The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-02
The Wirz Trial.

"a nc
Thomas, member of the court for tbs
trial of Captain Wirz, said this mornins
that he understood the prisoner had
been handcuffed while in prison. Wish.
ing to ameliorate his condition, he could
seeno necessity forsuch rigid treatment
especially as the prisoner is always at.
tended by guards. Sss -.
Colonel Chapman explained that the
Handwriting was at the instance of the
counsel for the accused, as on the dav
his counsel deserted him he said that he
! would never again appear in court. and
as the prisoner seemed to mediate
suicide.
Mr.. Baker said he now saw no neces-
sity for Handwriting, and presumed that
the continuance of it arose from misap-
prehension, and would not be repeated
from anything heretofore said by the
prisoners counsel.
| Col. A. w. Persons, at one time COM
mandlng the post at Andersonville,
showed that Wirz was assigned to the
prison BY Gen. Winder, and had full
control of it. The witness gave de-
scrlption of the prison, and its insult
ficiency to shelter the prisoners, and its
locality, and stated that he had subse-
9uently prayed the judge in the neigh.
borhood to abate the nuisance from the
graveyard stencil, &C., but was obliged
to abandon the case at the instance of
General Cobb. Witness had the prison
enlarged while he was there. about q
third more than the former size. Cant
Wirz had nothing to do with the size
and was in no way accountable for it
Witness addressed his communication
direct to General Winder, and had also
communicated facts in regard to the
prison to the department Commanders
Gen. Cobb and Gen. Mercer, at Savan,
nah. The dead line was slight railing
and was established as precautionary
measure, and he thought because there
was combination to tear down the
stockade discovered. Without this
measure 1t would have been impossible
for the small number of troops to have
guarded the prison properly.
Benjaman F. Clark, who had been for
three years in the rebel Purveyor's De-
partment at Richmond, testified to the
limited quantities of supplies, and had
no recollection of any requision having
been received from the Andersonyille
Prison. The same medicines were is
sued to Federal prisoners as to Confede.
rate troops. -
James Van Valkinburg, resided in
Georgia, and stated that in the section
OF the country about Andersonville crops
have been of more than average, taking
in consideration the crops being of pro-
visions. The law was that farmers
should turn in tenth of their crops to
the Confederate Government. At yari-
Gus points the government had large
Qtnrn. hnnGac Gl1nA Vfrith nj
gar, &c. ... '-...
Sergeant Boston Corbett'was recalled
said he had seen prisoners shot during
every month of his Imprisonment
Many. of the prisoners were nearly
naked. There were desperadoes in the
camp, whow would assault the other pri-
soners and take their rations. At the
time of witness arrival, he was told that
six desperadoes had been hung the dav
before. If the desperadoes had been ar
rested by the rebel authorities and pun
ished, the men would have had no occa-
sion to punish them. In regard to pun
ishing guilty offenders, Captain Wirz |
was not strict. Witness had seenIa good |
many hounds. Witness thought the |
same power kept the hounds from tear
ing him that kept the lions from tearing |
Daniel: that God in whom he trusted.
DIR. Castln testified that he had been
on duty at Andersonville as surgeon of
the Third Georgia Reserves. Occasion
ally saw the prisoners in the stockade
their condition was deplorable. The
stencil was horrible.
Several othe witnesses were examined
~ to the condition of the prison and
other facts in that connection, when the |
court adjourned till Friday. ''''' l7'r''