The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1865-11-29
Cant Wirz's Last Hours.
IS. SAYS

A Washington dispatch OF the 9tn INST, says:
The efforts to secure the postment of the execution of
Wrz or the Communication of his sentence continued to-
day. Schade and Baker had another interview at noon
to-day with the president who listened carefully to
reasons which presented to him. They spoke of
the unreiabty of much of the testimony presented in
trial by the government and also lay great stress upon
the fact that Wirz physically weak to be
ted, and that the execution was postponed, he must
soon die natural death.
They declared that If he taken to the scaold to-
morrow, with his in its present painful condition.
that he would faint his old wound having broken out
atresh The president replied that he would carefully
anything could be DONE and from this remark the
counsel have some hope that there will be mitigation
of the sentence.
The counsel of Wirz have had m interview with him
to-day, and they represent him in christian state of
mind He still declares his innocence and asserts that
he never shot single Union soldier The prisoner
sent for Gen Baker to-day, with whom he had brief
private interview
Another dispatch of the 10th, gives the following
graphic account of the scene at the gallows:
On the gallows he declared his innocence. He died
without exhibiting any symptoms Of fear.
This morning father Boyle administered the sacra-
ment to Capt Wrz and father Wigget, also of the Ro
catholic church, then placed upon the prisoner
black cambria, remarkng, as he did So Lhope this will
be turned into white one in the other world"
At 90 minutes past 10 O'clock Capt Wirz came from
his CELL in the old capitol prison. accompanied by pro-
vost marshal Russell and other officers and by fathers
Boy and Wgge and passing between military guards
they assembled the seaoid the prisoner then seated
The scaold 70 feet square and % feet to the top
beam, with trap II feet from the ground. The guard
consisted of the 10th Pennsylvania volunteers and
three detachments Of the reserve corps under
command Of Capt Walbridge, military superintendent
Of the old capitol prison.
There were several hundred spectators present besides
the military, the civilians having been admitted on spe-
cial passes.
Amid profound silence provost marshal Russell pro-
ceeded to read the order OF the department founded
the verdict of the martial which tried the
prisoner
When the reading of the order was completed, Wirz
conversed with those the platform with seeming
hdence and sepoSsession, and remarked that he
had a smiling countenance To his spiritual advisers
he said 81 am innocent. | have to die; but can die
like man. have hope in the future have nothing
more to say"
His legs and hands were tied the moose passed around
his neck and the black cap placed over his face. lie
stood erect without faerng, evidently having neryed
himself for the solemn event Those the platform
retired to the railing leaving the doomed man in the
centre of the structure. After few moments of pro-
found quiet the drop, Mt preconcerted signal fell
The sound thus occasioned having reached the ears
of the promiscuous crowd outside of the cid capitol
grounds, but who not privileged to view the exc
cuton was responded to by repeated shouts Of appro-
bation
The convict, directly after falling was considerably
conyulsed in his legs, but the agony soon over He
hug about fifteen minutes, and was then cut down.
His body was laid stretcher and conveyed to the
prison where it was placed in coffin and transferred
to father Boyle for nterment His neck was broken by
the fall
1t has been asserted to-day that during Wirz's i'm
prisonment attempt made by his wife to poison
him. During her last interview, she kissed him as
usual, when they parted, and, at the time depos-
tied in his mouth very small VIAL containing arsenic
This was quickly detected by Gen. Baker who was
present. and he seized Wiz by the throat compelling
him to spit out the article 1t was kept secret at the
time in order to find out who furnished Wrzs wife the
poison Gen. Baker relates these details of this plot
which seems to leave no doubt Of its truth,