The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-10-06
Remarkable Scene at the Trial OF
Wirz .4lf ..r.


AT the close OF one days proceedings Of
the Wirz trial, remarkable scene took
place. The witness on the stand was an
Indiana cavalryman, named Geo. w.
Gray. He had been tesiifyiDg to some
outrages on the part Of Wirz that had not
been put 10 evidence before. He stated
that a party OF prisoners In whose com.
pany he arrived at Andersonville, were
ordered TO place their blankets, haver.
sacks. knapsacks, etc., In one place, when
an officer mounted on a gray horse rode
up, and told the Confederate soldiers TO
help themselves, and let the prisoners
have the remainder. The Confederates
helped themselves, and there was moth.
ing Left. He was not certain whether
the mounted officer was Wirz or not. In
June or July, 1864, the witness and o
young fellow named Underwood, OF the
l7th Indiana Cavalry, his own regiment,
went 10 the suffers tent. Wirz was
there. Underwood asked for something
10 rub his wound with. The sutler said
he would give K, when Wiz said "No,
he cannot have IL unless he pays me q
dollar" Underwood gave Wirz his only
money, which was a ten dollar bill, and
when asked for the change Wirz kicked
him out OF doors. The witness was put
in the stocks four days for attempting to
escape. He knew a man TO die in the
stocks in August or September, 1864
The negroes took him out Of the stocks az
ter he WAS dead, threw his body into
wagon, and hauled il off. He knew Wirz
TO shoot a young fellow named VIM. Stu.
art, belonging 10 the 9th Minnesota Infan.
try. He (the wi'ness) had gone out Of
the stockade with a dead body, which
they had begged, when they met Wirz.-
He rode up 10 them, and asked them by
what authority they were out there
Stuart replied they were there by proper
authority. Wirx said no more, but drew
his revolver and shot him. After he Was
killed, the guards took from his body
twenty or thirty dollars. Wirz took tho
money from the guards and rode off, tell
ing them 10 carry the witness 10 prison. It
was the witness determination to escape
II he could, and for that reason be had
gone out, but was not attempting 10 do
so at the time. When the prisoners were
being removed 10 the cars for exchange.
Wirz gave orders 10 Lieutenant Davis TO
AID Se n a sess dSFn on bo tbo
we're crawling on their hands and knees
to the cars, bayoneted by the guards
The witness heard one of the surgeons
ask Wirz when he was going to remove
the Yankees, and Wirz replied damn
these Yenkees, they will be dead in few
days, any how" He had seen prisoner
who had been caught by dogs, with part
Of his cheek torn of, and his arms, hands
and legs guawed up so that he only lived
twenty -four hours. The first time that
he had known Wirz personally was one
day that he heard Lieutenant Davis call
his name at the gate. -. ---. s-..
Judge Advocate Chpman-"Capt. Wirz, will
yor be good enough to stand upi" tss
!. The prisoner, who had been lying all day on .
lounge, squirmed round, partly raising himself,
till his e. es, lit up with wild ggard express-
ion, and yet giaring defanily, like those Of q
beast brought to bay, met the eyes of the witness.
| Col. Chapman TO witness-"Do you recognize
that man as the man who shot your comrade a''
Witness, slowly and EN- mphaically-'"That ia
the man." ~'' "a" i -