The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-06-23
vA11AND1eHAM DEAD.
He Accidentally Shoots Himself
while Trying to Show How Meyers
Mipht Have Shot Himself-His
OnInion of the Political Sitution.


Opinion of the Political Sitution.
CINoINNAT1, June ia special to the Ga
zette saws Clement L. Vallandigham, one of
the counsel for the defense of Thomas Nc
Gehan, accidentally shot himself tonight at
nine o'clock, at the Lebanon House. He was
in room in company with Governor McBur-
nev, and while showing, with pistol, how
Meyers, the murdered man, might have shot
hinsef the pistol was discharged, the ball en-
tering the right side of the abdomen, below
the ribs. Which direction the ball took is not
known. Surgeons are now making an examl-
nation DR.. Reeves at Dayton has been dis
matched for The latest word is that the ball
did not penetrate the intestiues, and the wound
is not mortal. He has perfect possession Of
his faculties The pistol used was Smith and
Wesson's. No one knows how it came to be
discharged. The accident has produced ju
tense excitement at Lebanon.
CINCINNATI ] June -Midnight.-The Com
,nerciaI has special from Lebanon, dated at
eleven O'Clock, which says Mr.. Vallandigham
was vomiting, which was regarded as an un-
favorable sign, and one OF the physicians SAID
there were indications of internal heunorrhage.
Drs. Scovine and Drake ceased their fruitless
search for the ball about an hour after the ac-
cident. They then closed the wound, and
placed the patient on his right side, where he
Law as white as the sheet upon which he rested.
He was calm and collected. 1t appears that
no one was present with Vallandigham when
the accident occurred except ex-Lieutenant
Governor McBurney, who has been associated
with him in the defense Of Mcclellan. Nc
Burney had expressed some doubts as to the
theory that Meyers had shot himself, and Val
landigham picked up the pistol from the table,
saving he would show him in half a second.
Two pistols were on the table, one unloaded,
and he by mistake took up the loaded one.
He put it in his pocket and withdrew 1t, keep
ing the muzzle next his body. Just as it was
leaving his pocket it was discharged, the ball
entering,it is said, near the same place Meyers
was shot He at once calculated "Oh, muir
der" and said he had taken the wrong pistol.
While the examination was gong on he
watched the surgeons at work with eager eyes,
and even assisted them IN their search Tor the
ball. The locality of the ball is not known.
1t appears to have taken a downward course
in the direction of the bladder. DR.. Dawson
of this city was telegraphed for, but received
the dipatch too late for the train He has
taken a carriage and will arrive about four
o'clock tomorrow morning. The Lebanon
House is crowded with anxious inquirers, and
the excitement is great.
A later dispatch to the Gazette dated ll:47,
| says the symptoms are growing more untavor-
able, pulse above one hundred. The surgeons
do not appear hopeful, though they are reti-
cent.
A dispatch received at eleven o'clock says
he was suffering no pain.
Still later dispatches from Yallandigham
state that his hands and feet were growing
cold He vomits often, but throws up no blood.
DR.. Drake says he is sinking fast His pulse
| Is still rising.
CMo1NNGTI, June 1880 A. MA speci-
al to the Gazette, dated at two o'clock, says
DR. Reeve had arrived from Dayton, and pro-
nounees the wound most serious character.
Vallandigham's surgeons and a friend from
Loveland are alone with him. No others are
admitted. About midnight DIR. Scoyille asked
Vallandigham if he was aware of his condition.
He replied yes. He has thus far shown Il
alarm. There seems now no doubt of internal
hemorrhage. Vallandlgham's son Charles ar
rived with DIR. Reeve at a quarter past one.
/ The father had an interview with the son,
told him to be good boy, and gave directions
about dispatches to his mother.
| CINCINNATI, June l7-There has been much
sorrow manifested here to-day concerning the
tragic end of Mr. Vallandigham, and it has
been by no means confined to his political
friends. Persons who have differed with him
and animadverted severely upon his course
during the rebellion have expressed no less
regret at the terrible calamity which has be-
fallen him than have his political associates.
News concerning his last hours had been
/ deyoured with avidity. Newspaper reporters
who came from the scene this evening have
been diligently sought for mere details than
have thus far been published. 1t appears that
when the pistol was discharged, Mr.. Vallan-
| digham was hardly aware Of the severe nature
of the wound, as he walked around the room
a while before lying {, IN.
Gov. McBurney, ale med by the sudden ap-
pearance of a tragedy rushed to the adjoining
rooms and sun Z II I'd aid. As soon as persons
came into the room Mr.. Vallandigham said il
was foolish act, and later adverted to it as
| the most reckless act of his life. Though he
seemed to be conscious that he was badly hurt
he appeared decidedly hopeful during the ear
ly hours.
Rev. Mr. Haight called to see him, and Mr.
ValIandigham taking him by the hand said
substantially that he had too much faith in
calvinistic doctrine to believe that he would
not get safely through this misfortune. Once
he told the surgeons to take care of the pain
aud he would take care of the rest When
impressed with the approach of dissolution he
was calm, and met the news of his condition
bravely. After DR.. Reeve arrived from Day
ton he soon had the room cleared, and when
no one Wss p resent in mated to Mr.. Yallan-
digham the ve " serious nature of his wound.
| The patient sesking for something on which
i to build hopey reminded the doctor OF two bad
cases of I'M uries not fatal, known to both and
asked if this was worse than they, to which
the reluctant reply was "PossibIy not" The
doctor then told Mr.. Yallandigham that they
would have to administer medicines of soda
tive nature and suggested that if had anything
to say, he had better communicate it then.
! Mr.. Vallandigham then conYersed with the
doctor concerning private matters and gave
directions as to his business, after which the
medicine to relieve the pain was injected by
hypodermic process.
After this there was no time when he was
not under the influence of opiates that affected
somewhat his sensibilities. He nevertheless
appeared to keep possession of his faculties
At $3.50 o'clock he seemed to be dying, and
his friends were called to his bedside. From
that time he rapidly sank; the pdlsations at
the wrist seemed to have ceased, though he
was Eemsrkably calm, so much SO, that DR.,