Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-06-21
INCIDENTS CONCERNING VALLiNDIG
HAMS DEATH.
His Last Hours-An Erecting Scene.

Mr.. Vallandigham, at the time of the unfor-
tunato and fatal accident heretofore reported,
WAS enthusiastically illustrating to his associate
death of Myers, whom Vallandigham's client,
Mclean, was charged with killing. Two re-
volyers were on his table, and by mistake he
took the loaded one. In drawing it out of hs
pocket with the muzzle against his body, he
snapped the hammer, as he had done frequent
ly in practising tho case for illustration TO the
jury when it was discharged He did not at
first realize the, dangerous character of the
wound as he walked about for some time He
leaves but one child. a son IL years old, to whom
he WAS fondly attached. He was TO have ar
gued the cose the next morning. and It was er-
pected to be the greatest effort of his life.
Vallandigham did not at first realize the ma
ture of the accident. He appeared decidedly
hopeful during the early hours. Rev. Mr.
Haight called to see him and Vallandigham
taking him by the hand said substantially that
he had too much faith in Calyinic doctrine to
believe he would not get safely through his mis-
fortune. He told one of the surgeons TO take
care of the pain and he would manage the rest
When impressed with the approach of dissolu-
ton he was calm, and at the approach of death
he stood it brayely. After DIR. Reeves arrived
from Dayton, he soon had the room cleared,
and when no one was present intmated TO Mr..
Nallandigham the very serious nature of his
wound. The patient, seeking for something on
which TO build a hope, reminded the doctor of
two cases of injuries not fatal He had known
both, and asked if his was worse than they? To
which the reluctant reply was:T u
Possibly not. ftfaLit - ~. Z
The doctor then told Mr. Vallandigham,
who was suffering pain, they would have to
administer medicine Of n sedatiYe nature, and
suggested if he had anything TO say, he had
better communicate il then. Mr.. Vallandigham
then conyersed with the doctor concerning pri-
vate matters, giving directions in regard to his
affairs after which the medicine TO relieve the
pain was injected by the hypodermic process.
Amer this there was no time when he was not
under the influence of opiates that affected
somewhat his sensibility. Nevertheless he APP
peared to keep possession of his faculties.
At half past o. clock his friends were called
70 his bedside. From that time he rapidly sank
The pulsation Mt the wrist appeared 10 have
that DIR, Drake SAID ha WAS the coolest man,
under the circumstances, he had ever SEEM He
still showed an occasional signal about the face
of agony. As death approached, his face wore
an ashy paleness. His last words were n re-
quest for ice and medicine 10 allay his pain. In
his last moments there were signs aboutthe face
that indicated great physical suffering. At
eighteen minutes before / o clock he was dead.
There were present in his room when he died
his son Charles, II years old, his only living
child, with whom he had touching interview
on his arrival, s
Placing his hands on his head, he said with
deep emotion, in low, husky voice, "Myson--
my son-be o true man. lie made an effort to
say more, but amid intense suffering his voice
failed him. The scene WAS deeply affecting.
The remains left Lebanon for Dayton at two
{, clock this afternoon in charge OF Judge
Haynes Mr. Nallandgham's law partner and
Judge McKenny, Of Dayton. A sad feature
of the case was the absence of 1Irs. YaIlandia-
ham, who had. gone TO Maryland, called there
by the death Of her brother, Judge Mcmahon.
She was telegraphed, and will reach Dayton to-
morrow morning at two 0 clock,