The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-11-11
BY TELEGRAPH.
Execution Of Captain Wirz.
He Dies Declaring His limo
cence.
WAR DECLARED BETWEEN SPAIN
AND CHILL.
ALL PORTS BLocKADzD.
Russell-Seward Correspondence
REBEL GENERALS SEEKING PARDON
DEATH OF SENATOR COLLAMER.
DEATH OF PRESIDENTS BROTHER.
DEATH OF SENATOR coLLAMER.
DEATH OF PRESIDENTS BROTHEE
&C., DC, dc.

| WASHINGTON, Nov. 10.
Capt. Wirz was hanged between 10 and II
o'clock this morning on the gallows. He
declared his innocence. He died without
exhibiting any symptoms of fear. This morning
Father Boyle administered the sacrament to
to Capt. Wirz, md Father Wiggat, also, of
the Roman Catholic church, then placed upon
the prisoners head black cambric handker-
chief remarking as he did so, II hope this
will be turned into white one in the other
world. y
At 80 minutes past 10 clock Capt Wirz
came from his cell in the Old Capitol prison,
| accompanied by Provost Marshal Russell and
other officers, and by Father Boyle and Wig
gat, and passing between the military guard
they ascended the scafold. The prisoner was
then seated. Scafold was twelve feet square
| and twenty-five feet to top of beam, with a
| trap oftwelve feet from the ground.
| The guard consisted of the l95th Pennsyl
vania Vols. and three detachments of the
| Veteran Reserve Corps, under command of
Capt. Walbridge, military superintendent
of Old Capitol prison
| There were several hundred spectators
present, besides the military. the civilians
having been admitted on special passes.
| Amid profound silence Provost Marshal
| Russell proceeded to read the ordet Of the
War Department, founded on the verdict OF
the court martial, which tried the prisoner
He was charged and convicted OF combining.
confederating and conspiring with Jefferson
Winder, Richard b. Winder. Isaac White,
| ". 5. Winder. ". 5. Read, A. Ii. Stephens,
5. p. Moore at Andersonvie, Jas. DUNCAN.
| Wesley W. Turney, Benjamin Harris and 9TH
ers. whose names are unknown, and who
were then engaged In armed rebellion against
| the United States, maliciously, traitorously,
and in violation of the laws of war, to impair
and injure the health, and to destroy the lives,
by subjecting to torture and great suffering
by con6ning in unhealthy and unwhoesome
quarters, by exposing to inclemency of winter
and to dews and burning sun of summer, by
compel ing the use of, impure water, and BY fur
nshiag insufficient and unwholesome food of
large number of Federal prisoners, to wit:
number OF $4,000, held as prisoners Of war at
Andersonville, within the lines of the so-called
Confederate States, on or before the 9th of
March, 1864, and at divers times between
| that day and the 10th of April, 1865, to the
| end that the armies of the United States might
| be weakened and impaired, and that the IN
surgents engaged in armed rebellion against
| the United States might be aided, and com
| forted, &c. &c.
| The order also states that the prisoner was
| found guilty of the second charge, namely !:
Murder in violation of the laws snd GUS
toms of war, and guilty of all specifications
excepting the 4th, 10th and 18th. which three
set forth that he killed prisoner by shooting
him with revolver; that he ordered SEN
tiuel to fire upon another with revolver, and
that he shot another with revolver; that
he died tsf
The order concludes as follows: Sentence
I'D tka do fhar Il,
Henry Wirz, to be hanged by the neck until
he be dead. at such time and place as the
President of the United States may direct, two
thirds of the members OF the court concurring
herein; and the court also find the prisoner,
Henry Wirz, guilty of having cansed the
death, in the manner as alleged in specifca-
ton IL, charge 2, by means of dogs, of three
prisoners of war, in his custody and soldiers
of the United States, one occurring on or
about the 10Th of May, 1864; another occur
ring on or about the 11th of July, 1864 an
other occurring on or about the lst of Sept,
| 1864, but which finding, as here expressed,
has not and did not enter into the sentence of
the court as before given.
Second-The proceedings, findings and
sentence in the foregoing case having been
submitted to the President of the United
States, the following are his orders:
LAEcoTI'E MANSION, n
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 1865.
The proceedings, findings and sentence of
the court on the within case are approved,
and it is ordered that the sentence be carried
into execution by the officer commanding the
Department of Washington, on Friday, the
| 10th day of November, 1865, between the
hours of o'clock in the morning and 9
O clock in the afternoon.
ANDREW JOHNSON,
President of the United States
Third-Maj. Gen. c. Augur, commanding
department Of Washington, is commanded to
cause the foregoing sentence in the case of
Henry Wirz TO be duly executed in accord
ance with the Presidents order
Fourth-The military commission, of which
Maj. Gen. Lewis Wallace was President, is
hereby dissolved.
By command of the President of the Uni
ted States, L. d. TOWNSEND,
Asst. Adjt. Gen.
When the reading Of the order was com
pleted, Wirz conversed with those on the
platform with seeming confidence and self
possession; and it was remarked that he had
a smiling countenance to his spiritual adviser.
He said-ssI am innocent have to die, but
can die like man. ] have hope in the fu.
ture.' His legs and hands were tied, the
moose passed around his neck and the black
cap plsced over his face. He stood erect
wathoet faltering, evidently having nerved
himself for the solemn event. Those on the
platform retired to the railing leaving the
doomed man in the centre of the structure.
Affsr few moments Of profound quiet the
drop, at . preconcerted signal, fell. The
sound thus occasioned having reached the
ears of the promiscuous crowd outside Of the
Old Capitol grounds, but who were not per
mitted to view the execution, was responde d
to BY repeated shouts of appreciation.
The convict directly after falling was con.
sidersbly convulsed in his legs, but the aro ~
Vas soon ovsrs He hang about 6ftsen MIN