Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1871-06-21

vallsnIolxhan Accideutslly Sheets Min.
self-Fatal Result.
Clement L. Vallandigham accidentally
shot himself on the evening of the 10th
inst. At Lebanon. Ohio, where he was
essaged As counsel for . man named
Thomas MEG who was on trial for
the murder of man named Myers Hool.
by shooting him with a pistol. 1t ap
pears that Mr.. Vallandigham, with his
associate counsel, had been out on Friday
evening experimenting, with a view of
ascertaiuing how near the muzzle of q
pistol could be held to cloth without burn
ing it. The test was made, and they
were returning, two balls having been
fred from the pistol. His associate coun-
sci urged him to discharge the remaining
three balls. but vallandigham said. No.
never mind :" and though the associate
repeated the suggestion. Vallandigham
declined to discharge them, and took the
pistol up stairs and laid it beside an
empty one, which be intended to use iu
the argument on Saturday. This led to
the tragedy which soon followed.
No one was present in the room when
the accident occurred but Ex-Governor
McBurney. who was also an associate
counsel in the case Vallandigham ad-
vanced the theory that Myers had shot
himself. McBurney expressed some
doubts as tothe correctness of this theory
vallandigham picked up pistol from the
table. saying he would show him in a
second. Two pistols were on the table,
one unloaded, aud be by mistake took up
the loaded one and put it in lis poke,
and withdrew. keeping the muzzle mex,
his body. Just as it was leaving bis
pocket it was discharged. it is reported
at rearly the same part of the body
where Myers was shot. He calculated,
"Oh. murder" and said he has taken the
wrong pistol. The doctors searched an
hour for the ball. but failed to find it
While the examination was going on be
watched the surgeon with eager eyes,
and even assisted them in searching for
the ball. He vomited often, but threw
up no blood. He sank rapidly, and on
Saturday morning. at 9:42 be died. His
funeral took place yesterday TUESDAY
afternoon. under direction of the Masons
element L. Vallandigham was in his
forty-ninth year. He was sprung from
Huguenot stock. and was a native Of
New Lisbon, Columbia county. Ohio
He was student of Jefferson College
ON leaving which he undertook the duties
of principal of the Academy of Snowhill
Nd. On returning to Ohio he studied
for two years, and was admitted to the
bar of his native State in 1912. In 1S45
and lS46 he was elected to the Ohio
Legislature. In ls47 he edited the Day
ton Empire. and subsequently devoted
himself to politics and his profession
with great vigor and respectable success
From State politics be passed in 1856 to
more extended field, being III that mem.
orable year, when Buchanan was elected
President. sent to Washington as a mem
ber of the House of Representatives from
bis district, and he served on the Stand.
ing Committee on Territories during the
Thirty fifth and Tbirty-si1th Congresses.
He was reelected to the Thirty seventh
Congress, and became prominent as well
as notorious because Of his eager and
bold defence of the rebels aud utter de.
iance of the Government of the United
States.
ain personal appearance Mr.. Va!lan.
digham was not unprepossessing. He wat
about FIVE feet eight inches high, with a
keen, dark eye, slightly curling hair,
with florid complexion, and wearing a
moustache and whiskers. He was a
clever political manager, keen debater,
and an orator capable of moving intense
ly a popular audience. His personal
friends were many and warm in their
affection for him his political foes were
no fewer. or correspondingly less bitter
in their detestation of his principles and
policy, and even in his own party be had
not the fortune of satisfying all of the
prudence of his course"
JAMES FISK, Jr., of whom everybody
has heard. is Colonel of the Ninth New
York Regiment. Last week the regi-
ment, with the gallant Colonel at its
baad r;s;tod postn, IT, C.Io,.I