Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-06-30
An Amusing and Yet n Melancholy
Event.

According to the illustrated brochure
narfatlDg the famous ride Of JOHN GnPEN,'
that ride must have caused great merriment
to those whose privilege it was to behold 1t
although to JOHN It was no laughing mat
ter. tits, however, questionable whether
that scene was as ludicrous as the one pre-
sented by General Comfy, editor of the Co.
Iumbus Morning Journal, while laboring un-
der the apprehension that VALLANDIGHAM
was afterhim. On Tuesday, when Mr.. VAL
LGEDIGHAM arrived in this city, Gen. COM
LY's peace of mind became disturbed (ifhe
has sufficient quantity to be disturbed), as
we gatherffom persons who are supposed
TO know. When told that Mr.. VAL
LANDIGHAM had arrived, he exclaimed
" Heavens, can it be possible9 What's
to be done?r After reading few minutes,
he would lay down the paper, look alb
stractedly, andeXclaim ;" He's here. Dread
full !? While writing, he'd pause In the midst
of paragraph or sentence, and give utter
ance to similar Calculations. AS he walked
the streets, he stared wildly and would sud-
denly start as though somebody were in
pursuit of him. His family and friends
were assiduous in their kind attentions to
him, hoping thereby to drive from his mind
that which appeared to prey upon it so
feartully.I II did not have the desired effect.
Moodiness, stupor and dread apprehension
fastened their clutches upon him in a way
that he could not shake off. So, yesterday
(Friday) morning, after he had entered
bis editorial room and looked over few
exchanges, he started up suddenly, bolted
out of the door hatless and in couple
bounds found himself on the pavement.
Out East State street he furiously ran, yell
ing: ~ ID 0, ahr.i aiFf.o.
"He's after me-for heavens sake, catch
and hold him, or he'll be the death of me-"
Boys shouted and hurrahed, and men
laughed, while windows were preciptately
thrown up. Persons who did not hear what
the General yelled, thought he was some
man running a foot race against time. 1t
was mirth-lnspiring scene. Tobe sure. it
was not proper to laugh, perhaps; but how
were the beholders to know the affiiction
under which the General was laboringP
Finally, he stopped out of sheer exhaustion;'
but he glared wildly and the perspiration'
stood upon his brow and temples. A great
fear was yet upon him-upon this General
who had seen service in the field, and who
but recently had stood up before and sang
to large audience in the Opera House
this man whose nerves were thought to be
equal to any emergency. When friends
came up to him, and anxiously inquired
what prompted this great strangeness in
him, he replied: q.
"He's after me-he1l be the death of me;
oh q! take him away and save me-" ..r
whats after you?" they asked.
"Why, there, don't you see him-VAL-
LANpIGHAM? He's been after me now for
three days. There he comes now, and if
you don't catch and hold him, can't sur
vive."
1t required some time to tone down his
nerves and partially convince him that
MT. ALLANDlGhAM uuu iOAI IuO SiOJ Ou
Wednesday, and therefore was not then in
the city. One physician suggested that it
was necessary that his head should be
shaved and mustard applied to his feet;
another thought he had better be put into
a straight jacket aud confined. Whether
he has been subjected to either of these
treatments we do not know.
Welearn that the special of the Cincinnati
Commercial came very near having simi-
lar fit. rr 3-. g .I|
The friends of these gentlemen, hereaf-
ter, when they learn that Mr.. VALLANDIG-
HAM will visit our city on specified day,
should see that they are quietly taken out
of the city and their minds SO engaged
that they will not think of Mr.. VALLAN-
DIGHAM, if they would not have them be-
Come permanently demented.