Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-03-02
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

terworth's statement Of his connection with the
recent killing Of P. Barton Key. accompanied
by others designed to corroborate him. Its
publication, together with the tenor of various
accounts of the deplorsble affair appearing in
papers elsewhere. satisfy us that strong dis
position to influence public opinion in advance
OIL thorough Investigation, prevails. As er
7'artS statements to that end cannot fail to dis
turb the course of justice. however disagreeable
the task Of criticising them may be- such eriti-
cism Ia the duty of press like ours thoroughly
identified with tho present and future of this
community. Want of space prevents Us from
quoting the statement of Mr. D. here; but
we may truthfully sum il up by charac teriring
1t as an effort to induce general belief first.
that Mr.. ButterwOrth not aware of the de-
sign of Mr.. SickIes to kill Mr. Key. and. next.
that Mr.. Sickles killed Mr.. Key under the i'm
pulse of sudden passion.
While We have no final judgment to pro-
noance upon the act Of Mr.. Sickles. it is our
duty, we repeat, if possible, to prevent justice
from being forestalled-to prevent the case from
being decided upon er parte statements in ad-
vance of the legal investigation. We have
therefore to say that Mr.. Butterworth's plead
ings have not satisfied us of the propriety of
hesitation on the part of the authorities to sub
Ject his conduct in connection with the affair to
rigid scrutiny.
In his examination before the coroner's in
quest Mr.. ButtcrwOrth swore distinctly. not
that ne did not see the pistol placed by SickIes
IN immediate contact with the head and person
OF Key, but that il IRIS not so pIaced ; the
other witnesses testifying that it was so placed
When asked whether he (ButterworthD did not
know that it was the intention of SickIes to
shoot Key, he answered that he did not know
that fact-adding in an instant that he wouId
not say what his impressions as to SickIes's in
tentions were. lie then protested against be-
Ing examined at length on that occasion. de-
claring that he expected to be so examined in
afew minutes before the committing magistrate.
In his opinion the proper oficcr-rathcr than
the coroner-before whom he should state all
he knew of the affair, adding distinctly that he
knew al about it. In that subsequent cxami-
nation he disclosed literally nothing.
We may here add, that the impression left
on the minds Of those who heard Mr. Butter
worth s testimony before the coroner. was that
his aim was to create the idea that SickIes
Killed hey under the impression that the latter
was IN the act of drawing weapon upon him
(Siekiesl
The account of the killing of Key, published
In the New York Times of Monday last, as can
easily be proved on the trial if necessary. was
written and sent over the wires under the i'm
mediate supervision of Mr. John T. IIaskip. of
New York, the nearest friend of Mr. Sickles
That account, describing the egress of Messrs.
Butterworth and Sickles from the house of the
latter, Immediately before the killing, says:
Asking Mr.. Butterworth. who was at hi house
70 follow hey and engage him in conversations ~
That ne would not get out of sight. he rushed fp
stairs for his pistols and quick following found
ButterwOrth and key together at the corner Of Six
teenth street, when the tragedy took place
Mr. Butterworth, according to his published
statement, admits that he went directly over
to where hey stood, though denying his fore.
knowledge of the presence Of X. there or an
expectation Of meeting him. lie admits that
he had previously eOunselled SickIcs that
There Is but one course left for you (Sickles) as
man OF honOr-yOu need no advice" Was NOT
Enthusiastically advice to kill Key? five read
ms statement correctly these were his last words
before starting for where Key was standing
On meeting Key, instead Of at least scorninp 10
hold intercourse with the man whom he mr.
fessed to regard with so much horror. ~ when
looking on his corpse half an hour afterwards
ne exclaimed Indignantly, in the presence of
MY persons that he had no sympathy with
hlm' or the scoundrel," We forget winch. or
Oh warning him that Sickles might be expected
there In moment, he was engaged in ap-
parently friendly conversation with Kev-wbo
being dead, cannot tell how it happened thai
he had no suspicion whatever of the intention
Of siekles-which fact is however proved NV
the testimony of ButterwOrlh himself
Instead Of interfering to prevent the KILN,
OF the unsrmed man, it is proved in the test;'
mony before the coroner. that he STOOL IooL;n,.
on near the parties, but out Of the direction Of
SlckIes 5 shots, until ). had fred and snsnn.J
Ms weapons at least six times and then Kov
being killed, he joined his arm in that 81 /
SlckleS and accompanied him ayay Ind
pendent OF accounts of his advice tn Si.LIos
dlnering widely from his statement of that al |
wee, which we think can he proved mon his |
own admission, the facts and cireumsts,oas
we present above, make it necessary that Mr.
ButterwOrth's connection with the bom;.;1n
should be as rigidly investigated at law. M that
VI hl' niekles Nothing that might reasonably |
~ u'tereu In extenuatiOn of the act of the lat |
'ef' can De said in extenuation of the act of a !!
or eonspiratOrs with him 10 kill |
Key, if any such they were. ' " Aii'
oP"h the sudden passion mint orr ~
opinion is that much will be developed in V ,ba
COURSE VI TIE triai not made public in The =.
pare statements to affect public ouin;on -
Tered to above In Mr.. FOrney's pr,s, IS
yesterday-Mr Forney being as intimate -
siekies and his family, rs Mr.. Haskin or NJ
ButterwOrth-it is said
. III is but just, however. Ia say that tho io,i.
between MI. hey and Mrs. Sickl-s had been re- !
Hed IN " ashington circles for year past and
had been the occasion Of more than ON. 3is,,,,.a
ihent ia the Families Of the parties Daring thu
HI congress notes passed between Mr.. Key and
hr SlckleS ON this subject. which werp followed
ny com Plete reconciliation, and Mr. key visited
>tI sI 90. a, tr house OF Mr. Sicklos. having dinod
ago" i' ~ 'i'oi' 'iiah zen DAYS |
a explanation Of this paragraph, we may
Hud 'hat 1t IL currently stated here that ere the
eoonei'iation referred to took place, articles
hat