Fire broke out in the basement of the Eagle and Enquirer newspaper on Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee. The flames spread to other newspaper offices gathered in this area and four more were destroyed, including the Presbyterian Sentinel and the Christian Advocate. Several other stores were also burned. In all, half a city block on the street was burned out with total damages estimated at $150,000. (By John Osborne)

Benjamin Disraeli introduced plans in the Commons for the moderate reform of the parliamentary franchise in Britain. The bill would have extended the franchise and redistributed seats in parliament, largely in favor of the Conservatives. The measure was doomed, though, since Conservatives themselves were divided on the measure and opposition Liberals and Radicals remained to strong for such a partisan bill to prevail. When it ultimately was voted down, the Conservative Government resigned. Significant reform of the franchise only came eight years later, in 1867. (By John Osborne)

After a seventy minute deliberation, the jury in Daniel Sickles' murder trial announced their verdict of "not guilty" to cheers in the courtroom. New York Congressman Daniel Sickles shot and killed U.S. District Attorney Philip Barton Key on a Sunday morning near Lafayette Park in Washington D.C. following his wife's confession the previous day of her protracted adultery with the victim. After a twenty-day trial, the popular Sickles was acquitted in what was seen as the first temporary insanity defense in U.S. legal history. (By John Osborne)

New York Congressman Daniel Sickles shot and killed U.S. District Attorney Philip Barton Key on a Sunday morning near Lafayette Park in Washington D.C. following his wife's confession the previous day of her protracted adultery with the victim. Sickles surrendered immediately and went on trial for premeditated murder in the Washington court of Judge T. H. Crawford. His defense team included James T. Brady of New York and the future secretary of war Edwin Stanton. After a twenty-day trial, Sickles was acquitted in what was seen as the first temporary insanity defense in U.S. legal history. (By John Osborne)

New York Congressman Daniel Sickles shot and killed U.S. District Attorney Philip Barton Key on a Sunday morning near Lafayette Park in Washington D.C. following his wife's confession the previous day of her protracted adultery with the victim. Sickles surrendered immediately and went on trial for premeditated murder in the Washington court of Judge T. H. Crawford. His defense team included James T. Brady of New York and the future secretary of war Edwin Stanton. After a twenty-day trial, Sickles was acquitted in what was seen as the first temporary insanity defense in U.S. legal history. (By John Osborne)

New York Congressman Daniel Sickles shot and killed U.S. District Attorney Philip Barton Key on a Sunday morning near Lafayette Park in Washington D.C. following his wife's confession the previous day of her protracted adultery with the victim. Sickles surrendered immediately and went on trial this day for premeditated murder in the Washington court of Judge T. H. Crawford. His defense team included James T. Brady of New York and the future secretary of war Edwin Stanton. After a twenty-day trial that was a national sensation tainted with media involvement and a sympathetic jury, Sickles was acquitted in what was seen as the first application of the idea of temporary insanity in U.S. legal history. (By John Osborne)

New York Congressman Daniel Sickles shot and killed U.S. District Attorney Philip Barton Key on a Sunday morning near Lafayette Park in Washington D.C. following his wife's confession the previous day of her protracted adultery with the victim. Sickles surrendered immediately and went on trial this day for premeditated murder in the Washington court of Judge T. H. Crawford. His defense team included James T. Brady of New York and the future secretary of war Edwin Stanton. After a twenty-day trial that was a national sensation tainted with media involvement and a sympathetic jury, Sickles was acquitted in what was seen as the first application of the idea of temporary insanity in U.S. legal history. (By John Osborne)