Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1884-11-12
A FamOus Intrigue.

Two houses DcIoW tuis ID the Olu
clubhouse, now used for offices, in
which Payne tried to assasslnate Sew
ard, and where Barton Key was taken
after he was shot by General Sickles.
1t Is big double brick house of three
stories, with two old.fashioned brick
chimneys rising like sentinels from its
either end. From its second story
windows Barton Key used to wave his
handkerchief to Mrs. Sickles, who
lived in a great palace on The other
side of the square. She would reply
with her handkerchief whether the
coast was clear. and the two thus car
ried on one of The most famous iD-
trigues in our history. Lafayette
Square is now 81 full of luxuriantly.
leaved trees that such signals could
not be seen If they were made today.
But IN 1851 the trees were small, and
in time this open signaling attracted
attention. General Sickles had mar
ried his wife in New York. She was
the daughter Of an Italian music
master in that city, and at the time of
Sickles' marriage to her insidious re-
marks were made about her in the
papers. She was very beautiful, and
was, when she married General Slckles,
only sixteen years old The advent of
the couple 10 Washington inaugurated
IA wild and fashionable life for This
Italian girl, and no money was spare
in her husbands entertainments. The
house in which they lived was ele-
gantly furnished, and is still fine
mansion. At present the Spanish
Embassy arc using it, and lis rent
must be, should say, $4,000 year.
Barton Key, though he had II lovely
wife nj Baltimore. fell in love with
Mrs. Sickles, and the Intrigue was
carried on for months before General
Sickles suspected anything was wrong.
Al last he discovered the intrigue, and
found that Key and his wife were in
the habit of frequeniing little house
on Fifteenth street, in negro neigh
borhood, aud that Key had rented the
house for The purpose. On Friday,
February 22d. Mrs.. Sickle> and Barton
Key, by prearranged signals, went To
That night Slckles charged his wife
with her guilt, and she broke down
and confessed the whole crime.
Sickles was terribly broken, but he
made her write out her confession and
sign it in the presence of witnesses.
These things iranspi,ed between Sat
urday aud Monday. On Monday Bar.
ton Key, knowing nothing of this
expose, again signaled Mrs. Sickles
from This house. General Sickles saw
the signal. A. Key started to come
over to his house General Sickles
went to meet him They met on the
corner of this square, JUS below this
house. Key put out his hand and said:
How are you, Mr.. Sicklee :"
The latter, refusing 10 take it.,
replied:
"You have dishonored my nome and
family, and you must die"
He then drew revolver Key threw
up his arms, and begged him not to
shoot Sickles shot, and the ball
lodged in Keys groin. Key staggered
to tree, which has since been cut
down for relics, aud fell upon one
knee Sickles shot him again and
again. and Key fell, crying,
Murder -"
Sickles then walked off, saying, it
was reported,
II think the scOundrel is dead"
He was arrested that night and
tried, some of the most notorious law
yers IN The country taking part in the
case. He was freed. and lived to do
brave service in the late war, and is
now practicing law in New York.
Barton Key was carried bleeding and
dying into the old clubhouse, and
from thence his body was taken to
Baltimore foI burial. He was fine
looking man, and his father was the
author of 1.-THE Star Spangled Banner"
He was nephew of Chief Justice
| Taney, who was on the bench al the
time, and he had a brother who had
been killed before this in duel over
n woman.
1t WAS in this old ciuu.houec that
| Wormley, the caterer, who died last
week, did some of bis first epicurean
cooking. After Keys death in it the
house fell into disfavor. and the club
moved from it. 1t was then rented to
William Fl. Seward, who lived here
during the war as Secretary of State.
Before II was used as clubhouse
Chief Justice Tanev lived in it while
he was Jackson's Secretary of the
Treasury, and il was built years before
that by Commodore Rogers, who was
then called the Nesror of the navy. 1t
was heightened boarding house dur.
ing Tyler's time, when John Spencer,
a member OF the Cabinet. lived in It,
After bis attempted assassination. Gov.
ernor Seward WAS sick in this house
for many months before he recovered
from TIE effects of the wounds inflicted
by Payne. After he ltfl General Bel.
KNAPP occupied itas Grant, Secretary Of
War, when it again saw continuous
round of gayety until the Great Bel.
KNAPP scandal occurred. and it again