Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1859-03-03
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY AT WASHINGTON
PHILIP BARTON KEY SHOT DEAD BY
HON. DANIEL E. SICKLES.

PHILIP BARTON KEY SHOT DEAD BY
HON. DANIEL E. SICKLES.
In relation to this horrible tragedy, the Ma
tional hatelhgcncer, of Monday morning, says:
Our community was yesterday Sunday af-
ternoon, thrown into state of painful excite
ment and regret by the reports of an encounter
and resulting homicide, which took place about
two o'clock in the First Ward at the corner of
Pennsylvania avenue and the east side of La
fayette Square. The parties were Philip Bar
ton Key, Esq, United States District Attorney
for the District of Columbia, and the Hon. Dan
iel E. Sickles, Representative in Congress from
the city of New York The meeting ended in
the killing of Mr.. Key by Mr.. Sickles. the form
er having lived but very short time after re-
ceiving three shots from a revolver.
The provocative to this dreadful affair is dis
closed in the testimony Of Mr.. Butterworth. of
New York, before Justice Goddard, the Chief of
Police. He states that about the time above
mentioned he met Mr.. Sickles on Pennsylvania
avenue, little eastward of the corner of Lafay
cite Square, and nearly opposite the State De-
partment He had few words of conversation
with Mr.. Sckles, who left him as Mr.. Key APP
preached, the latter coming down the avenue
towards the State Department. They met at
the corner of Lafayette Square, when Mr.. Key
extended his hand towards Mr.. Sickles, saying
allow are you?" Mr.. Sckles refused to take
the proffered hand, saying, 'tYou have dishonor
ed my home and my family and applying to
him some epithet Mr. Key Immediately put
his hand in his side pocket, for the purpose, as
the witness supposed, of drawing weapon, and
Mr. Sickles at the same time put his hand into
his skirt pocket, from which he drew pistol. AS
Mr.. Key raised his hand to throw at Mr.. Sickles
the article he took out of his pocket (which prov
ed to be an opera glass; Mr.. Sickles fred his pis-
tol and shot Mr.. Key. The latter staggered lit
tie back, but rallied and made at Mr.. Sickles who,
stepping few feet backward, fired second
shot into the body of Mr.. Key who then reeed
back towards Mr.. Maynard's house, with one
hand on the railing and one knee on the pave
ment; exclaiming "you have shot me-, and then
crying murder" Mr. Sickles then fired third
shot into the body of Mr.. Key, and left him,
after which Mr.. Key was conveyed to the
"Cub-House," close at hand, where he expired
in few minutes
The Washington Star of Monday afternoon
says Mrs. Sickles is the daughter Of an Italian
music master in New York city, named Badjaoli.
She was married when not more than sixteen,
under circumstances which were subsequently
upon invidiousy by the press. In
this city her career was that of an intensely
sojourner. Mrs. Sickles, in appear
ance resembles Picolomini so closely as that one
might easily mistake them for each other.
According to accounts emanating from the
friends of Mr.. Sickles, through the exertion of
a party on whom he devolved the duty of
he learned that Mrs. Sickles was in
the habit of meeting the deceased at a small two
story frame house on Fifteen-and-a-half street,
between K and L, the property Of negro man
~, 81, +lo ic al
legged to have rented it; and where he kept
servant woman to attend to it. that on Thurs
day evening last a woman dressed like Mrs.
Sickles was seen by the watcher to 60 and re-
main in the house for one or two hours, and on
leaving it to 60 to the residence of Mr.. Sickles
and that on Saturday morning parties acting for
M. G:.ll---..-1-&E-,r-fssc -crUrnrHg
where the articles were identified
by females living near, as having been worn by
the woman who was in the habit of visiting that
house.
According to the most reliable accounts we
can obtain, third party and friend was consul
ted by Mr.. Sickes some days ago as to the
course he had best pursue: who advised him to
do nothing until obtaining positive proof Of the
criminal connection of Mrs. Sickles and the de-
ceased, that on the night before last Mr.. Sickles
charged the woman with the criminality, with
such specifications as caused her to faint. Yes
terday, she was induced to sign or write paper
purporting to be full acknowledgment Of her
infdelity with the deceased. That in it she ad-
mitted that the deceased and herself had signals
by which she could let him know whether she
could meet him and explained those Signals
That shortly after she explained the signals, the
deceased came over from about the clubhouse
where he had been using a lorgnette to see
whether signal was out, into Lafayette square,
and in sight of those in the house; that Mr.
Butterworth left the house two or three minutes
before Sickles, and went over to where, accord
ing to his testimony, he (B) was engaged in
conversation with the deceased, when Mr. Sickles
came up from another direction and commenced
firing at him-Butterworth, according to the
testimony of one of the witnesses, standing lean
ing his arm against the fence of Mr.. Maynard's
yard, and not interfering to prevent the homi-
eide.
1t is certain that so public were the commu-
nications between the deceased standing or sit
ting in Lafayette square when the signal was
ouH and the woman from a window or the
porch of her house, as that many persons much
about and around the square had observed them
for weeks if not for months.
Mrs. Sickles still remains at her house at the
west end of Lafayette square, and it is under
stood that her husband has telegraphed to New
York city for her mother to come and take her
home.
Should no habeas corpus, for another hearing,
with view to obtaining bail for Mr.. Sickles, be
asked for to-day, Capt. Goddard will commit
him fully without further hearing.
1t is understood that Sickles has engaged as
counsel, David Paul Brown, of Philadelphia, E.
M. Stanton, of Pittsburg, Samuel Chiffon and
Daniel Radcliffe, of this city.
BY TELEGRAPH
Washington, March 1.-The following was
to-day agreed upon by Mr.. Sckles' counsel -
Mr.. Sickles having been committed on Sunday,
further examination before the magistrate will
be waived, for the reason that the Criminal
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