Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-03-16
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.


The SIcKLEs CAsE.-The New York Times
is most persistently engaged in the work of pre-
venting fair and full trial of Daniel L. Sickles
for shooting Philip Barton Key, by the publi-
cation of statements concerning the affair for
facts, which are utterly untrue. Holding tito
be the Stars duty to labor to conserve the due
administration of the law in this Community
without fear or favor, we are under obligations
to the people of the District of Columbia (who
are to be the sufferers if their criminal code he
not as faithfully administered in the cases of
those who have hosts of friends as well as in the
cases OF, the friendless) to expose the misrepre-
sensations of the Times in this case. Thus, a
few days ago, writer in that journal. in the
work Of justifying the shooting of Key, pro-
claimed that an anonymous letter, warning him
that his alleged clandestine intercourse with
Mrs. Sickles was known to her husband, was
found on his Key . person when killed. This
is absolutely and unqualiiedly untrue. Wewere
present when the papers then about him were
taken from Keys body, and know that no
such letter was among them The story of the
receipt Of such letter by MIR. Key rests wholly
upon the allegation that the wife of Mr.. Sickles
makes that statement. Her testimony is no
testimony in law. Butindependento of thst fact,
her conduct in the affair, if the writers above
referred to are to be believed, has rendered her
statements utterly unworthy of credit on The
part of sensible persons.
Another writer in the same journals issue of
yesterday, entirely misrepresents public opin-
ion here for the benefit of the killer; and, we
think, the opinion of the judges of the courts of
the District of Columbia, who. he alleges, have
declared against the right Of the friends of
Key to employ counsel to assist the District
Attorney to withstand the array of legal repu-
tatiOn, experience, and ability-Messrs. James
I. Bradley, and John Graham, of New York,
Reverdy johnson, of Baltimore, and Stanton,
Chiffon, and others, of this city-whO are to
appear in behalf of the accused notwithstand-
ing the newspaper writers in his behalf argue
that his justification by public opinion here is
so clear that the jury will not leave their box
ere acquitting him. The judges of the District
OF Columbia are men of too much discretion and
character to be thus expressing volunteer opin-
ions likely to prevent fair trial of the case
1t is worthy of note that this writer, besides
protesting against the propriety of Investigating
both Mr.. and Mrs. Sickles makes the following
them, their antecedents:)
Parental opposition to the marriage of Sickles
and Miss Bajiolil in this, as in so many other de-
Plorabie cases, only ended i'm clandestine mar
rage, which was Performed before Mayor Kings
lahd, the Mayor of the city of New York. The
consequen of this secret wedding soon made
concealment impossible, and the marriage, after
the full confession required by the Roman Catholic
church, was solemnized again. and received the
seal OF religious ratification from the hands of DR.
Hughes, the Roman Catholic Archbishop at his
private residence
That Mayor Kinsland should testify to the
fact whether he did really marry the parties
as here alleged, before 1.-THE consequences of
this (allegeD secret wedding soon made con-
eealment impossible" or whether such a GER
hhcate of prior marriage was not obtained
from him without its having taken place. rs
long since alleged by the press in New York
Is entirely pertinent, We apprehend. to the
Jury's just conclusion whether Mr.. Kew was
the seduced, or seducer-a question which all
must comprehend to be important in deter
mining the justification for the killing
The same writer essayed to announce for the
friends OF MIR. Key, that they propose to admit
the truth OF their allegation that he had clan
destine intercourse of Mrs. SIckles, without
requiring due proof to be made Of the fact.
In this, as in nearly all else they publish on
the subject, their wish is evidently father to
the thought. We repeat our declaration of
some days ago, that the friends Of Mr.. Key
believe that there does not exist title of legal
evidence of the fact; and having no confidence
whatever in the various statements which are
runored TO have been obtained from Mrs.
Slckles, they will certainly, we apprehend,
require it to be duly proved according to law.
before permitting it to be used as testimony to
Justify the killing of Key.