Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-13
HENRY WIRZ.
"Details OF his Observation-Disclosures OF
his Life and Charaeter-A Scheme
10 take Poison Rrevenfed-Hfs wife
in kissing him Introduces Stryeh-
nine into his MOuth-HIs letter to
the President-His Body Hurled
with those of the COnsptratOrs.

I nine NmUO his mOulA-N1IA UxRNIRR m
the President-Hls Body Buried
with those of b COnspiratOrs.
The New York papers of Saturday fur
nish extensive reports of the scenes at
tending the execution of Wirz, together
with other interesting particulars in the
history of his closing life, from which we
extract the following, additional t. the
Geographic account already published
wIRz IN HIS CELL.
All day Thursday Wirz wrote in the
little whitewashed room at the Old Cap
itol till his left arm was swollen so that he
could write no more. Yet nowhere in the
pages of his manuscript did he betray
tremulousness either of mind or muscle.
From the small apartment labelled aNo.
9-Wirz H., Captain G. S. A." third
story, fronting towards and commanding
a view of the Soldiers Home Cemetery
and the West Side Hospitals, where so
many Union soldiers have died in peace
and been buried honOrably, daily con-
trasted with his memories of Anderson
vile and its burial trenches, Wirz looked
out and hoped. The walls of the room
we're purely white with limewash. His
iron bedstead, with its army blankets, his
small deal table, his shelf and his chair
were ~serupulously neat. The fire in the
CRATE and the eight ounce vial of Ken
lucky whisky on the shelf were cherry
and comfortea the man, who could not
belieYe himself doomed. He wrote here
almost necessarily during the last twenty
four hours of his life, taking stimulants
freely, but not to intoxication in the
sliShte:: degree, and finished a diary up
to this very morning. This is now in the
hands of his best friend, Mr.. Sohade.
HIS APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER.
Wirz is a man of nearly six feet in
hight, of grizzly, long hair, full beard, and
long, narrow forehead. He has suffered
injustice from his painters. Far from
looking like a devilish wretch, as he is
usually described, he is evidently a man
of great force; albeit there is a malevo-
le3t and piercing lear from his eyes at
times, which, with the falling upper eye
lid, adds to the responsiveness of his coun-
tenance. Slight offgure, pallid, and thin,
he Is evidently a sufferer from chronic dis
ease. He is not o wild beast, nor a mon
ster in human form.
Stripped of all the Importance of this
trial, he would not have impressed any
body as a remarkable person. His char
acter Is full of contradictions. Nor is it
at all impossible that it may have com
prised some good traits. Born in Switzer-
land, where the very name of liberty is
reverenced as sacred, he, nevertheless, in
two short years, became a hired slave
driver, and enlisted to establish slavery.
Cringing and docile to his superiors in the
work of murder, he has maintained a most
heroic reticence since his doom has been
made known to him. Reared a Protest
ant, he falls easily into the Catholic faith.
Superstitious, he is also understood to be
skeptical in his belief touching Il future
state.
For the last few days he has affected
almost a stOical %unconcer about his stu
alton, looking forward to his fate with the
clearest mind. He was not a man of
prominent intelligence, yet all his letters,
and even his reading tastes, reveal a good
education. There seems to have been a
great want of purpose and moral convic-
ton in his whole life.
HIS ETLER TIC THE PRESIDENT.
The following letter without date or sig
nature, was written by Wirz's own hand to
President johnson four days before his ex-
e%cutiOn, but his counsel, Mr.. Schade, deem
ed it unadvisable to present it:
With a trembling hand, with a heart
filed with the NEST conflicting emotions,
and with a spirit hopeful one moment and
despairing the next, l have taken the lib
erty of addressing you. When l consider
your exalted position when l think for Il
moment that in your hand rests the veal
or woe of millions-yea, the peace of the
world-welf may l pause TO call to my aid
courage enough to lay before you my hum
bic petition. 1 have heard you spoken of
as a man willing and ready at all times
and under all circumstance to do Justice,
and that no man, however humble he may
be, need fear to approach you, and there
have come to the conclusion that you
will showme the same privilege as extend
ed to hundreds and thousands of all. 1t
is not my desire or intention to enter into
an argument as to the merits of my case.
In your hands, if 1 am rightfully informed,
are all the records and evidences bearing
upon this point, and it would be presumpt-
upon my part to say one word aboutit.
There is only one thing that 1 ask, and it
is expressed in a few words, pass your SEN
For six weary months l have been
a prisoner; for six months my name has
been in the mouth of every one; by thous-
and 1 am considered a monster of cruelty,
A wretch that ought not to pollute the
earth any longer. Truly, when 1 pass in
my mind over the testimony given, 1
almost doubt my own existence.
doubt hat I am the Captain Wirz
of. l doubt that such a man ever
lived such as he is said to be, and 1 am in
LINED to call on the mountains to fall upon
md bury me and my shame. But oh sir,
l wiring my hands in mute and hope
ess despair, there speaks a small but unmis-
akable Voice within mt that says, "Con-
thyself. Thou knowest thy innocence.
Fear not. If men hold thee guilty, God
Ices not, and a new life will pervade your
Such has been the state of nv
mind for weeks and months, and no pun
shment that human ingenuity can inhict
.ould increase my distress. The pangs of
leath are short, and therefore 1 humbly
'ray that you will pass your sentence
delay. Give me death or liberty.
The n l do not fear; the other 1 crave.
f you believe ne guilty of the terrible
that have been heaped upon me,
me to the executioner. If not
in your estimation, restore me to
liberty and life. A life such as 1 am now
wing is no life. l breathe, sleep, eat but
/ is only the mechanical functions l per-
orm and nothing more. Whatever you
1 shall accept. If condemned to
cath l shall suffer without a murmur. If
estored to liberty, l will thank and bless
for it.
1 would not convey the idea to your
mind, Mr.. President, that l court death.
life is sweet. However lowly or humble
station may be, he elings to life.
lis soul is filed with awe when he con-
the future, that unknown land
the judgment is, before which he
7il have to give an account of his words,
thoughts and deeds. Well may l remem-
DO, that 1 have erred like other human
eings, but of those things for which l
lay perhaps suffer a violent death l am
OF guilty, and God judge:me. 1 have
aid all that / wished to say. Excuse my
oldness in addressing you, but l could
help it. / cannot bear this suspense
luch longer. May Gold bless you and be
18th you. Your task is q great and fear
Il ono. In life or death | shall pray for
on, and for the prosperity of the country
which 1 have passed my happiest and
days.
An interesting statement of an ATTEMPT