Evening star., 1909-03-07
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

Just half century ago Washington
was shocked by one of the most sensa-
sickles known in this citv Gen.
oedv Daniel E. Sickles. then a
member of Congress from
New York. shot and killed Philip Bar
ton Key. the United States district at
torney for this Jurisdiction, in the street
| near the formers residence on Lafayette
| Square. February u. 1859. The Star of
February % contained an account of
| the tragedy and the inquest covering
| more than two columns. an exceptional
amount of space to devote to a single
happening. The circumstances Of the
shooting were thus briefly summarized:
Perhaps for the last quarter of a
century no event has caused such q
thrill of horror In this community as the
terrible affair which transpired yester-
day afternoon, resulting in the death of
Philip Barton Key at the hands Of Dan
lei e. Sickles of New York city. The
encounter. which took place about
p. M, occurred at Madison place. and re-
suited in the death OF Mr.. Key, who re-
ceived three or more pistol shots. From
the prominence of the parties concerned
the greatest excitement was caused by
Of the clubhouse to which the body of
the deceased was taken, and of Mr..
Sickles' residence. on the opposite side
of Lafayette Square, was instantly filled
with throngs Of people,
The inquest was held Immediately in
the clubhouse and resulted in the arrest
of Gen. Sickles at Judge Blacks resi-
dence. On his way to Jail in a carriage
there were some ineffective demonstra-
tions of hostility. At the Jail Capt God
formally committed the prisoner for a
further hearing.
The newspaper presses in Washington
were taxed to supply the demand of the
public on the day follow
Star In ing the Sickes-Key trag-
namsrd edy. They were not built
upon the modern lines of
| rapid work. and the printing Of a thou
sand complete papers was a compare
lively difficult task. The Star of March
l. 1859, says:
"The rush upon The Star Office yes
terday afternoon was SO great as to
compel us to serve some hundreds of our
subscribers with but the inside form OF
the days paper. On discovering that the
paper would probably run short we COM
menced supplying the demand at the
counter with sheets worked only with
the inside form; but unfortunately we
full-worked paper sufficiently soon. The
rush upon US was SO great as thus to
defeat the realization of our calculations;
for, as usual. ere going to press with the
side form had commenced. Our sales Of
papers yesterday ran up to an aggregate
of full three thousand copies above The
Stars usual edition."
1t is to be borne in mind that this was
long before the day of the cast or stereo-
type plate and the cylindrical web press.
Fanny Kemble, the famous Shakes
pearean reader. was just at the height Of
her powers fifty years ago,
Fanny being then about fifty years
v.r,hl. of age. She was giving
readings in Washington
to delighted audiences. The Star of March
3, 1860, said:
''Mrs. Fanny Kemble gives her farewell
reading this evening at Philharmonic Hall
it being the play of Hamlet and her last
In Washington previous to her retirement
from professional life. On this ladys first
appearance in this city, during the men,
orable season Of 1928. she came to us
in the first dawn of Womanhood and the
first flush of genius. and was received by
one of the most brilliant audiences that
ever assembled in the metropolis. embrac-
ing the judges of the Supreme Court Mrs.
Madison, ex-President John Quincy Adams
and other celebrities. Since then the
bright and beautiful girl has ripened into
the mature woman. in the full develop
ment Of all her wondrous gifts of intel
lect and emotion. and she has had ex-
NnrfaS rf hryH .,l@f~
Of fortunes-sorrows. disappointments.
trials equal to If not exceeding those
Of the Prince of Denmark or Ophelia.
The pensive melancholy Of the principal
characters in the play Of Hamlet will
therefore not be uncongenial to the reader
or her auditors"
Congress adjourned at noon on the 4th
Of March. 1859, in unusual circumstances.
with some Of the most i'm
6uoget portant work Of the session
p.a+a, unfinished. The Star OF
that day thus refers to the
failure Of one Of the regular money bills:
Through the speech Of Mr.. Toombs.
evidently delivered to kill time and thus
prevent action Of the Senate on the re-
port Of the conference committee on the
post office appropriation bill until the ses-
sion closed, that measure has failed to
become a law. 1t embraced appropriations
to an aggregate OF $2O.OOo.OOO, three mil
lions to cover deficiencies, the balance
for the cost Of the service in the fiscal
year. The enactment Of the bill in some
shape was measure of as much vital
necessity to the government as that of
any other to be conceived Of Its failure
to become law may make an extra ses-
sion imperatively necessary. In under
taking thus to set his own judgment above
and beyond that Of a majority Of the
Senate, to the point Of preventing the ex-
ecutive branch of the government from
paying out a dollar on account Of postal
expenses and thus destroying its postal
services. MIR. Toombs has assumed a
responsibility which seems to us to en-
brace conclusive evidence that his i'm
practicability as a legislator has rendered
his official connection with public affairs
most disastrous to the public interest.
The bill referred to was the only regu-
lar appropriation bill that did not be-
come a law.
The INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
From the Boston Herald