Morris tribune., 1885-02-18
A FAMOUS INTRIGUE.
RaminIscence OF the Famous sickles-Kcy
Scandal.

i
Two houses below this is the old club
bonse. now. used for offices, in which
PAYNE tried to assassinate Seward, and
where Barton Key was taken after he
was shot by Gen. Sickles. IL Is big
donble brick house of three stories,
with two old-fashioned brick chimneys
rising like sentinels from its either end.
From the second-story windows Barton
Kew used to wave his handkerchief to
Mrs. Sickles, who lived in great pal
ace on the other side, OF the square.
She would reply with her handkerchief
when the coast was clear, and the
two thus carried on one of the most
famous intrigues in our history. Lafa-
yette square is now so full of luxuriant-
iy-leayed trees that such signals could
not be seen if they were made to-day.
But in 1851 the trees were small, and
in time this open signaling attracted at
tention. Gen. Sickles had married his
wife in New York. She was the daugh-
ter of an Italian music-master In that
CITY. and at the time of Sickles' mar
rage to her insidious remarks were
made about her in the papers: She was
very beautiful, and was. when she mar
ried Gen. Sickles, only is years old,
The advent of the couple to Washing
ton inaugurated a wild and fashionable
life for this Italian girl, and no money
was spared in her husbands entertain
ments. The house in which they lived
was elegantly furnished, and it is still
a fine mansion. At present the Span
ish embassy are using it, and its rent
must be, I should say, $1,000 year.
Barton Key, though he had lovely
wife at Baltimore, fell In love with Mrs.
Sickles, and the intrigue was carried on
for months before Gen. Sickles, sps'
pected ANYTHING was wrong.
At last he discovered the intrigue,
and found that Key and his wife were
| in the habit of frequenting a little
house on Fifteenth street in o negro
neighborhood, and that Key had rented
| the house for the purpose. On Friday
Feb. %, Mrs. Sickles and Barton Key,
by prearranged signals, went to this
| house and staid there two hours. That
night Sickles charged his wife with her
guilt, and she broke down and confessed
| the whole crime Sickles was terribly
broken, and he made her write out her
| confession and sign it in the presence
| of witnesses. These things transpired
between Saturday and Monday. On
Monday Barton Key, knowing nothing
of this expose, again signaled MIS-.
Sickles from this house. Gen. Sickles
saw the signal. As Key started to
come over to his house Gen. Sickles
went to meet him. They met on the
corner of the square just below this
house. Key put out his hand and said;
"How are you, Mr.. Sickles, when Inc
latter. refusing to take it, replied: " GU
have dishonored my home and family
and you must die"
He then drew q revolver,
Key threw up his arms, and begged
him not to shoot.
| Sickles shot, and the ball lodged In
Keys groin. 80,
| Key staggered to a tree, which has
been since cut down for relics, and fel
upon one knee. Sickles shot him agair
and again, and Key fell crying "Mur
| derr'
| Sickles then walked off, saying, il
was reported: II think the scoundrel il
| dead" He was arrested that nigh
and tried, some of the most notorious
lawyers in the country taking part il
the case. He was freed, and lived f
do brave service in the late war, and il
now practicing law in New York.
| Barton Key was carried bleeding ane
dying info the old Club house, ane
from thence his body was taken to Bal
timore for burial. He was a fns-laak
ing man, and his father was the autho
of 1.-THE Star Spangled Banner" HI
was nephew of Chief Justice fancy
who was on the bench at the time, an.
! he had brother who had been killet
| before this in duel over a woman.
4 1t was in this old club house tina
| WormIey,, the caterer, Wha died re
cooking. After Keys death in il tn
house fell into disfav9r, !aan and the clu
moved from 1t. 1t was then ssated t
William H. Seward, who lived here dun
ing the war as secretary of state. Be
fore it was used as club house Chic
Justice fancy lived in it while he wa
Jackson's secretary of the treasury
and it was built years before that b
| Commodore Rodgers, who was the
called the Nest6rsof the navy. 1t wa
3 heightened boarding house dnfini
Tyier's time. when John Spencer,
member of the cabinet, lived in it. Al
ter his attempted assassination, Gov
Seward was sick in this house for man
months before he recovered from tn
effects of the wounds inflicted by Payne
l After be left it Gen. Belknap occupie,
4 it as GRANTS Secretary Of wsr, when j
again saw continuous roind.of gayet.
until the great Belknap scandal %
CURED, and it agaia dagaperated into
clearinghouse. 1t is now occupied b
| government Offices Washington Cor
| Cleveland Leader.