Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-10-06
LOCAL AFFAIRS =.
THE TRIAL OF HENRY WIRE

THE TRIAL OF HENRY WIRE.
Yesterday, after our report closed, the cross
examination Of the witness Feehnor was con-
Before witness went into the wholesale bust
ness, he peddled beer and cakes on commission,
and sold rice, SALT and tobacco, and had bought
twenty bars Of soap at s2.6o per bar, and sold
that. Before that had bought eggs Mt $3.50 per
dozen, and sold them At u per dozen. Witness
also sold his ration OF corn bread, and eat the
ration Of bacon and beans. Witness bought the
soap from man called Timber jim. Took the
Col. Chapman asked the witness he was sure
he eat all Of his ration except the corn bread.
Witness. You'd better ask me II am on my
oath.
Col. Chapman. Well, IL you ask my opinion,
should say 1t did not matter much whether you
were or not.
Witness. / have as much respect for my oath
o den. wallace said that was all wrong, and he
wanted no more such remarks,
Mr. Baker rose to say something, and
Gen. Wallace said no discussion was necessary.
The matter had been settled, and the Judge Ad-
vocate had been reprimanded
Mr.. Baker said he wished to speak upon an.
Judge Advocate was pursuing with regard to
this cross examination. 1t had come down to
petty catching up Of the witness at every point.
II was right for the Judge Advocate to contra
diet the witness II he could bat the manner In
which It was done was very offensive, and he
hoped II would be stopped. The witness comes
Of very respectable family, as he (Mr Baker,
had certificates to prove.
Col Chapman don't know anything about
that.
The witness; Ny family is Just as respectable
as yours and has as clean n record.
Mr. Baker resumed, and said he had certf-
Gates to show that the witness had aided and as
sisted many prisoners at Andersonyille. II his
testimony can be broken down let 1t be done, but
he hoped the Judge Advocate would stop this
petty way Of catching the witness At every point.
Witness resumed, and testified that he did not
about the 18th day Of July, 1854, when he got a
partner. Witness was to do the selling, and his
partner was to do the purchasing. The amount
Of sales averaged $500 per day. Could not te!
what the profits were, for they were continually
giving things away. On one occasion witness
had in his possession 5000, an amount which
the firm owed. There was good deal OF rebel
currency in circulation, ~ Of which could be
purchased for q in greenbacks. In June there
were half million dollars In greenbacks in the
stockade. Most OF this amount was brought In
by prisoners who then arrived from Plymouth,
they having received Ave or six months pay,
and brought nearly all OF their money into the
stockade with them.
made clothing out Of sacks The sacks could be
bought for one dollar apiece, aud 1t required two
sacks for pair Of pants. The sacks were fur
nished aud the tailor made the pants for - or ~
per pair. The shoemakers repaired boots and
shoes. Witness did not know how many pairs
OF shoes q man could make In day, but has
heard there were men who could make "a pairs
In day. They obtained their TOOLS from parOled
men who had worked outside for the Confeder-
ates Shoes were offered for sale every day in
the stockade. Men would walk around bare
with the shoes hanging over their arms, aud
offer them for sale. A pair Of common army
pants, In good condition, would sell for two dol
By the Court: Witness had seen men in the
stockade without clothing and without money to
purchase any over one half Of the men wore
ragged clothing man was considered we'll
dressed when he had all the clothing calculated
l.LN H.. Tx. -
OF prisoners at Andersonyille while witness was
there was thirty two thousand, and the half
million dollars spoken Of was In the hands Of
about one fourth the number.
By Col. Chapman: After witness lett Ander-
sonville he gave $500 In Confederate money for q
Jacket and a pair OF pants. The squads OF ninety
were reorganized each month, aud six buckets
. were given them each time. There were nearly
three thousand buckets in the camp for various
purposes. The man who made the greenbacks
did Il with paper and lead and green pencil.
was at that time that witness was deceived by
one Of them. The traficng kept witness very
busy after he became Wholesale dealer.
Witness acted as magistrate from July until
the time he left, and 1t WAS his duty TO hear aud
decide upon all cases brought before him, and
impose the punishment. He generally imposed
from one 70 thirty IasRes upon those who were
prisoners a. q punishmebt to be washed, and
that was imposed upon some. Witness never
saw a man go under the dead line to get water.
Has seen men Bhot ~ the dead line, Dut ala not
know they were getting water. Did not know
why the men went near the dead line to get wa
ter Instead Of going near the bridge.
By the Court: There was always q plentiful
supply OF food In the stockade that could be
bought. The ration the prisoners received was
sufficient to sustain life. It was enough in guam
tity, but was not always Of good quality. Those
who had money and paid $40 for meals at the
eating -honsss did 30 for the same reason that a
man OF means coming to Washington stops at a
hrst- class hotel aud not at . boarding. use
because he wanted something better to eat Some
OF the prisoners who had NO money and did not
get ratiohs Of course died. About one fourth Of
the camp was unable to get along with the ra
tious they drew-they could not digest them.
Witness helped all the men he could, and re =.
fused many. He could not help all, for II he
gave his whole stock away one day, he would
have none to give the next day.
Witness did not traffic solely for the purpose OF
making money! nor did he prefer making money
to helping the prisoners. Witness had at least a
doIeB visitors whom he fed daily, and he would
probably refuse ATTY others daily. There were
enough provisions at the eating houses for Ave
thousand men each day. It was not every one
who had money who could get out Of the stock
ade, About one hundred Of the principal traders
had that privilege. Witness could always pur-
eaase enough -four. Could not tell why the con
ply the hospital.
Commission adjourned until ten O'Clock thi.