Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-09-08
The Wriz Trial.
A SPECIMEN OF THE TESTIMONY.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2. The Wirz
Military Commission reassembled to-day
Mr.. 0. S. Belcher testified that he had
served in the 10th Ill. Cav, and was a
prisoner at Andersonville from the s b
of March until September, 1864. lie
thought that Capt. Wirz assumed COM
mand about the 1st Of April. On one
occasion Wirz came into the stockadc,
when a cripple, walking on crntches. ap.
preached and asked to go outside. The
request was refused, and h cripple
said he had rather b e shot than stay
there. The witness soon heard Wirz
order sentinel to tell that man if he did
not go back he would shoot him. The
man did not return, and the sentinel shot
him in the jaw. Wirz afterward threat
ened to shoot the other men if they did
not 60 away. On another occasion, while
the prisoners were being divided into
squads of hundreds, one of the men, ow.
ing to sickness, did not fall in, and Wirz
threatened to shoot him, and did shoot
him the ball went through the mans hat.
The prisoners were kept in the sun all
day, and not allowed to procure water.
If the squad could not give a satisfacto-
'ry account of any one of their number
missing, they were deprived of their ra
tons This was the case for three days
early in July. He had heard Wrz say
he was killing more Yankees than those
who were serving at the front. He had
seen 20 or 80 men shot over the "dead
line" aud others fired at who were not
over the line.
The witness gave various instances of
men being shot; one was shot for mere
y stretching his arm beyond the dead
line :" another was shot at for treading
over the line. Some of those shot were
killed and others taken to the hospital.
James II. Davidson testified that he
was a member of the Iowa Cav. and |
taken as prisoner to Andersonyille on
the Sth of March. He described the FL !
thy condition Of the prisoners. For
week he drove the dead wagon some
times twenty five men were thrown into
the wagon at a time, and on the return
he would bring wood and ratons in the
same cart. He had seen the rebel SOL
diers with shirts, blankets and shoes on
that were sent there by the Sanitary
Commission for the use of our men,
Capt. Wirz, he knew, made a breakfast
On some provisions sent there for oar
mn. lie had seen four or five hundred
boxes at the depot with supplies. They
were marked II. s." 1t was a COM
mon thing for men to be put in chain
gang. Oae man died in the chain gang
with an iron collar around his neck
He had seen The hounds there there
were two kinds, ketch dogs and bull ter
-iers. One of the dogs badly tore the
flesh from mans leg. Another man
was hanging up his clothes, which he had
washed TO dry; one Of the pieces blew
over the dead line" lie stepped be-
yond the line to get the piece and was
ired upon and shot through the breast.
Another man had reached hey the
inc for some crumbs of bread, when be
was shot in the head. Wirz shot a man
4 short time after he assumed command
IF the prison; the man was sick, lying
IN the ground, and asked Wirz for some
hing, when Wirz shot him. Wirz re-
marked that he was killing more Van.
iees than Lee was at Richmond. This
vas said in August. Wirz was at the
ime with the witness in the graveyard
n the wagon with a dead body. The
witness had seen men starve to dealb.-
Food was so scarce at one time that
ONE OF them picked up particles o. fco J
hat had already passed through the sys- 4
EN-.