The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-10-09
The Wirz Trial.
EVIDENCE FOR THE DEFENCE.
1881
A WRITER PoR THE NEW YORK NEWS ON TIFF
STAND


STAND.
WASHINGTON, October 9th.
Harris, tross-exam ined--Witne,s
never, heard of prisoners being shot at
the dead-line after the 10th of Septem-
Der; when Wirz ordered the Suffers
shanty to he cleared out, he reserved four
or five bushels of potatoes an ordinary
price for water was chew of tobacco for
II crink /; the chew OF tobacco was very
small ; witness never bought or sold in
the stOckade; the rations We're cooked
and there was enough wood ; the bread
was baked and the beans cooked wit
ness did not know much outside his own
squad the two main avenues were lined
with trading shanties ; the area of the
shanties was about five or six feet square;
every time the rations were delayed ii
was said it was because of the arrival of
prisoners witness heard some prisoners
say that they would rather stay where
they were then go to the other stockades;
sometimes they were as many as six of
witness squad taken out sick, about
twenty dying, half of them in the stock
AIDE never saw physician inside the
stockade "a witness squad would de-
crease other live men would be put i'm ::
witness was in the stockade from No
vember to November y never applied
to be detailed witness, as sergeant of
ninety, received an extra ration, which
he paid for shelter; the prisoners had
enough to sustain life if they could eat ;
witness saw men die of hunger because
they eQuldnot eat the ratiOns sometimes
raw rations were Issued to the sick some
had sore mouths, and would not eat the
corn bread; death would cnsue from
their abstinence, but not from lack of
food salt was q luxury, because it was
scarce twas impossible to get ii except
by purchase, and about One.third of the
prisoners used to buy they would pur-
chase usually about u spoonful each !;
witness never was in battle was taken
by Early's advance guard had been in.
toXicated was lying down asleep ct the
time, but not besidea Jug of whiskey !:
could not tell how drunk he was at the
time, there were three or four Rebels
who captured witness never made any
attempt to get away witness suffered
from heavy marches and exposure /; suf-
fered at Andersonville from heat, diar.
rhOea aud copnnsluent witness has done
nothing since he left the army wrote
two or three letters to the New York
NeUS, because he wanted to see justice
done and because the editors were his
friends witness never read the paper
until he was out OF the army; Mr.. PLAT
asked witness if he could give the.pub-
lie plain statement of the facts about
Andersonville.
Colonel Chapman asked IL he did not
know the character of the paper; that it
was disloyal paper in sympathy with
the rebellion.
Mr.. Baker objected that the character
of the paper was Irrelevant.
Mr.. Schade saw no reason why this
paper should be styled disloyal sheet
he saw the paper last mig hit, and saw
that 1t supported the President.
well aware why Mr.. schade did not see
the reason for bringing this paper in.
If Il witness, after four years in the
army, in which he had not been in a
battle, comes home and writes letters to
a notorious sheet, 1t shows pretty con-
clusively that such witness is in sympa-
thy with the enemies of the Government.
Mr.. Baker said he had never yet re-
tiected OH one Of the Union soldiers
Colonel Chapman was the first man who
did so, and if he tMr. Baker, did so he
hoped he would be pitched out of the
court.
Colonel Chapman said when witness
attempted to ahnw AnderaonNilln to be
a place of milk and honey he would con.
slider it his duty to attack him.
Witness resumed-Saw Ben Wood
twice, and spoke to him about this case :
witness went to the Office to make q cor
rection in one of the two articles pub
lished witness does not know how he |
came to be snbpmnaed; witness also wrote |
to the Brooklyn Eagle; did not know
that paper was more bitter than the |
Nescs; witness never heard the charac-
ter of the Meas as to loyalty spoken of
witness sympathized in the present
course of the editors of those papers.
Mr.. Schade asked If they were going
o try the present Administration.
The COurt-Do you object, Mr. Schade?
Mr.. Schade-I do protest. The edi-
Sis of those papers were friends of the
President, and they should not be called
II question.
Colonel Chipman--In one of the last
peeches of the President he said ode
iver me from my friends"
Mr.. Schade-We will see who are his
riends.
The Court-Go on with the examina-
ion.
Witness at one time at Andersonville
,ok u blouse from dead body to put on
comrade, but never took anything from
dead body for his own use, witness ,
ever denied anything to diminish the
errors of AndersOnville.
By the Court-General Winder was ,
esponsible, as also the prisoners in
,any cases by their conduct.
BY Colonel Chipman-Witness treated
is comrades kindly; witness has re- !
larked in Brooklyn that he had plenty s.
eat and drink, and found it iirst-rate
own South, but did not refer to Ander- T.
'nvslle. u
--~~--- S
SUICIDE CT A UNITED STATES OFF :
Err IN ENGLAND,-On Friday last q ! y