Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-03-10

recent tragedy have been made by Mr..
Butterworth and Hon. Robert j.. Walker.
They furnish full and reliable history of
all the circumstances attending the unhap-
py occurrence:
MR.. BUrTERwoRTH's STATEMENT.
In consequence of erroneous and false
statements which have appeared in the pub
lie press in relation to the death of Mr.. P.
Barton Key, 1 feel it is necessary that
should state the facts, SO far as l am con-
nected with the occurrence.
On Sunday morning about II o'clock
NJ, received, at the house of friend
with whom l was staying, note from the
Hon. Mr.. Sickles, saying: "Dear B: Come
to me right array" which l showed to the
Hon. Robert J. Walker and Senator Gwin,
with whom I was then conversing. l
asked the bearer of the note who was there,
and said to my friend, "What can Mr.. Sic
kles desire?"
Immediately went to the house of Mr..
Sickles.
On my arrival l found Mr.. Sickles in his
bedroom, lying on his face on his pillow,
overwhelmed with grief. Some time
elapsed before l could obtain from him an
account of the cause of his affliction. He
kept exclaiming II am dishonored and
ruined man, and cannot look you in the
face!'' Finally he disclosed to me the fol-
lowing circumstances
On Friday Mr. Sickles received an anony-
nous letter, stating that his wife was in
the habit of meeting Mr.. P. Barton Key
at house on Fifteenth street, in the negro
neighborhood. Through an agent, Mr..
Sickles had ascsrtained that Mr.. Key had
rented house in taht neighborhood, and
was in the habit of meeting lady there
corresponding in dress and appearance to
the wife of Mr.. S.
Being possessed of these facts, he stated
them to his wife on Saturday night. She
said at once taht "she preceived she was
discovered" and thereupon made full con-
fession of her guilt in writing.
By this confession it appeared that this
criminal intercourse had been going on since
April, 1s59-sometimes in the absence of
Mr.. S., at the house of her husband-and
that at the commencement of the present
session of Congress, Mr.. Key had hired an
untenanted house on Fifteenth street, where
they were in the habit of meeting frequent
ly.
After he had apprised me of the forego-
ing facts, he consulted me as to the course
he should pursue. l advised him to send
his wife to her mother at New York-that,
as it was now near the close of the session,
it would excite no remark; that during the
time intervening between the close of the
session and the commencement of the next
be could 60 to Europe for few months,
and in the meantime separation could be
arranged between himself and his wife;
that presumed the affair was known only
to one or two persons beyond mere sur
mise, and that for the honor of his little
daughter, and his wife's friends, this course
should be pursued.
To this Mr.. Sickles replied, "My friend,
I would gladly pursue this course, but SO
abandoned, so reckless, have Key and my
wife been, that all the negroes in that
neighborhood, and dare not say how ma
ny other persons, know all about the cir
cumstanees."
l then left Mr.. S. in his bed room and
on going down stairs l met in the library
Mr.. Geo. B. Woodbridge, Clerk of the
House of Representatives. l said to him,
s'This is terrible affair."" He then ham
ded me the written statement made by
Mrs. S., of her guilt, which was written
and signed, as was then informed, by
Mrs. S. in the presence of two females and
witnessed by them. l read the statement
laid it down on the table and said, will
90 down for while and return here again.
l Immediately left the house, and walk
ed to the Club on 10th street, drank a
glass of ale with friend, and slowly retur-
ned to the house of Mr.. Sickels.
On entering the library again. Mr.. Wool
dridge informed me that Key had twice pas
sed the house during the morning, and had
short time since waved his handkerchief
three times as signal.
While in conversation with Mr.. Wool
bridge, Sickels came into the library aud
said that he had "seen the scoundrel ma
king signals" and be added, ''my God this
is horribleF'
I said, "Mr. Sickels you must be calm,
and look this matter square in the face
If there be possibility of keeping the
certain knowledge Of this crime from the
public, you must do nothing to destroy
that possibility. You may be mistaken in
your belief that it is known to the whole
city.
He instantly replied, "No, no, my friend
i am not, it is already the town talk.
l then said, "If that be so, there is but
one course left for you as man of honor.
You need no advice"
After few moments silence, Mr.. S.
said that lie twas satisfied that Key had
been in the club house opposite" and what
surprised him very much was that his wife
strenuously denied this, though freely con-
Tossing her guilt. He then walked into
the hall, and said to me, "Come, go over
with me to Stuart's room, in the club house,
and he may be able to inform me whether
Key has a room there, and for what pur-
pose he uses it." | assented, and walked
out into the street, supposing that Mr.. Sick
les was following me. l left the house for
this sole purpose.
When l left Mr.. S. in the hall am sat-
isfed that he had no weapons on his per-
son. He was without his overcoat. He
said nothing to me about weapons, or the
probability of encountering Key.
l walked slowly down the avenue on the
south side to the corner, and as 1 was