New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-04-15
TRIAL OF DANIEL E. SICKLES,
CHARGED WITH rae
MURDER OF PHILIP BARTON KEY.
WNHIsGTos, rhursd

The Court opened tais moTpigg at about the
usual hour bat did not get to basioess till half psf To-
II is stated that tire p'oseouti,s was pnpxed If srs
ckless declaration had been recsived, 10 have given
in evidence the fsct TIA, in Jsnusy las nr. S'ckes
AID lady. not biz wife, eaarej GuriOg rgat IN
BsInum's Ho el at Baltimore. The register OF the
hotel vas in Court foy tea: purpose.
1t appears, however fon IRIS regiser that there is
hr,t the entry of Mr.. Scslsss name 10 his Own
writing; then the rsmes OF severs other persois;
ard about ten lires belox, tie Of Mrs. ID sniel
I. S;ctles, in a different b, ndwritiog.
TITS preparation shoss til 81 If Judge C.ssfort had
let il tee confession, vat quantity of scsnsa on
both sides vosd have been brought Out on the .rid,
involving persons not yet mentioned in toe sfsr.
G.orse r. Woodbridge WAS the fret witIess called for
the deftrs Examined by Mr. Brady.
Wttrsss-I reside 10 Msgof Valley, Sullivan CnGn.
IT,. n Y: on the q Of February ls-t l reslisd a.
No 53i Twelfth street. Washington; came here IN the
latter part of November TO be present at the
organ izstion OF tue House Of Representatives,;
as clerk under TIE Clerk Of tie do ise; knew Mr..
Kew at that time; never spoke TO hin ba; obcs or
tsice; on SATURDAY., the 10Th Of February. Gas 10
Fiiteeuth street. from very cose to 10 clock al s;
saw Mr.. ckes that afternoon between andoo CLOCK
Of tx Capitol.
o Vast wss at that time bis sppesIsn and con-
ciron
Witoess-When vent first to him he appeared DIFF.
ferent from what he had been the day before be a
peared lie himself lie vas III the hal near the
Speakers onar; We had q nyeTsslOn; got hl TO
20 in o a retiring room, ana there parted With him.
after erdeayorpg to pacfy bini be was very much
affected and distressed; there was 10 one Tth 81 Ia
that room when left him | say hin no more that
usy; the time lett him wss abou, clock; say him
the 1t morning at about 10 O'Clock IN the library oil
biz own house; his eyes were bloodshot ard red he
spprC aehed ne and told me he had sent tJr ms to
come there.
Interrupted by the District.Attorney.
Witness reslrred-Hs face denoted that be hsd
been weeping; l remained 10 the house tall oil the
Strangers had left /, in the afternoon.
. Whit wss his condition du0ng the day.
Witness lie acted Ike msn ia grea, sorrow and
dis Iess; so much so that | watched for bus coming
ard eotg constantly.
., Wbyi
Mr. Caflse- That is not material.
Wtness-There WAS q strange manner about hini
he woulc 60 up stairs and tren come down agan thea
he would talk about matters, and go up stsus
again: every time he cauis into the room where
| was he pressed his bshds TO his temples, add
would 20 over to the secretary and 900; he 40
pesred as If he vas in great DISTRESS every
time these fits cane upon Tim, he would clasp
his temples aud lean over this gay Olusraana); hs
would cob and cry so much that | told IN - give
vent to his tears they you'd relieve bin; be would
raise his maids and exclaim; sometimes these hts
would take him before he coud get 10 the secretary
where he went If 10 hide h,mself, ant thea he
would bow down bis head as # his stomach was Civ
irg way and he would be hardly able TO reach the
secretary TOR support
q Did you zee Mr. Key on that sunday
Witpess-I did trice.
q. Where and when
Nitness-The first tine between ten and eleven
oclock gopg out of the gate Of Laaysts square, ON
the con er OF Sevepteebta street and Pennsylvania
averue near the War-0fice, on the street Mr.
Sickess house is in.
.. 10 which direction did be go?
Witness He crossed the street and went up
the avenue, / presume; l did not observe
- h.t oti.n hR
toe second time 1 him WAS about quarter to
O'Clock, directly 10 front of the library window of Me-
Sickess house; there was lacy and gentleman with
him then; be the eide toward the rb-stone;
the lady next the rsngi toe three were ia dl-
rect hpe; Mr. Sckles up stairs at that Time he
had left the library snd gone up stairs.
Q. Did you observe Mr.. Key 90 anything while
ps,sDg1
Wrness-I saw him take handk erohief out Of his
pocket, and wave it three times while doing so, bis
eyes were toward the upper window Of Mr.. Slcsless
house he kept his eyes from the gentle mao, as
If he did not wish him TO know what he was dong
he parted win the lacy and gentemso at the corner,
entered The Park gate and proceeded n the direction
of Madison Place; five minutes before too. Mr..
Schles ned gone up stairs saw him enter the Library
dooi two minutes after heard some one coming do9a
sairs very rapidly and toto the library he SAID
That villain mas Just passed my house."
District Alton ey-DO rot state what he said.
NJ. Brsoy-What cid he do
Wituess-He was very excited, and talked for
mon eDt with Dir. BntierTorth, who endeavored to
cain HIM he appeared g resist these ate npts TO
cam rim, and threw Mr.. Battervorth OFF and
turned into the hail. be hsa not his hat
on at tgst time; that is the last l
Of him until he came into the house with the po'
lice officers Mayor Benett was there, and Capt.
Goddard, Mr.. Walker, Mr.. McBair, Mr.. Clus-
hey and some other gentlsmen 1 then
sitting on easy chair near the library vindovi
Mr. Siekes came into the library, tlrned around, and
then went out as if TO go uo stare knew he vas ia
the paIor alter that; Mr.. Butter EoIth aud Mr.
Walker go into that room; the door between the
roouk was closed; Iremaited in the library.
= Did you hear his soDbing, and so forth
Mr.. Cailisle-Th is a leading question.
MIR. Brady did not know tina they would be held
down TO mere matter Of firm. Did you hear any
tbng of MIR Slckes while 10 the parlOr
Wnntss-NO, ST.; mi attention directe 4 20 the
psrsops IN The room with me; w.svery much exc ted
! rsveT want ID zee such another day as that.
Mr. Brady proposed 10 prove what produced the
ttat. Of nlnd in winch Hr Sekles was when the wit
lees saw him a. the Capitol On Saturday, and asked
latter whether he made any communication TO him
at the tue.
Mr. Ould objected saying q was proposed not ouly
TO prove the nature of the communication, bat that
tie entire subject matter should be given 10 evidence
10 the JaTy correction w'h the excited state OF the
prisoners mind. Insanity is fact distinctly capable
# prCof. If this communication is offered in evil
dtnoe 10 show the insanity Of the prisoner 1t Is un-
certain, and leads TO 10 fixed AMI sure con iasion
Whstevef the nature OF the communication, 10 does
rot hlox as a matter of course aud reason that To-
ssnty necessarily probably took place. lt does not
rise to the dignity OF secondary eyideLcs. Tbs Only
proper evidence would be msDifestatiUn OF the men
Isl sesse given by the prisoner either at the time
toe communication subsequently up 10 the
oounsi'n OF the homicide. Toe question wac, @hetn-
Their this eyidenc could be given for any other purpose
than TO chow the state Of mental disease tue part
OF the prisoner a. the bar Couli il in any be
offered i.r the purpose OF satisfying the Court aud
Jury that there was provOcatiUn Of any kind, that
the prisoner eLirey aud properly under thsiuhd-
epce vi hea'ed excited niao, which ioi.nei him
to anger or drove him 10 revenge Coud it be offer
A -. hat y sufho