Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 June 1871 — The Accident to Mr. Vallandigham. [ARTICLE]

The Accident to Mr. Vallandigham.

The Lebanon correspondent of the Cincinnati Enquirer gives the following particulars ol the wounding aud death of the Hon. C. L. Vallandighanj: After taking supper, he procured from the landlord of the hotel a 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 a pistol in close proximity to it would or would not leave a mark of powder 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. Mcßurney. Arriving there tliey were joined by Ms. Mcßurney. The pistol which he took with him for. the' purpose is a new revolver which hefhad purchased only a few days before coming to Lebanon. It is one of Smith & Wesson’s manufacture, with a four-inch barrel,.and five chambers, and carries a ball of 32-100 of an inch callibre. It is a beautiful weapon, handsomely, though not elaborately, 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 theexperiment, and started back to the hotel. Mr. Milliken, ever cautious and tliQUghtful, saiel: — “ Vai., there are three shots in your pistol yet. You had better discharge them.” “ What for?” responded Mr. Vallandigham. “To prevent any accident,” replied the cautious attorney. “ You might shoot yourself." “No danger of that," replied Mr. Vallandighum. “ I 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, tbe town,jand, before they had reached the hotel, separated. Arriving at the Lebanon House alone, Mr. Vallandighatn was stopped on his way upstairs by the landlord, and a package that bad been left for him in his absence placed in Ins hands. That parcel contained another 1 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 instruments on the table side by side. A moment iater, 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. Cbme in and I will show you how it’s done.” Thus invited, Symmes entered the room, but a moment later, seeing Judge Pope coining lip 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 but, aud a minute or so afterward Mr. Mcßurney came into the room. Mr. Yallandigham, still standing by the table on which the pistols lay, said: “I'll show you 'how Tom Myers shot himself. Follett’s mistaken when he says it can’t be 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, cocking it as he drew it forth, he attempted to place it in the exact position which he believed 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 lappel of the pocket, he brought it to an angle of about 45 degrees. d *■' There, that’s the way Myers’ held it, only he was getting up, not standing erect.” Saying this, he touched ithe tigger. A sudden flash—the half-suppressed sound of a shot —and Clement L. Vallandigham, with an expression of agony, exclaimed, “My God, I’ve shot myself, and reeled toward the wall a wounded and dying man— wounded and dying by his own bands.

Thia happened at the hour of 0 o'clock, or perhaps five or ten minutes earlier. In a second of time Mr. Mcßurney, terrified at the occurrence, rushed out ot the room aud along the hull to the apartment where the Jury was quartered. Rapping at the door, he eagerly demanded that some one should come into Mr. Vullandigham's room, as be htul shot himself Mr. Tichnt r, the constable, having them in charge, was momentarily absent, but several of the jurors hurried into the room. Meantime, Mr. J. C. Babbit, whose room (No. 17) was only.next door, hud heard the sound, and suspecting its cause, also caine in. He arrived first, and lound .Mr. Vallandigbam alone leaning Against the wail. He asked what had happened. “ I have foolishly shot myself," said the wounded man as he t-ank iniot a chair. “What folly it was to try such an experiment. By mistake I took up the wrong pistol.” The pistoi had dropped from ids liai.d at the moment lie tired, ius was still lying on the' tloor. The other one, einnty and harmless, lay on the table. The three reporters who wercattcnding tlie trial tor t he Cincinnati morning papers were immediati ly on tlie scene,-and upon learning the nature of the occurrence sped the news on the lightning’s wings to tlie journals tliey represented. An hour later, the news •<>) that occurrence was living heralded under the waves of the broad Atlantic to tiio people of the old world. i