The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-04

and he was seated In the Thirty fifth
congress- 1t Warrington.
; 1t was At this time that an event &C.
CURED which became the sensation of
the day. Sickles had begun his sec
ond term as congressman in 1859
when the national capital was stirred
by the news that the young represen-
tative from New York had shot and
States district attorney for the District
of Columbia. Sickles declared that
Key had misled MIS- Sickles, who was
Therese Bagioli. daughter of an Ital-
ian music teacher. The trial lasted
90 days, ending in the acquittal OF
Sickles on the ground of 'unwritten
law" He then took his erring wife
back.
II am not aware of any statute or
code of morals" said Sickles to his
critics. which makes it infamous to
forgive a woman. I can now see in
with which she is followed to my
threshold. the misery and peril from
which have rescued the mother OF
my daughter. 1 shall strive to prove
to all that an erring wife and mother
may be forgiven and redeemed.
Died OF a Broken Heart.
Mrs. Sickles died of broken heart
a few years later.
At the outbreak of the Civil war. the
young fighting politician. then So
years old. went to Lincoln to offer his
services.
.You have been leader in New
York Democratic politics" said the
at that game surely you'll do to take
command of men in the field. Raise
your regiments and you shall be brig
adler general in command"
Sickles raised the famous Excelsior
Brigade in New York. taking command
oF Of ito q colonel lin
coin kept his word and in 1861 raised
him. to brigadier general. His fight
ing spirit early won him his spurs.
On the Peninsula and at Antietam he
distinguished himself as soldier and
leader At Chancellorsville he led q
division. At Gettysburg he led the
third corps, lost a leg. and became q
national hero. At 81 years Of age. he
had risen from a colonel to major
general Of volunteers
After the war his fighting spirit led
him into the regular army, and he be-
came first, brigadier and then major
general. He continued active service
until 1869, when he was appointed
minister to Spain by President Grant.
yankee King of SPAIN"
At the court Of Spain, Sickles's Wig
orous personality made him a domi-
mating figure. Four years of brilliant
diplomacy brought him the epithet of
the Yankee King of SPAIN" Here he
contracted his second marriage, with
the beautiful and distinguished Senior
tia Creagh. This romance was follow
ed by estrangement which was to last
more than a quarter century. In addi-
ton to this domestic trouble, came his
interference in the marriage plans OF
his daughter to a penniless Spanish
nobleman. Father and daughter
separated in bitterness, the latter to
return to the United States to die
without reconciliation.
Returning alone to New York, Cen
eral Sickles again entered politics. He
served as sheriff of New York and at
81 he was reelected to congress.
General Sickles's life drew to a
close with frequent romantic situa-
tons. He faced bankruptcy proceed
ings in his last years, though he had
early in life received a large share of
his fathers 100000 estate, but his
estranged wife and son came to his aid
on several occasions.
His last days were spent at % Fifth
avenue New York. surrounded by war
relics and attended by his faithful
n4KLO t. 4 - : : i as--