Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-10-07
THE ANDERSONVILLE MILTTAR !
PRLSON-TRIAL OF CAPT. WIRZ
WAsuINGTON, Oct. 4th, Is

WASHINGTON, Oct 4th, 1860.
The following extract from the testimony for
the prisoner, last Wednesday, possesses interest,
by afiording new views of the interior life of this
famous prison, as we'll as giving passages in the
trial itself not strictly conforming to the decorous
gravity usual in judicial inquisitions that in
volve life.
A Moesner under examination:
About forty or fifty boys were in
the stockade Captain Wirz requested DR.. White
TO take them into the hos ptal TO help the nurses
or cooks; he said If he had his way he would
send these boys into the Union lines, as it was no
use TO keep them prisoners Of war they would
only get sick an tde these boys were taken to
the hospital; on one occasion witness was SICK
with the dysentery, and asked the doctor for some
medicine; the doctor said he had been sick with
the same disease, but Lad no medicine; he, how
ever. told witness to go and get blackberries
witness did so, and was cured; Captain WIZ
paye an order that these boys should gather
b!ackberrifs for the sick, which they did
witness afterwards understood that the nurses
made pies out OF them, and that the sick got
none DIR. White, as the SIN ill-poX was increasing,
gave orders that the prisoners should be vaccins-
ted Capt Wiz said to q man who refused to be
yaccinaied that he did not care If the latter should
die, the order not having been given by himself
the chain. gang was formed under Winders orders,
q ID
escape Captain Wirz said he would abstain from
shooting az long az he could Capt Wirz was
sick in July. and also during August 80 far as
witness recollected, Lieut.. Davis was in comm and;
in September Wirz came back very sick witness
never heard of anybody dying at WrZ's head
quarters nor of his having beaten, killed, or shot
q man.
Hr. Baker asked the witness If such thing
had been done was he not in such a relation TO
the person that he would have known of the cir
cumstance.
Col. Chapman objected TO the question, for the
reason mainly that the acceptance of the answer
would be placing too much reliance ON the mega.
tive testimony OF the witness, which was simply
an opinion.
Mr.. Baker briefly argued that the question was
a legitimate one and one which in all criminal
prosecutions could be asked.
The Court sustained the objection of CO.. Chip.
man.
The witness among other things testified that
the hospital attendants serenaded Capt. Wirz and
Surgeons Stevens and White.
Cross-examined by the Judge Advocate-Wit-
ness came from Germany IN 1862, and gave the
particulars of his entering the United States ser
vice. he applied to Captain Wirz for clerical
duty, stating in his letter that he was acquainted
with about four languages he was German,
from Ffankfort.on.theM Main the position OF clerk
was better outside than confinement inside; If,
/ while serving IS clerk, Captain WiTZ had asked
]
the United States he would have refused TO do it )
he served Captain Wirz as far as that oath per-
mitted witness received double rations, one Of
which he sold to Captain Wirz for Soc, Confed-
crate money he did not know what Wrz did
with the rations; Wirz had the power to both
issue and to stop the rations Of the prisoners and
he exercised it Wirz never signed or approved
the acquisitions for hospitals, as he did not exer-
| else control over rations for them.
Judge-Advocate Chipman here asked the wit
ness question relative 10 General Winders order
about the chaiu-gang.
The witness went on to speak about some other
matter, and had evidently commenced long
story, when Colonel Chapman requested him u
conhUe himself To the question.
Mr.. Baker wanted his witness to be given an op
porunity 10 explain. If the gentleman SCnip
| mani did not treat the witness fairly be lbaker
would put no more upon the stand =.
Major-General Geary thought Mr. BAKER ought
IN have more sense He was becoming tired o.
tie course Of the counsel for the defence ana
would not stand il any longer. AT every turn the
counsel threatened the Court. IL was little toC
much, and he was disposed TO stop it. if NOBODY
else would II was an outrage on the Court.
Mr. Baker replied that he had not Threatened
the Court.
General Geary replied-Counsel had repeatedly
threatened not TO do this or that unless the Cour
should accede to his wishes, and that he WOMB
put no more witnesses on the stand
Mr.. Baker, in explanation, said he had asked