Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-09-25
The Wirtz Trial.

ing. Capt. Writ, Immediately fter.being
brought into court, laid down upon the
sofa, still being too weak to sit up.
Sergeant Gray, whose testimony towards
the close of the proceedings, yesterday
caused the pris0nerso much distress, was
cross examined to-day. In reply to a ques-
tionby Mr.. Schade, he said that he belived
in punishment after death When he ar
rived at Andersonville as a prisoner, his
pocket book and cavalry coat were taken
from him. His boots had been removed
from his feet at the time. of his capture.-
The witness gave an affecting account of
the sufferings of the prisoners.
Capt j. IL. Wright of the 55th Georgia
regiment, was recalled, and testified that
in absence of the Post Captain, Wirtz had
command and, cOunterSigned turlough pa
pers, The witness Superintended the ex-
tension OF the prison grounds, eleven acres
having been added to them. Capt. Wirtz
maderequisitions upon him for axes, which
he had no difficulty in supplying. Fuel
could have been supplied if the prisoners
had been allowed to 60 out after it under
guard.
-, Cross examined by Mr.. Schade': Far
lOughs were approved by Cabtain Wirtz.
When the latter acted in the place of Gen.
/ Winder, he could give furloughs for thirty
days, and when acting under Col. Parsons,
furloughs for seven days. They never had
sufficient transportation at Andersonville.
Jarvis Dyer, 18th U., S.. colored troops,
testified that Capt. Witt proposed to the
colored prisoiiers that If they took the oath
to the South they could choose their own
masters, and some of the guards said that
Capt. Wirtz declared he would make the
white prisoners join the Confederates by
starving them. Witness was for some time
a servant at the house of DIR. White, and
was ordered thither by Wirtz, for which he
reteiveH no pay. Capt. Writ brought to
Dr.White three Thousand letters addressed
to Union prisoners. He handed them to
Capt. Reeds wife, who was staying there.
She took everything out of the letters, such
as money, needles and thread, pictures,
etc., Mrs. Reed rhughed at the contents'of
the letters, making fun OF them, and then
ordered him to burn them. He had seen
Confeds wearing the clothing which had
been sent to prisoners. He heard one Of
the surgeons at DIR. Whites say, II have
poisoned five Yankees to-day" and another
would say, II have poisoned ten" They
were laughing and drinking at the time.
He had also heard the surgeons say they
were going to vaccinnate and take off the
arms of the Yankees. They would be fre-
queltly laughing about the prison. Mrs.
!
which she kept in box until the prison
was brokenup. He did not know what be-
come of the money. -,t-... f.,r,. .r..
| Judge Advocate Chapman here read an
| agreement entered into between the Judge
\ Advocates and the counsel for the prisoner,
by which the.h5spftal recordand death reg
lister and such other records as shall be dis
covered, may be received in evidence, eX-
cept in cases where objection may be legal
ly interposed. Judge Advocate Chpman
then said that the Government would in
formally close their case to-day, reserving
the right, however, to examine witnesses
who may be found touching new natter
and he would offer some record evidence
connecting the Richmond authorities with
Andersonville prison. Trnr
Mr.. Baker said he could not 90 it blind
by consenting to such an arrangement.
Col. Chapman replied that tlie evidence
referred to Davis, Lee and others of the
rebel Government, and counsel had no
right to object to testimony which did not
personally affect his client.
Mr.. Baker said that prisoner was charged
with conspiring with parties named, as
well as with parties not named. He did
not know who the latter were. If the
Judge Advocate introduced matter which
had nothing to do with Capt Writ, then,
OF course, he had no objection.
Col. Chapman said there was public and
material necessity to show up the infamy
OF those men. Ts,l EoE H5. OF aL
The Court inquired of Judge Advocate
Chapman whether he had such testimony
at hand, and whether witnesses had been
sent for.
Col. Chapman replied, that many of them
had prevaricated or concealed facts, which
made it necessary for Government to take
extraordinary measures TO get at the truth.
The evidence was less material to the de-
fendant than to the trial, and was of gen.
eral character. He could not tell when he
could procure, the testimony. If this re-
quired defense Government would not re-
sist an application for continuance.
Mr, Baker asked the Commission to ad-
Ijourn for at least a week from next Tues
day, for the following reasons: ,v
First! That coming into the case at the
day of its opening,' have had mo time to
do more than keep along daily withsthe eX-
animation of witnesses put upon the stand
by the prosecution; have had no time to
inform myself what witnesses defense have
had, norswhat they will testify to generally,
nor upon what points any certain witnesses
will testify upon. Upon all these matters
| must inform myself by calling our wit
nesses together and learning from them
what they know and upon what facts in
the case they can testify. To do this re-
qures time, which l must ask most respect
fully of the court. "'' ''' ".. ,,..
!, Second. There are many points in the
prosecution just closed, as there always are
in every case, and more especially in cases
of the magnitude of this, which admit and
!, require at our hands complete refutation
and contradiction. This, | know, can be
done, but it necessitates the great labor OF
overlooking testimony and documents OF
} importance, which, numbering several
thousand pages, requires esmuchresearch and
time. l.a b1lh.r -r1r. r'5-rr' ~. 1fo'
"A third reason, and which i regret to Of
fer, is, that the labors devolying upon me
in this case have proven quite too heavy,
and my own health requires that should
have few days rest. 1 regret very much
to ask favor of this Court for reasons per-
sonal to myself, but when | state to the
Court that | am unable to go on further
with the case without rest | trust the Court
4 will do me the, honorqto believe that the
statement does not come from any wish to
unnecessarily delay the case, but from my
impaired condition of health. prihrsl. ,.,. i
A fourth reason, and an all important one
in our defense, is this, and to give it more
weight with this court by being more clear
ly seen, I must state it in comparison with
the means and powers of the Governments
Government has shown commendable dis
position to do severally what could be made
strongly to appear to be necessary for the
defendant, but it should bear in mind that
il had convened many months before the
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