The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-04-14

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! Court is called upon to decide that question
| This is not evidence tending to show the fact n
INSANITY but is offered evidence to show suicen
cause to have produced insanity The cases referre
to- on the other side, in this Connection are not a
all parallel to the present. 1t is matter of medica
science to determine the nature of hereditary nsan
ity or the physical causes likely to produce insan
lty. Shakspeare had spoken of Hministerinp t.
a mlnd diseased" but how can we tel
what will produce that disease.
There are two classes ofmen, upon neither of whom
IL could be said that this effect could be produced
| one class was that body of lowly and humble me,
VINO meeklv followed their ascended Lord; o
! whom ii might be truly said s.blessnd ;s tbopo,
| whom the Lord chasteneth;" who could see an(
| 1eel IN all their Affections the hand of the
Heavenly Father; who could hear his voice savint
unto them; 'this is not your abiding places L vii
| call you where sorrows never enter and where al
| your tears shall be wiped awav:" in the nigh
watches he would hear that "still small voice,
whispering him to these Heavenly assurances -
| Upon this class atcLion could not bring insanity
but rather quicken and brighten their sipht TO be
| class. -H'' " "s 'h'
There was yet another class quite secure from
insanity from such blow. The confirmed aduIter
er; the shameless profgate; the man nnrtnrad !,
brothels and breathing the very air of sndnctin,
ana CRIME. He was safe from impurty because hi
plaything had turned false in his hands.
Now to offer the fact ofthe adultery of the prso
ners Wlle as proof of the prisoners insanity nigh
open the door to the investigation whether he wa
man capable OF being affected. If this paper i
admitted IN evidence it may bring up the RIGHT r.
go INTO other inquiries, which might turn this Court
INTO moral inquisiton. Ifit is allowed to be said
that adultery produced the condition of the nrso
ners mind, it will be legitimate to show that hi,
character was such that his mind was not likely
TO Ne Te so affected by such circumstance.
Court, but the latter objected to further discns
sion. ~ ~
The Court would not argue now what res ne sta
were, but the declarations of the wife in behalf OF
her husband were clearly inadmissibe. Mr. Sickles
could not be put on the stand, and therefore her
statement must be ruled out
Mr.. Brady excepted to the rulino
Mr.. Brady called
Miss y. NJ. Ridgley, sworn.-Resides in Wash
ington the corner of Fifteenth street and Naa
1orK avenue, with her mother, nearly six wears.
know Mr. and Mrs. Sickles since the 1st Of Jsnnary
last; visited Mrs S. very frequently every Tues
day and two three times week. was vary ;nt;
mate with Mrs. Sickles; was there The SATURDAY
before Keys death; Sickles came TO dinner that
day; eat nothing; sent for something afterwards.
came in about 513 P. NJ; noticed change in his
manner from Thursday; was at the hon at WiIlord;s
on Wednesday; Key and Mrs. Sicklez were to@etb-
er early In the evening; Mr.. S. came late: Kew was
not with her much; she was more with Mr.. Wikof:
n1tced change in the manner of Sickes after he
returned from the hop on Friday noticed a very
great ehange; he had wild, distracted look, par
tlcularly on Saturday. Pa
Here Miss r. commenced weeping, and glass
OF water was brought to her. 81
d W oh oaturaav, alter he came from the House of
representatives, noticed the change most; he eat
very little dinner; witness went to the Gbrarv
ana afterwards went to their room and Mrs :
was writing and Mr.. Sickles was walking nm and
down the room; after Mrs. S. was done writing
sue asked witness to sign paper, which witness
dd; Mrs >. passed the night in the room with
witness that night; she sat on the floor with bar
mead on chair: next morning witness wont
GOWN I STAIRS, and Mr. Sickles did not eat witness
Snh
could hear Mr. Sickles sob all over tba bonsa.
the sounds Mr.. Sickes gave expression to were
unearthly; they seemed to come from his very
leet; ; he continued so all day Sunday when
witness saw him; witness passed tbrouoh the
room where he was, and saw him on a bed, with
Mr. Butterworth by his side and he was oroan-
ing fearfully; this was the last witness saw of him
death. "''e' h'' hey
Cross-examined by Mr.. OuId.-Witness woSo
great deal at Sickcs house; sometimes STAYED there
over night; Thursday before Key's death went
there to dinner party; stayed there from Thurs
1ay before hey's death till the Tuesday following:
did not previously stay there as long at one time
as on this occasioni there was no one there after
the death OF MIR. Key but witness and the servants
was frequently there during the month of Janua-
~; MRS. slckles was always there; the longest
dates between witness visits in Jannarv w.s tnro
Or three days; thinks Mrs. Sickles was there dur-
ng all the month of January; saw her on an
average about four times week. did not see Mrs
;. every day during the month of January: some.
times two days would elapse when witness wonld
lot see her, but not often; ON the SUNDAY morninr
n question witness breakfasted alone with Mrs
,. llttie daughter; the sobbings alluded to were
requent, and continued a long time; he seemed
overwhelmed with grief " ''e"
Bridget Duffy recalled by defence
BY Mr.. Brady.-After signing the nanar nm Sot
irday thinks Slckles remained in his room
leard MIN sobbIng; on Sunday morning saw
LIN ,ln Tneil she TOOK Laura out of the to dress
lie bod. hog,
IN the stairs on Sunday she heard him CRYING in
he study, then sobbing and uttering EXPLANATIONS
N mead OF stairs; next time she saw him was 20
ihutss Lss 10 II; went to make up his bed, he had
handkerchief in his hand and was CRYING yerv
oudly; he acted as if he was tearing his hair
nd n called upon God to witness his trouble and
hrew himself ON the bed; witness then left tbe
"oin 20 anu IL was locked; the last witness saw of
lm sn6 saw MIN on the stairs wiping his hands,
new Mr. Key as far as seeing him IS concerned.
rst saw him come through the parks as If |
rom the clubhouse, on that Sunday between II |
I hu ~ CLOCK; he came to the corner through |
ne gate, and up Pennsylvania avenue towards |
georgetown; saw him returning back again throupb |
ne park towards the clubhouse: this was twenty |
r twenty-five minutes after witness first saw him.
lthess was IN the nursery when she first saw him |
hd at Tue next time she was in the kitchen: last |
me she saw him he was with a Iadv and reortIo
ian VINO seemed to be coming from church. This
'as about O'Clock; they came from tbe direction
Hlr. Corcoran s house towards Mr. Sickles' bouse
gain; when Key passed the house witness sow him
IKE handkerchief out Of his pocket and waive II
no or three times this was the last time witness
l" MIN; he was then opposite to Mr. Sicklns'
ouSe' outsiue the park railing; he next to Mr.,
lckles house on the outside There the witness
escrlb1ng the manner Of the handkerchief waving
eriormed singular eccentric movement with her
III mana, winch created a general laugh:l MIR.
icKies was In the house at the time and also Mrs
lckles, but witness does not know in what mart
it. ~ P"t'
BY Mr. Carlise.-Was in the kitchen in the low
part OF the house; front part; side towards Penn
'Nania ~ m avenue; was sitting at the window about
+. NJ; had been at the window about half an
'ur when he saw Key come by; saw Mrs. Sicklas
ice from the time she came home till Kew came
=; she was where she was the kight before; saw
'lhing near Mr.. hey at which to waive the hand
archief; Mr.. Sickles' dog came out of the nar 90
r; Key passed, and fawned on Mr. Kew: the doc
Id lett Mr. Keys side after fawning on him, and
r. Key waived his handkerchief during this timn
"a "a after the dog went away.
nr: N Carlisle" 4ou are certain of that, Brdget?"
brldget.-"l hope you don't think | lie."-
iaughter.7 "
Mr.. Brady-"IIe doesn't mean ANYTHING disre-
'ectfully, Bridget" [Renewed laughter Dur
Z the time the handkerchief was waived the dog
wned on Mr.. Key once or twice, and the doc
EN- left, and the last waving of the handkerchief
as when the dog got to the house; thinks Mr.. Kew
not turn to see how far the dog got from him. i
y u cont continued to waive the handkerchief; he was
E rotary motion with her left hand.
Mr.. Carlise.-"About as fast as YOU would turn :
e handle of coffee-mill?'
Brldget.-'l don't know; am not in the habit
turning cofee-mi.' [Laughterl
Can say whether the gentleman turned to look |
the dog, but thinks both the lady and gentleman
oked at him when he came out of the park: Mr..
~ might have turned and he mioht NOT have !
rhed, witness could not say for true the second |
ne witness saw Mr.. Key that day it was after she
me from church, and it was then after IL O'Clock: /
thess was In the nursery then; the nursery has c
o windows, one looking into the park and the | a
ner looking into the avenue; witness was at the | e
ndoW looking into the park; saw Kew Till he oot f
ross the street the same side as the bouse of a
:. olckles; 1t was twenty minutes afterwards when d
thess saw him in the park going through it, 2
osslng over towards the clubhouse: wit fl
S. was then in the kitchen; it was an v
ur afterwards when witness saw him again. t
liking with the lady and gentleman: he f
8 then in front of Mr.. Sickles' house and n
tness was in the kitchen sitting at the window. a
er they passed witness saw Mr.. Key, as if mart s.
from the lady and gentleman, go through the \
Tx; witness guesses she must have seen Kew +
IT times; after he had waived the handkerchief Il
parted from the lady and gentleman, and wit h
IS saw him walking towards the clubhouse. ST
1T know that Key parted from the ladv and @en
man, but supposes that he did: witness tt
nalned in the kitchen till she lost sight ofM Kev Il
then went up stairs to make up the bed and hi
t Mr. Sickles with a towel in his hands as if II
olng his hands; this near the bottom of the b.
lrs; witness saw nothing in his hand but tba
rel; don't remember how Mr.. Sickes was dressed ii
Woodbridge. was in the house and in ly
study; the study is nearest to the fir
nue. In r. the front part of the house; witness a