Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-03-09
The Washington City Tragedy.


We gave in our last brief account Of the shoot
ing of Phillip Barton Key by Hon. Daniel E. Sickles
of New York. We find in the Washington cores
pondencc of the New York Times q full account Of
this unfortunate affair. After referring to the ru-
mors prejudicial to the character of Mrs. Sckles,
which had been circulating for some time in Wash
ington society, the writer says:
During the whole of the last session of Congress
the tall figure of Mr.. Key was constantly to be seen
in the Presidents-square, opposite Mr.. Sickles'
Washington residence: and Mrs. Sickles was as con-
santly in bis company at all places Of public enter
tainment. In the interval of the Congressional
cess Mr.. Key made short visit to New-York, still
without exciting any absolute suspicion of positive
improperly in the mind Of Mr.. Sickiea: although
otter friends Of the unhappy lady, and among them
her mother, repeatedly warned her Of the fatal pre-
cipice on the brink of which she was permitting
herselfto tri1e 1t hoped that the affair would
to end of ITSELF and that one or both of the
parties most nearly implicated, would perceive the
real drift of their conduct in time to avoid its almost
inevitable consequences.
But on the reassemblng of Congress, and the re-
turn of Mrs. Sckles to Washington, Mr.. Keys at
tentions, and the scandal consequent upon them,
were revived with greater ardor than before. Mr..
Key was particularly noticeable man in point of
personal appearance; tall, well-formed, much more
athletic man than Mr.. Sicklcs, and especially fond
. of exercise on horseback. He rode an iron-grey
horse; and scarcely day has passed since the re-
turn of Mrs. Sickles to the capital which his tall
figure, his white rding-cap well-trimmed NOUS
tache, and rongrey horse might not have been seen
two three times in the course of the morning
the circuit of President s.square at the door
of Mr.. Sickles' house, which stands quite alone on
the north side of the square, and is very con-
spicuous building of white stucco It was but on
1ocf orA nj
whole story seem) that on visiting Mrs. Sickles,
Tuesday being her day of reception, l found Mr..
Key there his horse waiting for him at the door.
The rooms were filled with pleasant company: the
soft Spring sunlight poured in at the open windows:
and Mrs. Sickles herself in all her almost girlish
beauty wearing bouquet of crocuses the frstlings
of the year, seemed the very incarnation of Spring
is the twilight; what the house that then was the
synonym Of hospitality, the most frank, and gener
Gus and easy!
In the early part of the week before last Mr..
S;ckles went on to New-York During his absence
the busy spies of society observed that the atten
dance of MIR. Key at his house was even more unre
mitting than usual. Mr.. Sickles returned to Wash
ington on the morning of the day of the Napier
Ball, and from that time up to Friday last nothing
occurred to make the matter of his wifes relations
with Mr.. Key more than ordinarily prominent in his
! mind So far was he from nanifesting anything
like inordnate or tyranncal suspicion, that he al
lowed Mr. Key to escort Mrs. Sckles as usual on
ennsylvania-avenue, and saw them, in company
| with Mr. Henry Wikof, at the theatre on Wetnes-
day night. On Thursday Mr.. and Mrs Sickles en-
tertained large party at dinner. Over that gay
and brilliant company how near and fearful doom
impcnded!
| On the next day (the day before Yesterday Mr.
Sckles received from some enemy of mankind an
anonymous letter, stating with precision so minute
30, that h0H
rented house on Fifteenth-stree above k-street,
from negro woman, and that he was in the habit
of meeting Mrs. Sickles there two three times a
week, or oftener. The person and dress of Mrs.
! Sickles were accurately described, and the usual
time of the interview specified. Accompanied by a
friend Mr. Sckles went to the house designated and
found every statement Of the anonymous writer cor
roborated. Mr.. Key had taken the house and he
had constantly met there lady answering very
closely in description to Mrs. Sickles.
Mr.. Sckles still clung to the hope that the person
who had stopped to the baseness of making such
charges under the veil of secresy, might have thor
oughly deceived him. and that Mrs. Sicklcs was not
the lady in question. He accordingly requested his
friend, Mr.: George Woodbridge, of New-York, to
opposite.
nSaturday, no meeting took place, and the woman
in charge seems to have stated that none had occur
| red since "Wednesday.
On Saturday evening. Mr. SickIes, resolved no
longer to play the spy upon his honor, determined
to confront his wife directly with his terrible suspi
cons. At first Mrs Sicklcs strongly denied her
guilt; but on her husbands asking her whether on
the Wednesday previous, she had not entered the
house on Fifteenth-street, in certain particular
Dress and concealed by hood, she cried out, I" l
am betrayed and lost '' and swooned away. On re-
covering her senses she admitted her guilt and be-
sought mercy and pardon. Mr.. Sickles calmly said
he would not nure her. since he believed her the vic
tim of a scoundre but that he had right to full
confession. Two ladies in the house were sent for
as witnesses, and in their presence, Mrs. Sickles
made full confession in aoritng, stating that her
connection with Mr.. Key had commenced IN April
last under Mr.. Sickles' roof but that Mr.. Key had
since hired the house in Fifteenth street in which
they had constantly met Mrs. Sickles' confession
was made in the midst of the bitterest contrition
and misery. Her husband simply asked her to give
him back her wedding-ring, and desiredher to write
to her mother to come and take her from his house
forever Mrs. Sckles made no objections, admitting
the justice of her punishment in the most affecting
language. Her mother will arrive tomorrow to re-
move her from this fearful scene Of guilt remorse
and blood
Once having quilted the presence of his wife, Mr.
Sckles gave way to the most terrible emotion, anG
passed the night in state bordering distraction
feeling which was worked into madness this morn
ing on seeing the cause of his misery, Mr. Key, with
gay audacty pass opposite the window of his wifes
room and wave his handkerchief-th usual sigma
for assignation.
Asking Mr. Butterworth, who was at his house
to follow Key and engage him in conversation Sc
that he would not get out of sight, he rushed W
stairs for his pistols and quickly following fount
Butterworth and Key together at the corner of Six
teenth-street, when the tragedy took place.
On coming up Sickles walked directly to Key, ant
said "You have dishonorcd my bed and family
you you scoundreI~prepare to die =. at the same tim,
drawing his pistol. Almost simultaneously Key
placed his hand inside his vest and drawing wha
appeared to be pistol, but what was really ope
ra-glass, said "You had better not shoot!"
Sickles at once fired, Key at the same time throw
ing his glass at him. This shot only grazed Key
slightly raising the skin of his side, and he imme
diately leaped behind tree to avoid another shot
Sickles followed and Key, catching his arm, endeav