The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-11-05
SOME FAMOUS TRAGEDIES.
Recalled by the Death OF Phillip
Barton Hey in North Carolina.
Baltimore sun.

h"''"h Ncy III Nortn larollna
Baltimore sun.
MIR. Phillip Barton Key. who died
September 2j:h at his home. States
vile. \. c.. at the age OF 81 wears, was
Il member OF the Mary land Key family
and a kinsman Of Francis Scott Key.
the author of The Star Spangled Ban
ner.H
He was born on the Key estate in St.
Mury's county. After the civil war in
which he took part on the Confederate
side, he settled in Louisiana, where he
married II Miss Thornton. Later he
removed to North Carolina, wherc nc
was engaged in the milling business.
Ills Baltimore relatives are a brother,
Mr.. Edward Key, and IL sister, Mrs.
George G. Jenkins.
The name Of Phillip Barton Key has
been borne by several earlier mcm5ers
of the Key family. 1t was the name
OF Francis Scott Keys second youngest
son, who was killed in Washington
February 9th, 1859, by Gen. Daniel T..
SicIllcs, then a Congressman from New
ork, on account Of Mr.. Keys atten-
tion to his young wife. Mr.. Key was
then the United States attorney for the
District OF Columbia. An ANONYMOUS
letter to General Sicklcs led to con-
fcsslon on the part Of his wife, and
shortly afterwards Mr.. Key was seen
on corner near the Sicklcs home
making signals with handkerchief.
General SicklcS took pistol. went out
into the street and killed Mr.. Key. He
was arrested, indicted for murder but
was acquitted after Il trial Of twenty
days.
Mrs Sicklcs was a strikingly beau
tlful woman. She had been married
30 General Sickles six years before the
tragedy, being AT the time Of her mar
riagc II years OF age. Her father was
Antonio Bagioli, Il famous teacher Of
music, who had come to this country
with the first Italian opera company
aud subsequently made his home in
and widowcr. His wife, who was
Miss Ellen Swami, OF Baltimore, had
died two years before he was killed.
Tho name OF Philip Key was first
borne by the founder OF the family in
Nlarylanh. lie came to this country
in tho first part OF the last century. ac-
companicd by a brother OF the poet
Dryden. Mr.. Key obtained large
grants OF lands in St. Mary's, Cecil and
Frederick counties from the lords pro
prictary OF the province, and also had
Philip Barton Key was tho name Of
Il grandson Of Philip Key, who repre-
scented Mary land in Congress from 1907
to 1913. He Aad bcon loyal to the
British cause in tho American ISevO.
mtiOu, and his right to Il seat in Con-
grcss was contested on the ground that
bic had lost citizenship in Maryland.
On this occasion he said in Il speech:
81 had returned to my country like tho
proQigal to his father, and felt as an
American should feel, was received
on ri fnr,riun, rrhc hnct ,,f
was my election" Ho died in George
town, ID. c., in 1915. aged IS years.
a third Philip Barton Key was the
son Of tho one just named. He studied
law with his cousin, Francis Scott Key,
bat aftcrwarI removed TO Louisiana,
where he was prominent in state pol
itics. He died in 1854.
Another Philip Key represented
Maryland in Congress from 1871 until
1893. He was also speaker OF the Cen
eral Assembly Of Maryland. He was q
1850 and died there in 1920.
Most Of the present members Of the
Key family are descendants of Francis
Scott Key, who was the father of clcvcp
children. His wife was ISIS Mary
Taylor Lloyd, daughter of Colonel Ed
ward Lloyd, Of Wye House, Talbot
county.
In addition to the one killed by Cen
cral Sicklcs, another son of Francis
Scott Key met with violent death.
This was Daniel Murray Key, mid
shipnan in the United States navy,
who challenged q fellow midshipman
to duel on the historic meeting
ground at Bladcnsburg. On the ground
his opponent, Midshipman Shelburne,
Of New Hampshire, said: ''Mr. Key, | |
have no desire to kill YOU"
"No natter" replied Key, 81 came
to kill you"
every wcll,' was the reply. "then |
shall kill YOU" and Key fell at the first
shot.
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