Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-09-29
THE WIRZ TRIAL.

hndersonvllle prison, produced letter 10
Gen. Winder, in which be reported that the
causes of disease and mortality was very
large among the prisoners. There was an
entire absence Of Vegetables. want Of bar
racks, inadequate supply Of food and water
badly cooked food, filthy condition of the
prisoners, morbid carnations from the RAJ
vines, and that he recommended the immedi-
ate removal OF fifteen thousand prisoners as
detail to cultivate vegetables, the immedi-
ate erection Of barracks, and furnish neces
sary wood and have wells dug, to divide the
| prisoners into squads, under a sergeant, to
be furnished with soap; furnish the prisoners
with clothing, and il unable to do this, to mott
fly the Federal government, the daily inspection
Of bske-houses and the cooking, to cover with
sand the morasses. He also made sundry
recommendations to improve the hospital
arrangements, which was greatly nadequa g.
Judge Advocate Chapman then submitted
the General Order to General Winder to Dr.
Hopkins, to show to the Richmond authori-
ties, who knew the condition of the Ander-
sonville prison, and that Winder had author
ity to apply for remedy.
On Dr. Hopkins cross examination he
said it was Winder's implicit confidence in
Wirz, that caused this state Of things TO ex-
ist.
! Dr. Rice was on duty at Andersonville.--
He also testified to the terrible condition Of
the prisoners, corroberating previous testmo-
ny.
A witness on the stand, an Indiana caval-
ny man named George w. Gray, testified to
some Of the outrages on the part Of Wirz that
bad not been put in evidence before. He said
that party of prisoners, in whose company
he arrived atAndersonville with, were ordered
to place their blankets, haversscks, &c, in
one place, when an officer mounted on a gray
horse rode up and told the Confederate sold
iers to help themselves and let the prisoners
have tue remainder. The Confederates help
ed themselves, and there was nothing left
He was not certain whether the mounted Off
Ger was Capt Wirz or not. In June or July,
1864, the witness and young fellow named
Underwood, of the 18th Indiana Cavalry (his
own regiment,) went to the Suffers TENT
Wirz was there. Underwood asked for some
thing to rub his wound with, and the sutler
said he would give it, when Wuz said, " No,
he cannot have it unless be pays me a dollar -
Underwood gave Wirz his only money, which
was a ten dollar bill, and when he asked for
his change Wirz kicked him out of the door
Witness was put in the stocks four days for
attempting to escape. He knew man to die
in the stocks in August or September, 1864.
Negroes took lin out of the stocks after he
was dead, threw the body into wagon aud
hauled it off. He knew WIZ to shoot a
young fellow named " lillian Stewart, belong
ing to the 9th Minnesota Infantry. He and
witness had gone out of the stockade with a
dead body which they had begged, when they
met Capt. Wirz He rode up to them after
they had left the body in the dead house, and
asked them by what authority they were out
there. Stewart replied that they were there
by authority. Wirz said no more, but drew
his revolver and shot him. After he was
killed the guards took from his body $40 or
$50. Wirz took the money from the guards
and rode off, telling them to carry witness to
prison. 1t was witness determination to es-
cape, if he could, and for that reason he had
gone out, but he was not attempting to do SO
at the time. When prisoners were being re.
moved to the cars for exchange, Wirz gave
orders to Lieut.. Davis to bayonet any man
who laid down on the road, and witness had
seen men who we're crawling on their hands
and knees to the cars bayoneted by the
guards. Witness heard one Of the Surgeons
ask Wirz when he was going to remove the
Yankees, and Virus reply was Oh
these Yankees; they will all be dead in few
days, anyhow" He had seen prisoner who
had been caught by dogs, with part of his
cheek torn off, and his arms, hands and legs
gnawed up so that he only lived twenty four
hours. The first time he had known Wrz
personally, was one day when he heard Lieut..
Davis call his name at the gate.
Judge Advocate Chipman-Captain Wirz,
will you be good enough to stand upi
-. IL l. l.. l.. l.
on lounge, squirmed round, partly raising
himself till bis eyes lit up with wild, bag
gard expression, and yet daring and defiant,
like those Of wild animal brought to bay
Col. Chapman to witness - DO you recog-
nize that man as the man who shot your
CO mrades
Witness (slowly and empha,ically)-That
is the man.
The prisoner here made an effort to contra
dict the witness, muttering some incoheient
expressions about not having been seen by
witness with Lieut.. Davis. He was with
difficulty restrained and silenced by the off
GERS in charge.
Tue Judge Advocate, apparently not salts
fled with the opportunity which witness had
for Identification, asked the prisuner to rise.
Gathering up as we'll as he could his loose,
i'll jointed frame, which appeared as if it
might fall to pieces. the prisoner tottered to
his feet and was supported in that attitude
by the officer Of the guard. His eyes had
wild expression, and it was hard t. fepress
sympathy with the unfortunate man.
Again the Judge Advocate repeated his
question to the witness, whose reply this
time was more hesitating, and was, g think
that is the man." Another wild and fruitless
att ant nj ioti hv