than the which obtains Among ourselves.
We cannot however. at the same tine, forget that
American bands are swift b. shed blood Tor INJURIES of
far inferior class % those of which We are speaking
The form then, of Mr.. Sick.es revenge waa Accord
ing 10 the fashion % his age aLd his country. We
think il probable that had he been an Eogishman,
living in LONDON, ne would have acted otherwise.
Take L. however, ne you may, the story IS most Ia
meutabe one In England much interest vii b. le.t IN
il from tue .aC that the unfortunate Young Tlie-and
.ba IA
cal circles of London. When MIR. Buchanan WAS
hinstcr over here her husband, Mr. Sickes, was TIE
Secretary of Legation. He was accompanied by M;
wife a child in years, ard stu more child iu appear
srcs Ste exciec interest ia every one WAC met her
in those days, anu many on English friend will Srleve
at TIE termination Of her bret career. The facts oi
the case may be known 10 q very few wOrds-lnieed,
We had rather make as short story Of Il possible
for Is not one upon winch the mind rest without
the most painful feelings. Nj. SiCkles Secretary
of Legation here n London, but on the election Of
Mr. Buchanan 10 the Presidency he returned 90 the
United States and obtslI et the Democratic nomination
FOR Congress from one OF the metropolitan districts OF
New.NoIk. In due course he went 20 Washington,
taking With bin ms wife. Now, there was n certain
Mr.. PHILIP Barton Key, the nephew of tie Chief JUS
t;ce OF the United States. who the nlted Staes
Attorney for the District OF Columbia. la tie
discharge Of his dus.es re also was a. W ash
irgtOD, ana thus an intimacy arose between
him and MIS-. S.,kies, which seems speedily
10 have assumed a criminal character. Whether II
that he neglected her, ths. Mr. hey possessed 81
traco which extiuguisled IL her mid al ssn,i-
meuts Of her petition, al feeling Of duty, Il must,
fear, b. admitted tAst the young vl.- became VIVA,
sac was not when she known aud admired here I'D
Loitor. Suspicion coon dcgsed the stePs Of the
yCunC wife SRI her ptrduour. a. n u.Ik. IN such
cases the husband vas the last person 70 near 10
history Of tie dIshou0r. TIE @. injection between
Mrs S.cklss and Mr. Key II " are to give eIzc.
dates, began in April ot last yssr, wss continued
through last " ufer, aid renewed sga!n - Washing
ton curing the present session OF Congrcss Impur!ty
made them bold: they had not been discovered
therefore they never would De discovered. NJ. hey
h.fcd house, where t.ty Used 20 meet. When Asr
husbsrd was away from home NJ. Key wcul psss
b, 'oie tie house wave handkerchief and she would
hurry out to meet him at tner usual Place Of assigns
ton. Boz now comes toe terrible parG Ui me story.
en- Friday the 9Th OF February. BIZ. Sickle, VAS
entertaining the President Of tie Unite. States a. i5-
ntr-he a, one eud Of tar table Mrs. Scxies a: tLe
other. lie knew nothing Of the matter IN hsn !. In
the mtit OF the dinner letter was jeyere 20 hlm
WEIGH revealed 10 hin The history ot his Vic Shame
an Of his Owl dishonor. a. tie ;Cls hs could OF
course say nothing ami 10 nothing There 80 ais
young vile opposite him aad by her SHE toe pre-i-
cent. When tie guests WEI. away he began 70 con-
sicer grmy with himself what course be should ADOPT.
That night he appears 10 said OF cous nothing,
out the esry part Of the reyt cay speut u
io investigation Of TIE i4Cii. When &c had acquired
reasonable degree a certainty Mr.. klss taxed M,
we via Aef -uilt. She screamed Odt tat sic was
betrayed erd lost, but 81 length admitted tCe rlLi
Of the accusstor. 80 far al wss cesr; The question
was how this grevous injury should be avenged The
account We have received from Wassirgt states
hat IN the course Of rat Afternoon, while Mr.. Sckes
considering with himself what ought 20 be done
sDd was sitting at MS window, he saw MIR.
hey approaching bis house, AMI making the ap-
pointed signal 10 the lady whom he had olJu. ht 10
tbs terrible gTe:. Unable TO master ais emotion tie
husbard seized upon what weapons wee n-sr. These
constituted complete sIsen or armory-ve question
if many English gentlemen cOaid in moment OF indiy
Laiior suddenly stretch ut their hSuds M Sckes
I'D, and GLd ready iso sDglebsrrelsd pistols an