Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-06-30
The Accident to Mr.. ValIandigham.

The Accident to Mr.. ValIandigham.
THE Lebanon correspondent Of the Gin
cinnati Enquirer gives the following par
ticulars of the wounding and death of the
Hon. 9. i. Vallandigham:
After taking supper, he procured from
the landlord of the hotel bit of white
muslin cloth, perhaps a foot square, for the
purpose of testing To his own satisfaction
the question as to whether a shot fired
from pistol in close proximity to it would
or would not leave mark ofpowder upon it.
Having provided himself with this, and
put his pistol in his pocket, he and Mr..
Milliken and Mr.. Hume went out to the
south edge of town, beyond the residence
of Gov. McBurney. Arriving there they
were joined by Mr.. McBurney. The pis-
tol which he took with him for the pur-
pose is new revolver which he had pur-
chased only few days before coming to
Lebanon. 1t is one of Smith & WessOn's
manufacture, with a four-inch barrel, and
five chambers, and carries ball of 2-l00
of an inch callibre. 1t is beautiful
weapon, handsomely, though not elabOr-
ately, ornamented, and its owner little
thought, when so recently purchasing it,
that it would soon be the instrument of
his untimely death.
Two shots were fired into the cloth, and
all were satisfied with the result of the ex-
pertinent, and started back to the hotel.
Mr.. Milliken, ever cautious and thought
full, said:
"Val, there are three shots in your pis-
tol yet. You had better discharge them"
What for?" responded Mr.. Vallandig-
ham.
"To prevent any accident" replied the
cautious attorney. "You. might shoot
yourself"
mo danger of that" replied Mr.. Val.
landigham. have carried and practiced
with pistols too long to be afraid to have
a loaded one in my pocket"
"You had better be careful, though"
said Mr.. Milliken.
"Never fear for me-" was the reply.
They then slowly walked back toward
the town, and, before they had reached the
hotel, separated.
Arriving at the Lebanon House alone,
Mr.. Vallandigham was stopped on his way
up stairs by the landlord, and package
that had been left for him in his absence
placed in his hands. That parcel contain
ed another revolver-a weapon that had
been exhibited at the trial in court, and
was not only unlOaded, but had had the
chambers removed. Proceeding to his
room, he unwrapped the parcel, and at the
same time taking his own weapon from
his pocket laid the two murderous instru-
ments on the table side by side.
moment later, Mr.. Scott Symmes, a
young lawyer who has been connected
with the prosecution of the case, passed
the door.
"Symmes," said he, Follet is mistaken.
a man could easily shoot himself as Myers
was shot Come in and | will show you
how it's done"
Thus invited, Symmes entered the room,
but moment later, seeing Judge Pope
coming up the stairs, excused himself on
the ground that he was going to Hamilton
in the morning, and wished to see the
Judge before he left He passed out, and
a minute or so afterward Mr.. McBurney
came into the room. Mr. Vallandigham,
still standing by the table on which the
pistols lay, said
an show you how Tom Myers shot
himself. Folletts mistaken when he says
it can't BIC done" Saying this, he took up
one of the murderous weapons in his
hands, put it into his pantaloons pocket,
and slowly drawing it out again, cooking
it as he drew it forth, he attempted to
place it in the exact position which he be-
lieved Myers weapon to have assumed at
the moment the fatal bullet was sped on
its mission of death. The muzzle of the
weapon still within the lapel of the
pocket, he brought it to an angle of about
45 degrees
"There, that's the way Myers held it.,
only he was getting up, not standing
erect" Saying this, he touched the tigger.
A sudden flash the half-suppressed
- gl II NT.II,
digham, with an expression of agony, ex-
claimed, "My God, I've shot myself, and
reeled toward the wall wounded and
dying man-wounded and dying by his
own hands.
This happened at the hour of 8 o'clock,
or perhaps five or ten minutes earlier In
a second Of time Mr.. McBurney, terrified
at the occurrence, rushed out of the room
and along the hall to the apartment where
the jury was quartered. Rapping at the
door, he eagerly demanded that some one
should come into Mr. Vallandgham's
room, as he had shot himself Mr..
TichnOr, the constable having them in
charge, was momentarily absent, but
several of the jurors hurried into the
room. Meantime, Mr. j. @. Babbit,
whose room mo. ~ was only next door,
had heard the sound, and suspecting its
cause, also came in. He arrived first, and
found Mr., Vallandigham alone leaning
against the wall. He asked what had hap
pened,
:" have foolishly shot myself" said the
wounded man as he sank into chair.
What folly it was to try such an expert
ment. BY mistake l took up the wrong
pistol" The pistol had dropped from his
hand at the moment he fired, and was
still lying on the floor. The other one,
empty and harmless, lay on the table.
The three reporters who were attending
the trial for the Cincinnati morning papers
were Immediately on the scene, and upon
learning the nature of the occurrence
sped the news on the lightning's wings
to the journals they represented. An hour
later, the news .Of that occurrence was
being heralded under the waves of the
broad Atlantic to the people of the old
world.
The young ladies in New Haven are
lerrning to play the violin The idea OF
having four strings to their bow is fasci.