The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-08-26
THE WIRZ TRIAL.
Mere Of the Horrors Of An
GersOnviaae.
~-~--~>--~----~~~~~
Testimony Of Rebel Surgeon as to the
Maltreatment of Prisoners.
-~~o<~~.~>~-N~~~~~o~~~~~~>-
Copy of an Inspection Report Of the
Prison Camp.
A SIcKENlMa TALE OF SUFFERING.
&c. &c &c.
A sIcKENlMa TALE OF SUFFERING.

WASHINGTON August 25, 1896.
The court room was crowded with spectators this
morning, including women
Captain Wirz was brought in at few minutes TO
eleven O'clock
CONTINUATION OF DR.. BATES TESTIMONY.
The record Of yesterday having been read at length
the examination of DR.. John c. Bates was resumed.
Speaking Of the Andersonvle prison. he said the scurvy
there was next to rottenness; Of tho patients
could not eat because there no mastication their
teeth were loose; they frequently asked him to give
them something to eat which would not cause pain;
while DR.. Stevenson Medical Director he did not
manifest much interest in the reef OF he necessitous
the rations less than twenty twentyfour
hours; he dad not know but what would starve to
death on It, especially II the food of few articles and
monotoaous; sometimes the meat was good and some
times bad in consequence of the paucty and unwhoie
someness Of rations some Of The men starved
to death; the amputations and reamputations,
owing to ganNenous WOUNDS, were numerous;
there was plenty Of wood in the neiehbcrhood which
might have been cut 70 answer all demands: there
occasion alteration between Dr. James and
Captain Wirz, going into the hospital DR.. James
learned that his chief clcrk had been arrested and
dered TO undergo the buck and gag the clerk bucked
and was set outside Of the gate; inquiry Dr. James
found that the clerk had neglected to report man who
missing; DR.. James letter speaking Of Virus
tyranny and the clerk still continued to be punished.
A sketch in pencil, drawn by one OF the inmates Of
the prison. exhibited to the witness, who sad:-
Here il Dr. Bates No. examining the quality Of the
beef here is Dr. Bates No. giving meat and bones to
the crippes it was his prerogative, as oicer Of the
day. to supervise the cooking; when rations were to
be Issued be would frequently 60 to the place;
sometimes twenty hundred would surround
lov;c fop hnua hn uto ic
tributing bones; that Of frequent occurrence
the sketch was AR It went; but not
filed I'M there ought to be twenty forty figures in the
space where only one appeared sketched hob
bled along on crutches others crawed the ground
with tin cups in their mouths because they could carry
these articles In no other way they wanted to mash up
the bones 10 procure their contents for food.
Mr. BAEra remssked Dr. Bates looked much better
on the witness stand than he did In the sketch.
The witness thanked the gentleman for the com.
pliment
REPORT OF THE OFFICER OF THE DAY OF ANDRR-
sONvILLE PRISON.
The JuDGE ADVOCATE proposed to offer in evidence
morning report Of the surgeon acting officer Of the
day, and asked the witness 10 examine the handwriting
Mr. BAxxR objected, saying the prisoner charged
with conspiracy and murder II the defendant had
spred with other paries these be before the
No could put in testimony in relation to other par
ties and try them in their absence. Whatever put
in must bear the person before the court He asked
whether the court could try persons not before IL The
evidence sought 10 be introduced not strictly app
cable 10 the defendant There nothing TO connect
Captain wirz with this morning report and with the sur
geon in charge.
The JUDGE ADVOCATE supposed the gentleman was per
fecty that parties to conspiracy could bc tried
sngly To time he would recommend TO the coun-
sci "Rushel on Crime" and ''Starkey on Evidence"
Mr. BAKER replied that authorities showed that
where consprators TO be tried the court might,
application Of counsel elect to separate and try the
parties separately But in this case the alleged consp
rators have been before the court TO ask for
separation They were not even in custody They were
at large II was not known that they ever would be
tried In civil court he could ask that the charges be
quashed.
as follows:-
FIRST DIVISION, G. 8. N. p. HOSPITAL,
Sept 6, 1884
sm-As officer of the day for the past twenty four
hours have inspected the hospital, and ind in
rood condition the nature or the circumstances will
allow majority Of the hunks are still unsrpplied with
entirely destitute Of either hunks bedding or straw the
patients being compelled to lie upon the bare ground
would earnestly call your attention TO the article Of diet
the corn bread received om the bakery being made up
without sitting, is wholly unfit for the use OF the sick,
and often, as In the last twentyour hours upon exami
nation the inner portion is found TO be perfectly
The beef received by the patient does not amount
TO over two day And for ths past three four
davs no -four has been issued The bread cannot be
eaten by many for to do 70 would be 10 increase the
diseases of the bowels, from which large majority
are SUFFERING and i Is therefore M thrown away
Is two ounces of boiled beef and half pint OF rice soup
per day Under these circumstances all the skill that
be brought TO bear upon their cases by the medical
Another point 70 which feel it my duty to call your
attention 10 the deficiency OF medicines We have but
little moro than the indigenous barks and roots with
which to treat the forms OF disease 10 which
our attention is daily called For the treatment Of
wounds ulcers, &C, we have literally nothing except
water Our wards some of them wild with gangrene
and we are compelled TO fold our arms and look quietly
upon It's ravages not even having tmulan's 70 suppo,
being limited in supply that II can only be issued for
cases under the knife.
above facts in the hope that something may be done to
alleviate the suiIerngs of the sick am sir, very
specfully your obedient servant :, cprcos pu,r
Assistant Surgeon, p. A. c. 8. and Officer OF the Day
To Surgeon T. D. EILASD In charge, First division C.
8. NJ. p. Hospital.
ExAMryArroN OF DIR. BATES RESUMED.
The court at o'clock took recess I'LL two O'Clock,
when the direct testimony Of Dr. Bates was concluded
Cross.examned by Mr. Baker--Is resident OF Louis
ville jefferson county, Georgia and was there when the
war broke OUT up TO June 1854 remained at home
practitioner Of medicine, being consequence Of his
profession exempted from service In the Confederate
services he had had sympathy or wish To go into II
he did not vote do anything else 10 bring on the war
ho accounted himself Union man. seeing that Governor
Brown resolved 10 bring oil males between fourteen
and sixty years into the state militia he became con
tract surgeon keep out Of the state trenches he took
an oath 10 tho confederacy; was forced upon him al
the point Of the bayonc and being under durcs NJ the
| time he did not consider Il binding upon him
requsitions were mado Dr. Clayton for hospital sup
plies and not Captain Wirz never heard any blame
attached the prisoner about the badness Of rations
nor his name mentioned In that connection Capt WlrS
had always treated the witness kindly, and he never
saw him use any harse anybody. The Confed
crate soldiers had several wells on the outside Of the
prison The witness did not think they we're supplied
with water from the same source the Union prkoner
were the latter drawing their supplies from the stream
running through the prison He judged the stream o
itself not unhealthy, but the lower part of Il nigh