The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-10-07
!, THE WIRZ TRIAL.
a Very Intelligent Witness on the
-. Stand.
ne GETS VERY MUCH MIXED.
He Docs Not Know that the New York News
s8-s is a DislOyal Sheet.
He Understands that the Brooklyn Eagle
il "a Good Democratic Paper"
-. 10. -.

il "a Good Democratic Paper"
-. 10. -.
wAsHrSGros, Oct g. 1855.
The Whz Military Commission reassembled this morn
sng.
Augustus Klech, of the Eighth Pennsylvania cavalry,
testified that he taken q prisoner to Anderson
willie; Captain wirs was sick in August and continued
DO for . month; meanwhile Lieutenant Davis was In
pommand; he never heard or Capt wirz shoot
linjure man.
Cross examined by Colonel CmrMAN-wness was the
Aostler OF Captain wirz obtained place outside the
ytockade because there not enough to eat within
those outside obtained double raons; he drew clothing
Ewice; no knew that Capt. wirz sick in August,
because he heard so; wirz would for
nothing at all and would sometimes pull fellows along
roughly.
Martin s. Harris Of the Fifth New York cavalry testi
He'd that he prisoner at Andersonvie from July
20 November l. 1864; he sergeant Of division Of
ninety men; on the 10th Of September the prisoners
commenced removing the dead line 1t continued down
until the middle of OCTOBER during the abolition Of this
post regulation the prisoners had unrestricted intercourse
with everybody about this time Captain Wirz ordered
sutler leave the stockade for cxiorton telling the
prisoners help themselves from his stock of goods
serving the potatoes and other vegetables for the sick;
camp had been rcorganizcd and that the provisions
would be more abundant and regular; the Captain
and permitted the squads, under guard, to 60
out every day and and bring in wood ;
united to gather pine tops witness never heard of Cap
tain Wirz shooting maltreating any OF the prisoners
he had him commit actual violence but had
sometimes hoard him curse the men, the main avenue
of the prison lined with stores and trading places
while there many itinerant vendors of soap,
dies, knives and other things; salt was sold by the
bakers to the traders 1t was thrown over the
wall at night in bags; IN the middle OF Oc
t0ber he wrote note TO Captain Wirz saying that
owing way the salt disposed Of the prisoners
could not obtain sufficient supply and requesting that
some action be taken by him in the premises; Captain
Wirz Immediately issued an order prohibiting the sale
Of salt in the stockade and conscang the supply In the
traders hands after this there was percepuble taste
: of salt in tho bread. sM
Cross cxamined by Colonel CmpMAs-Thcre were pen-
~ Of wells in the sockade but those who acquired them
by purchase dug them kept them for their use
they would sell cupful Of water for chew Of tobacco
. piece Of tobacco two inches squace and very thin
would he sold for twenty five cents; the water In the
crock never 1T to drink; not being trader he had
extended opportunity for seeing all that going
In the stockade about twenty out Of the division Of
ninety under charge the witness ddtan Of them in
che stockadc-prncipaly Of diarrhGa; six Of the
maindcr too sick to travel to Millcn; he
die for the of proper food and not because Of
lack Of sufficient quantity OF u; they could not
soro with scurvy; the witness never any bat
te he captured by General Early sadvanced guard
there not lying by him at the time either jug or
bottle OF whskey he, however, could not tell how drunk
he at the time Of his capture; he was lying with his
lae down. when the rebels pounced upon him and took
raj letters TO the New York Daily Ntos purportne to
give plain statement or facts, to that Justice
done 70 fellow man he selected that paper because
was acquainted with the editor, who was personal
friend OF his. t~tf
O. Do you not know that that paper was in sympathy
with the rebellion A. do not.
q Did you not know II was called "copperhead
sheet and justly 50; and did you not know tina, il at
tackled the government during the war; A. never
knew ts character until ntly; did not know when
wrote tho letters what kind Of paper it was; was
ulcA hv NJ In Uiv
formation on the subject could and did so.
Mr. scHApx tho prisoners counsel, here intcrposed,
sayng that he found that the New York Daily Ncs
loyal paper supporting tho policy OF President John
He therefore did not know why it should be called
Colonel CmrxAN replied that he was very we'll aware
why Mr. Schade did not it.
Mr. ScHs D. said that no objection whatever taken
Of them says a word in his defence offence Is taken
Colonel HpNAS remarked that the competency Of q
witness was the basis Of all testimony. III he be in
sympathy with the rebellion without being in the war
and put himself In connection with these against the
government and seek an interview with the editors Of
rebel Sheets proerng his services and writing letters in
accordance with his sympathics It proper to show
chat hs not competent witness This witness on
ihc stand would be shown In sympathy with the ro5e
-iion. 1910 ~ 4. NJ III.
Mr. B,xxR said that he had not thus cndeavorcd to
1mpcac the witnesses Of the government When no did
80 he hoped that he might DO pitched out Of the window
Colonel CmrxAN replied that when such cloud o. wit
and when nc found that this witness-thcr comradc In
arms-had testified that AndcrsonvIc was lind over
: aowins wth milk and honey he suspected such wit
asss no did not believe TINT the presumption his
favor. He owed this much to these suffering Union
prisoners, who percd their lives In defence Of their
county nnd against whom there was not shadow or
Mr. BAKER replied that what the Judge Advocate pro
posed TO do was legitimate; but the in which IL
was continued did more credit to his heart than to his
did not do Justice to the prisoner He was gov.
crned too much by his zeal. The Judge Advocate
must understand that counsel claim that all which
nv mi tHo
prison at Andcrsonvle not true rs attaching TO
Captain wz; and further they intended do all they
the minds Of the Court they had put and would put re.
spectacle witnesses the stand to impress
sions II they could do away with the testimony OF the
government witnesses they would do Mr. Bakcr then
asked that this grave trial should not be brought down
the level Of before justice Of the peace where
everybody is either insutcd or offended.
Colonel CnlPSAS said an to the duties OF Judge Ad-
ry law he both tho counsel for the accused and for the
government; that theory Is exploded when the ,scd
himself selects counsel; and when, like this defendant
ne is attended by friends and counsel in the front and
rear, removes the obligation Of the Judge Advocate to
net as his counsel.
Mr. BAKER said that the questions were irrelevant,
and, therefore ought not TO be asked.
The C,URr did not sustain Mr. Bakers biecton
Tho witness sad that he saw Benjamin Wood the pro-
prietor Of the Daily News, twice IN his Office; he went
90 him TO make correction In his letter. he publish
two letters In the Ns,c about affairs mt Andersonvlc;
no did not know how he To be subpanaed The
witness further said that he wrote letters for the Brook
In reply to question asked by Colonel Chapman the
witness saId that he did not know that the u o kyn
Eigte was more dsloyal 10 the government than the
Duty Mos Anticipating the trial he had written
defence OF Captain wirz.
q Don't you think IL remarkable that you selected
the New York Daily Nsus and tho brooklyn EIgie9 A.
had never heard the character Of the Day Neos for
LOYALTY and considered the Eagle first rate democratic
rnewsWpcr.
Mr. ScuADE again cbectcd to the questions OF the
Judge Advocate on tho ground that the News and Eagle
not trial here, and no understood that they
both loyal and sustaining the policy Of President
johnson.
The CouRr ovcrrued Mr. schadc's objection
Frederick Roth then testified TO affairs Anderson
vile.
Andcnonvc and frequently carried food TO one of tho