Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-03-04
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE TRAGEDY IN WASHINGTON CITY.
Correspondence of the New York Timcs.l
NV,su,ScroS Sunday Feb. 81 p NJ

The vulgar monotony OF partsah P'SS'oii'
and political squabbles has been terribly bro,
ken in upon TODAY by an outburSt OF personal
revenge, which has filled the city with horror
and constcrnation-l cannot, unfortunately,
add, with absolute surprise.
Ate o'clock to-day, Mr. Philip Barton Key.
the United States Attorney for the District OF
Columbia, was talking with Mr.. Butterworth'
of New York, at the corner of Pennsylvania
Avenue and Sixteenth street, near the south
entrance to the Executive Mansion, and some
twenty wards from the Clubhouse on PreSl-
dents square, when he was accosted by the
Hon. d. E. Sckles. Of New York. Mr.. Sickles
charged Mr.. Key with destroying the honor OF
his wife and his own happiness, and, drawing
revolver, instantly shot him down. One ball,
entering in at the left side, passed completely
through the body Of Mr.. Key; second was
lodged in his thigh, and third, glancing ntiict-
cd a slight bruisc. Mr.. Key fell. lmp!orlng
Mr. Sickles not to kill him. and died in very
few minutes.
For months past the social world of Wash.
ington, always as quick to relish the details OF
private scandal as it is lax in It's Judgments OF
those by whom such scandal may be caused,
has been busy with the names OF Mrs. Sickles
and of Mr.. Kew. Their intimacy was ofthat mark
consist in the innocence OF any absolute guilt
since while it was open to public observation,
it was hardly concealed from Mr.. Sicklcs him.
SELF who having married his wife, Miss Bagioli
of New York, in her early youth, had always
treated her with extreme kindness and tender
ness, and doubtless looked upon her relations
with Mr.. Kew as the mere expression of a girliSh
love Of admiration. and Of 4 vanity dclighting
;,>x ha Of a
sence, graceful address, and ccytain local re-
nown in the District for high spirit, resolution
and gallantry
During the whole Of the last session of Con-
grcss the tall figure of Mr.. Key was constantly
to be seen in Presidents square, opposite Mr.
Sickles' Washington residence; and Mrs.
Sickles was as constantly in his company at all
places Of public entertainment. In the inter
val of the Congressional recess, Mr.. hey made
short visit to New York. still without exciting
any absolute suspicion Of positive impropriety
in the mind of Mr.. Sicklcs; although other
friends of the unhappy lady, and among them
her mother repeatedly warned her OF the fatal
precipce on the brink of which she was per-
uniting herself to trihe. 1t was hoped that the
affair would come to an end of itself, and that
one or both Of the parties most nearly lmPli-
Gated would perceive the real drift OF their con-
duct in time to avoid its almost inevitable con-
sequences.
But on the re.assembling Of Congress, and
the return Of Mrs. Sickles to Washington, Mr.
KEYS attentions, and the scandal consequent
upon them, were revived with greater ardor
than before. Mr. Key was a particularly no.
ticcable man in point Of personal appearance;
tall, well-formed, . much more athletic man
than Mr.. Sickles, and especially fond of exer-
else on horseback He rode an ron-Srcy
horse and scarcely day has passed since the
return Of Mrs Scklcs to the capital, on which
his tall figure, his white rding-cap. well trim
med moustache and iron-grey horse might not
have been seen two or three times in the course
of the morning OH the circuit of President s
square, or at the door OF Mr. Sickles' house,
which stands quite alone on the north side OF
the square, and is very conspicuous building
of white stucco. 1t was but on Tuesday last,
$50 swift and fearful dream does the whole
story seem), that on visiting Mrs. Sick!cS,
Tuesday being her DAY Of reception, ! found
Mr.. Kew 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 oil her almost girlsh beauty, wearing bou-
uuet of crocuSes, the firstlings Of the year,
seemed the very incarnation of Spring and
youth, and the beautiful promise Of life. What
is the twilght-what the house that then was
the synonym of hospitality, the most frank,
and generous and easy!
In the early part Of the week before last MIR.
Sickles went on to New York During hs a6'
sencc the busy spies of society observed that
the attendance Of Mr. Key at his house was
even more unremitting than usual. Mr.. Sickles
returned to Washington 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 wife's relations with Mr.. key
more than ordinarily prominent in his mind
So far was he from manifesting anything like
inordnate or tyrannical suspicion, that he allow
ed Mr. Kew to escort Mrs. Sckles as usual on
PENNSYLVANIA Avenue, and saw them, in COM
pany with Mr.. Henry Wikof, at the theatre,
on Wednesday night On Thursday Mr.. and
Mrs. Sickles entertained large party at din
ner. Over that gay and brilliant company how
near and fearful doom impended?
On the next day (the day before yesterday
Mr.. Sickles received from some enemy OF man.
kind an anonymous letter, stating with preci'
sion so minute as to make suspicion imperative,
that Mr.. Key had rented house on Fifteenth
street, above X street, from negro woman
and that he was in the habit Of meeting Mrs.
Sicklcs there two or three times week, or
oftener. The person and dress OF Mrs SlckleS
were accurately described, and the usual time
of the interview specified. Accompanied by
friend, Mr.. Sicklcs went to the house deSiSna'
ted and found every statement of the anony'
nous writer corroborated Mr.. Key had taken
tho house, and he had constantly met there a
lady answering very closely in description to
Mrs. Sickles
Mr.. Sickles still chung to the hope that the
person who had stopped to the basencsS of
making such charges under the vellof sccresy,
might have thoroughly deceived him, and that
Mrs Sicklcs was not the lady in question. he
accordingly requested his friend Mr., George
Woodbridge of New York, to watch the place
from the window Of a house just opposite,
On Saturday, no meeting took place, and the
woman in charge seems to have stated that
none had occurred since "Wednesday.
On Saturday evening, Mr. SickleS, resolved
no longer to play the spy upon ms honor' ae
termined to confront his wife directly Win ms
terrible suspicious. At first Mrs, ocklS'
strongly denied her guilt; but on her HUSBAND
asking her whether, on the Wednesday pre-
yious, she had not entered the house on rii
teenth-street in certain particular dress ano
concealed by hood, she cried out, VI am oe-
trayed and lostn' and swooned away. On
recovering her senses, she admitted her guilt,
and besonght mercy and pardon. Mr.. Sickles
calmly said he would not injure her, since nc
believed her the victim Of scoundrel, but that
he had right to full confession. Two ladies
in the house were sent for Us witnesses, and IN
their presence, Mrs. Sickles made afuH con-
Esion il. writing. stating that her connection
with Mr.. Key had commenced in April last,
,ndor NJ S;ctles, roof but that Mr. Kew had