The Lambertville press., 1859-04-14
IamsertviIIe, n. j., April 4, 1859.
f4y Matters of local interest, which here
after will be full and correct, Will be found on tht
third page.
The Sickles Tragedy.
THE LATEST FROM WASHINGTON.

the court room was filled with throng pres
sing and crushing to obtain q view of the pris-
oner, who sits in the barbarous looking arrange
ment to which he is consigned by the usage o
this court
The Washington papers have published a
statement that Mrs Sickles is now in this city.
There is no truth whatever in the statement.
The District Attorney, Mr. Ould, opened
the ease for the prosecution by making an elo-
quent and effective statement ofthe circumstances
of the murder, amid the breathless attention OF
the Judge, jurors, and audience
Several witnesses were sworn and testified to
the killing of Key, nothing having been elected
more than is generally known.
WASHINGTON, April s.-The pressure for ad-
mittance into the Criminal Court is greater than
hitherto.
The first witness called was Eugene Pendleton
He did not answer.
Thomas Woodford, coroner, was next called
for, but not being in attendance, was sent for,
and came into court and was examined by the
District Attorney.
The witness stated that he is coroner of the
county, and held the inquest on the body of Mr.
Key; on that occasion pistol was delivered to
his keeping which he produced 1t is Der
ringer pistol, stocked to the muzzle, about seven
inches long, wide rife bore; ramrod absent ;
makers name, j. G. Syms, on the lock Mr..
Donner delivered it to him; it is in the same
condition as when delivered he examined the
body and clothes of Mr.. Key /; he has the clothes
with him, if the District Attorney wants to see
them he unties handkerchif and takes from
it two keys and the case of an opera glass he
cannot say whether the case was open or closed
The counsel for the defence examined the
keys. They are ordinary trap-door keys, about
three inches long
Witness. This handkerchief was also in the
pocket; he examined the body of the deceased /;
one ball had entered his side; another the thigh
near the great artery, and there was bruise on
the right side, and a slight wound on the hand.
WITNESS unfolds the bundle containing the
clothes of the deceased; produces white shirt
blood-stained, and gray striped pair of panta-
looms There is where the ball entered the
right thigh, pointing to the place stihened and
stained with blood. This exhibition produced
deep sensation in the court. The witness has
not the vest or coat, and he leaves the room to
get them, but comes back without, and states
that he cannot get them.
District Attorney. We cando without them.
Was there any evidence in the vest or coat of
the penetration Of
Mr.. Stanton We object.
After some time the clothes are produced. |
Cross-examined by Mr. Brady.-Found one
handkerchief in Mr.. Keys pocket thinks he
found the case of the opera-glass in the side
pocket Of. the coat
Several other witnesses were examined among
whom was D. Cooldridge, who testified that the
wound had been examined by him, that they
were inflicted by pistol ball and that they were
mortal.
WASHINGTON, April 9, 1S59-The case of
the defence opens this morning. It is expected
that Mr.. Graham will occupy the whole day in
the opening address. His associates would prefer
their plan of operations for the present, and to
say nothing Of Mr.. Key except what is immedi-
atey connected with the transaction, and to
withhold the comments on the transaction to
make the attempt to account for the disparity
between the size of the bullet extracted from
the body and the bore of the Derringer pisto
found IN the street. The defence deny that the
Derringer pistol belonged to Mr. Sickles
As there has been no attempt to trace it tc
him by the prosecution, the defence will make
the most of the circumstances, and claim that
it belonged to Mr. Key, and perhaps that the
first shot came from him. As to the KEYS found
in the pocket of the deceased, the idea is that
they were those of the house in Fifteenth street
and if so, that circumstance will be put in eyi.
dence
Two letters from Mr.. Key to Mr.. Sickles
one Indignantly denounced the insinuation made
with respect to the familiarity with Mrs Sickles
and the other accepting a subsequent invitation
to dinner, will be offered in evidence If no
admitted, the counsel will make use Of them ii
the arguments for the jury
WASHINGTON, April ll.-Such is the anxiety
manifested to be present at the trial to-day thai
before the doors were opened for the admission
of the audience the court room was crowded by
persons who had obtained ingress through the
,windpw
The points which Mr.. Graham presented fol