The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-06-10

Will hiiiP oAi w" Ivy, SoHelouioh VI
culture and address. who became a fire.
quent visitor to Sickles' house, and the
acquaintanceship with Mrs. Sckles even
/ tually ripened into criminality. 1t is said
that Sickles knew or suspected Of this in
timacy. AT any rate. it was the common
talk in the city long before he took meas
ures to avcnge his "dishonored bed" An
anonymous note addressed TO him, with
details of Mrs. Sickles' crime, reused him
to action. Itappears that eighteen hours
after the receipt of this note, and when,
as the prosecution afierward contended,
he had ample time TO cool off from the
first effects of the dreadful disclosure, he
sailed out with friend, and finding Key
at the corner of Lafayette place, near the
Club House, slaughtered him where he
stood. This was on Sabbath afternoon,
as Key was on his way home from church.
Sickles shot him with a revolver in the
groin. The wounded man took refuge
behind tree, crying out, "Dont shoot
me-" "Don't' murder me-" Sickles fol-
lowed him up, and shot him again. He
fell to the sidewalk, ard for moment
rested his head upen his arm.
Sickles then stood over him and shot
HIM in the breast. Just then Butter
worth came up, and touching Sicklcs on
the shoulder, advised him to desist
Sickles took his friends arm, and the
twain walked away. The murderer ex-
hibited the utmost GOODNESS during the
entire affair. Key never spoke after the
third shot. He was taken into the Club
nd foty
The murder took place February 2s,
1859, and the trial came off in the follow
ing April-just ten years ago. 1t lasted
from the 4th to tho 26th, and created
great excitement both in Washington and
throughout the country. A great array
of counsel appeared for the defendant.
Among them were Edwin NJ. Stanton,
James T. Brady, John Graham, Reverdy
Johnson, Thomas Francis Meagher, and
Colonel Phillips, of Alabama. The Hon.
Robert Ould, now of Richmond, Virginia,
conducted the prosecution, assisted by Mr..
Carlisle. Toward the close of the trial
Mr.. Ould endeavored to introduce testl-
mony as to Sickless previous bad charac-
ter, butit was over-ruled. The sympathy
of the jury was evidently with Sickles
from the outset. The courtroom was
crowded with his New York friends, who
made boisterous demonstrations in his fa.
vor, and the rulings of the judge were
nearly always in his favor. Brady and
Stanton made elaborate arguments for the
defence, and when the jury rendered an
acquittal "a scene followed rarely witness
ed in a court house. The people went
wild with cheers, one of the counsel kissed
the liberated man, another sat down and
wept. Sickles was carried in triumph to
his home, and band of music in the eve
ming serenaded his counsel, and would
have serenaded him but for the good sense
of Mr.. Brady, who made them o speech,
begged them to 60 home.
Letters of congratuation poured in up
on Sckles from all parts of the country.
He Informed his friends that he would
Immediately procure divorce from his
wife and after providing for her decenty
cast her from mind forever. But not so
long after, when he returned to New York,
to the astonishmeht of the world he took
his wife back TO live with him. This ex-
Itraerdmary conduct swept nearly every
;old friend from his side. Men who had
stood by him through the trial like broth
ers, turned' away from him forever in the
intensity Of their disgust His political
enemies visited him with their most with
ering sarcasm, and the Tribune published
an article upon. him almost unequalled in
its brutality. Sickles, in reply to these
structures OF friend and foe, came out in
letter defending his conduct, but ii won
back none of the former
The cause OF this strange course was new
er publicly known, but the story current
in private circles was that certain pro.
missory notes had been discounted at the
Shoe and Leather Bank in favorof Sickles,
bearing the endorsement of Bagioli, his
father-in-law. This endorsement Bagioli
failed to recognize rs his, and to save
himself from the accusation of writing
what he should not write, Sickles submit
ted to terms-he went back to his wife.
The notes were settled several years after
ward.
The year following the murder, the Sc.
cession troubles commenced, and Sickles,
true to his Congressional record, was clo-
quent in defence Of the course of the
South. 1t was stated at the time, that
some weeks after the firing upon Sumter,
when the whole North was aroused to
frenzy of warlike excitement, Sickcs met
band of Southern sympathizers at the
New York Hotel, and harangued them
upon the folly and wickedness Of coercion.
Suddenly, he gave way to the current,
and blossomed into an ardent patriot.
He raised brigade for service in the field
He was in hot water from the beginning.
His first trouble was with the defence
Committee because they would not accept
his vouchers and pay money on them
when they were written with a lead pen
Gil At last he received SIl 900 from the