History is full of strange deaths, but few are as ironic as that of Clement Vallandigham. A prominent politician who survived exile and military tribunals during the Civil War, Vallandigham did not die in battle or prison. Instead, he met his end in 1871 while trying to prove a point in a murder trial. In a tragic twist of fate, he demonstrated his defense theory so effectively that he saved his client’s life at the cost of his own.
A Controversial Figure in American Politics
Long before his fatal accident, Clement Vallandigham was known for his fiery opposition to the American Civil War. As the leader of the “Copperheads,” a faction of Democrats who opposed the war effort, he was a thorn in the side of President Abraham Lincoln. His outspoken views led to his arrest and eventual exile to the Confederacy. After the war, he returned to Ohio and rebuilt his career as a highly successful defense attorney. He was a man who lived by his convictions, regardless of the danger they posed to his career or personal safety.
The Murder Trial of Thomas McGehean
In June 1871, Vallandigham took on the defense of Thomas McGehean, a man accused of killing a patron named Tom Myers during a barroom brawl in Hamilton, Ohio. The prosecution argued that McGehean had shot Myers in cold blood. Vallandigham, however, constructed a different narrative. He believed that the victim had accidentally shot himself while trying to draw his own pistol from a pocket as he rose from a kneeling position. It was a bold theory, and Vallandigham was determined to prove it was physically possible.
The Fatal Reenactment
On the evening of June 16, Vallandigham was in his room at the Golden Lamb Inn in Lebanon, Ohio, conferring with his fellow defense attorneys. He wanted to ensure his demonstration for the jury the next day would be flawless. He decided to practice the maneuver using a prop gun. Unfortunately, two pistols lay on his table: one unloaded for the demonstration and one fully loaded. In a momentary lapse of concentration, he picked up the loaded weapon.
Vallandigham placed the pistol in his pocket and reenacted the victim’s movements. As he pulled the gun upward to simulate the snag, the weapon discharged. The bullet struck him in the abdomen, a wound that was fatal in the 19th century. Stumbling forward, he reportedly exclaimed, “My God, I’ve shot myself!”.
The Final Verdict
Doctors were unable to save him, and Clement Vallandigham died the following morning. Despite the tragedy, his legal strategy proved effective. The news of his death—and the fact that he had successfully (and fatally) demonstrated the plausibility of the accident—served as powerful evidence for the defense. The jury ultimately acquitted Thomas McGehean, accepting the theory that had cost his lawyer his life. Vallandigham had won his final case, proving his client’s innocence with the ultimate sacrifice.