Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-12-17
The Execution at sumter Prison, An
dersouyllIe, On.
rrorn DC Bosien Iscrnsl. %.

n Sumter Prison, who we're tried and
condemned BY their fellow prisoners for robbery
aud murder The statement il made by Leroy
l. Key Who acted a. chief Of police. aud under
whose direction the execution took place. be
saws:
When arrived mere we're some four thousand
prisoners, bat the number increased til in Sep
tember there we're from thirty two 60 thirty i've
thousand In August and September the deaths
were from sew enty i've 90 one hundred and TWEEN
" i've per day For time the prisoners treated
each other decenily, but there we're some bad
fellows among them. Tbese bad men increased
in number. and began series Of air0cious
wrongs against their fellow prisoners
They would deccy men into their tents with
the promise OF blanket or al extra ration, or
something desirable. and then rob and plumber
them. and all resistance was ia vain. they
had The victim iully IN their power, m their Own
tent.
They would 20 out in body and meeting
man in the street, would demand of him his
money or Whatever he had IL be would not
give is up, twas forced from him II he r.
sisted they beat him that ne would die of
his Injuries. The surgeon declared that no
less tbsn seventy five men died from this cause
alone
Spot,ing tent In the dAy time, they would e
out AT night FIVE or SIX IN number enter the
tent. and with a knife razor threaten the vic.
tim ill be shelled OCT" Some men we're thus
severely wounded before they would "shell out. +"
Many men traded 20 them little money %
get an extra ration These raiders" going to
these petty traders, inquired Of them how they
got along in their business, and then demand
ed OF them tax, saving in two hours you must
pay us 500 or more II the man refused they
beat him.
These things run on and became worse aud
Ill - Dbl
ers" numbered about the Doth OF June. $50 or
300. and il became absolutely necessary for the
other prisoners 10 take some measures for de-
tense, for the raiders" swOTe that by the 4th OF
july they would have every cent in camp or kill
the resisters
ID to this time the Confederate authorities
kept order or discipline within the lines |
spoke to a few of my friends TO organize band
Of protectors against these raiders We began
TO organize, and had proceeded ia The formation
OF thirteen companies, with thirty men and cap
tain in each Before the organization was com
ple,e. was one day walking on the north side
of the camp, when | saw ahead of me the chief Of
the raiders. and IN pursuit Of me FIVE men on the
double quick with knives in their hands
The chief slapped me on the shoulder and turn
ed me round, saying TO me: | understand that
you are getting up band to clean out the Irish. "
| replied, q" The report is false and YOU are mis-
taken" well, you are getting band for some
purpose what is il for if no, to clean out the
Irish :" Meanwhile the I've men closed around
Us forming ring around Curtis and myself.
he again demanded To know tho object Of the
band Said to him, boldly, =" We are organ
izng band to clean out the raiders, and if
you are one OF them we intend 10 clean you out =
They did not proceed 20 violence. but the leader
pct his knife into his left hand aud with his right
hand offered TO shake hands with me- They then
let me 90 That night much ,aiding was done
in the camp, and We heard in various quarters
the cries OF men, &" help murder - The cook
house was on the outside OF the camp, on the
stream above, and men were detailed from the
prisoners on parole OF honor 10 do the cooking.
All rations were drawn into the lines OF the
stockade in representations Of corn bread a
! small piece OF pork or beef. sometimes pint OF
cooked beans 10 man, not amounting IN all TO
enough for one meal day Soup was probably
allowed once a week, but We did pot get il oftener
than once in three weeks OF month. and then II
WAS nothing but little grease on chip.
The condition of the prisoners was somewhat
relieved by the arrival OF some men captured at
Plymouth. who had Just been paid of. and who
brought into eaDp thousands OF dollars. BY
trading and barterng around. most Of the men
got some of this money | regard it act
OF a mercltal Providence that those men were cap
tured and sent 10 Sumter Prison. for other y Use
many more men must have died from statYa-
ton.
The day after Curtis stopped me in the street.
word came that no more ratOns would be sent
into camp until We delivered up the raiders into
the hands of the rebel authorities; for they had
raided upon the wagons, and had stolen the ra-
! tons belonging 20 detachment on the south
side OF the camp We then perfected the organ
ization of our band. and commenced seeking for
and arresting the raiders. We laid hold of one
hundred and fifty or two hundred men. who were
known to be engaged in raiding. and turned them
over.
Out OF this number the worst cases, twenty in
all. we're retained outside the camp uuder guard,
and the rest returned within the stocksde The
arrests within we're continued until the number
OF bad cases sent out was about one hundred
Capt. Werz selected twenty four sergeants from
those that knew most Of the matters in dispute,
aud out Of this number appointed twelve jury
men and Judge advocate The attorneys on
both sides were appointed by The Judge advocate,
whose name was PeteG McCullar, of the Fl ghth
Missouri
The accused had fair and just trial, and
eleven men we're proved guilty, but she chief
criminslity laid upon six men, of whom Curtis
was the leader These men were sentenced to
be hung aud General WinGer approved of the
sentence. and ordered me 10 erect a scafold and
supeIluteuu tue tAtCullOI. 1 procured tue Ium-
Der where | WAS directed. and with a detail of
men erected the scaffold and made all ready
The time fixed for the execution vas M0rtiay,
1 o'clock y. NJ. july IL, 1864 " hen the men
were brought in and turned over to US, Captain
Werz took his guards outside and left the prison
era. the convicted criminals, ia our charge. Nv
guards we're armed with stout clut fastened 10
the right wrist BY cord SIX men were ap
pointed executioners and each took his Stana upon
the stage behind the criminal
Most of the cr minas were Roman Catholics,
and priest came in 20 attend them. He re
questei to have mercy upon the ana
earnestly pleaded for them and after he had got
through. Curtis asked me TO spare him. a. he had
never done me any harm told him 1t was not
for ne to pardon him VAS appointed to see
that the men were hung: but it he had anything
10 say would hear his confession the scat
fold. Then he said he would not stand It. and
made break tor the lines, and ran about the
camp until he was re-captured. he was brought
back perfectly exhausted
While Curtis was absent. the other criminals
we're taken on 10 the scaffold. and the ropes
placed around their necks the eIecutioners
standing behind them. Immediately after Curtis
vas brought back. he delivered to has exeru
a.. L 10 ~