The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-10-14
THE WIRZ TRIAL.


WASHINGTON, Oct H. 1885.
Ths wirz Military Commission reasscmbled this
ing ~a
Mr. ScHArE read two letters from the letter took OF
Capta,n wirz One OF these letters dated December,
1854 is addressed Assistant Quartenaster Nicely and
gays that no (wrz) had received eighteen packages of
clothing for the federal prisone, including blankets,
shoes rants sacks and shirts and that he would pro
coed to distribute them without delay.
Tho other letter. dated January 90 1858 addressed
70 Assistant Aduant General Thomas, asking that the
guard TO escort men gathering wood be Increased from
twenty i've TO sixty men.
BENJAMIN T. Lley Of Pennsy lvania, testified that he
was admitting clerk in Captain Wirzs Office and his
business was when prisoners arrived, 10 make out the
descriptive roll he also ward MASTER having charge
of one hundred and fifty and twenty nurses there
was much trading in hams pork bacon, Hour. meal,
peanuts potatoes, cigars tobacco, &c clothes
were taken from the dead by own men and sold 10
the rebels heard OF the stocks being inside
the stockadc Confedcrates well Yankees for
hidden wash in the stream Captain Wfrz made an IN
efectua effort TO impress hve hundred slaves ior the
purpose Of charging the stockade aud car own men
refused work for fear OF compromising themselves
Among other things the witness said that Captain WI2
condemned aud bread, remarkng that he would
not feed his negroes them, and that the men who
sent the corn meal AndersonviIle should be court
mart aled they robbng their own government;
Captain Wirz sick during August and of and on III
July witness never heard OF Captain Wrz shooting or
Of Burroughs being gwen to Confederate soldiers SHOOT
mig prisoners.
Crosse xamned-witn made application 20 Cap
tam Wirz 10 be detailed clerk having been sick with
diarrlaa Wirz very cxctable, old fellow,
therefore he did not have much 10 do with him; IN
May he asked Dr. White TO vaccinate him for the small
poS but the doctor minated that the matter was inn
pure and said he expected TO procure good matter from
the arm of child In the country; the small pox was
prevailing in thar same month Witness said that the
capital for trading purposes was limited TO the raiders
there were iivc hundred OF them who would knock
.inxup- lbap md Ob al
Wirz mad packed the men thick in the stockade
Of them came out and helped to enlarge IL;
there difficulty in finding tools 10 build the forti
cations scarcity OF them to improve the
sockade: Wrlz gave orders against the Confederate
soldiers trading with men for clothing, but the wit:
ness did not know that persons were punished or dong
So threatened Duncan and others committed the
robbery OF comnssy goods II was against the orders
of Captain Writ 20 trade, and therefore was carried on
secretly.
better Andersonve than at Belle se as at the later
place starved 10 DEATH
BY the CouRr--Witness made money by trading in
creenacks and Confederate money He started in bust
ness by selling his overcoat for twenty live dollars He
bought gre nbacks for three five dollars inside, and
sold them outside at from eight ten He also kept
suffers store, and thus made some 81 his money.
Major General WALLACE asked numerous questions OF
the witness, 10 which the latter replied that Captain
WrZ did not give him extraordinary privileges more
he did 10 eight ten other clerks he allowed TO
go mile in the country from the prison; trading was
contrary 10 orders, to make money, and he made it
mostly from men, all suffered In tire stockale
for want Of food, and he bad seen men die in con
sequence. u,,. ,xo,. .na.sson
vile with hundred and forty dollars In grccnbacks
and a forty 1--WE dollar watch.
Judge Advocate CHiPMAS then proceeded TO examine
the Witness who said he had Duncan specializing In
stolen whiskey and other things Duncan knocked down
and struck couple OF prisoners and would seize men
IN the middle u the night and place them in the stocks
Mr. BAKER objected TO The examination proceeding as
10 Duncan.
The Couar ovcrr,ied the objection, and one of the
members Of the court said that the court was trying for
conspiracy.
NJ, ~ ~
Witness said that Duncan and ms right hand man.
RsHkeyt reported the tunnels and they would advise
Wlrz what should be done TO men for such and such
thines witness two different occasions Dr. Mudd
hold his thumb artery, and while the ampuiaon
his thumb Let the blood squirt in the operators face
and the doctor would laugh as Il was something funny
Dr. Carr rebel steward, would come into the hospital
4 sguiscd as OF men, sometimes in coed
and al other times In bad uniform; witness saw ham
twice strike the face with his heavy pistol for
talking with the guard that doctor robbed SICK OF
his buttons vegetables also stolen from the sick
Crosse xamned by MI. RhKER-- Witness saw Duncan
take the whskey lie had heard Duncan ad, ice wirz
punish with bucking the ball and chain the men
who had spoken fa,oraby OF General Fremont and Old
Abe.
Mr. Baker said lie had two more witnesses 10 be
amined, but owing sickness they could not attend
to-day. One Of them covered the whole subject of
Andcrsonvilie.
Colonel cmrxAS remarked that the prosecution
aiso nearly through with its witnesses.
the testimony OF George W. Fechnor.
Colonel CuIrMas asked the witness whether he knew
OF Fechnor refusing to give dying men food
Colonel CmrxAS said that Fechnor, alias Baron Nun.
cbauscn swoe that he never saw any Of the prisoners
die, and that he never refused to give them food.
Mr.. BAKER remarked-Let Fcchnors Testimony be
read that u may be known from the record what he did
Major General WALLACE conceded in the view of Mr.
Baker
Colonel cmpsAx said he wanted TO show that men died
before the face Of Fechnor who refused 10 give them
anything TO eat, and also that Fechnor was gambler
and rough generally.
Mr.. BAKKR replied that the fact that Fechnor did not
assist the prisoners and gambler did not affect his
credbihty He insisted that the record OF the testimony
must be referred TO for the points which the prosecution
Colonel CHIpsAx referring 70 the record, asked nu-
questions Of The witness who coniradiced Fcch
nors testimony 10 the following pariic1'sr:ih
and everybody called him mean man, and that ne
neeced cheated the prisoners oct Of their money. AZ
eat was compelled 10 give fty d,llsr watch to fech
for two dollars for which sum fechnor sold ham six
butter Fechnor had board with numbers mp 10 nine
upon IT, where men gamted and he was also In partner
snip Win sa'ls1 f .s n, ~ss =, ne ncr o.
hanged robbed and sioe more than the raiders
themselves SO far from Fechnor giving food 10 HIM
cry men, the witness said that man was lying near
Fechnors ehanty IN starving condition, and on having
been appealed 10 that the might be furnished with
food Fcchnor remarked, "Let him die, don't carr"
Colonel CHpxAs asked the witness what was the
character Of Fechnors partnerf
Mr. BsKxR objected
The CouRr said IL not question.
Colonel CmPsAx would then waive Il. He only wanted
10 show that birds Of feather would nock together
Mr.. BAsEs-But the birds were obliged to be 1T Andcr
sonville.
Cross examincd-wi lived in Philadelphia, aud
was al Andersonvle from June 20 September 1904 he
often In Fochnors shop shaniy which contained
onions tobacco eggs, cheese butter and many other
things; Fechnor was known by that name and not AZ
Ross; the sign the sbaniy was Fechnor Go.
The court then adjourned until TO morrow.
The Opera Libel salt.
sARETzEk VERSUS THE SUNDAY MERCURY.
srrERicR couRr-,BAsnrRs
Before Judge Moncrief
The libel suits instituted In the superior Court by Max