New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-09-02
THE WIRz TRIiL YESTERDAY.
Filthy Condition of the Prison
Eng the Institution was Governed.
WASHINGTON. Friday. Sept. l. 1865.

FeI tfe stocks; ne was thus punished for trying 70
sspe on one occasion prisoner stepped "u' Oh lne
t.I ~ ask Capt. Wiz 10 transfer kim 10 another
T. when Wirz Immediately ordered him ,bach,
rfng HIM and threatening 10 shoot him; tne WltLeSs
,,ffd at iepeth 10 the tlhy condition OF TIE prison
ts,erch was 50 bad While he was on duly IN Tue
Esfe that ne was sick pretty much al the time; ne
~ oilers made complaints TO TIER officers on the SUD
a.. a man Who sick. lying on The ground cG,lns
he distress for bis mother asked the witness for tent
.,i,ls but be could give tie articles, as II was
,sust orders; the prisoners were dc pTved OF VeseIa
NJ including onions, which they had purchased at
10 ree; he knew that hounds were Kept at tue pIIsO
n scent those who had escaped.
o-s,-qmintd by the DcfeHse-WitnesS was con.
,.rnted into the Confederate service he mad never
M any Of the prisoners shot, did he shoot any OF
lem; be never had orders 10 shoot prisoners who
,,,ssed ihe dead line the honnGs were common
,isststion dOes aud not particularly ugly nor Sayage
Lad never seen u man bitten by then.
Cant j. Heath, who had been on duty in the Ander-
,1ve Prison in the Confederate service testified that
/. August 1904 Wirz sent 10 men 20 bin 10 be roned
i-ey brought by Provost, Marshal otioeLed 70
Gen WinGcr's headquarters; the next day II OF tho
man were MOned one OF them had got away when the
lognds put Lis scent me mal was discovered
M a tree and pistol was fred at him; WIZ COM
minded hin 10 come down; the man asked that the
dogs might net be permitted 10 bite him; the dogs
however attacked him soon Gs he dies ended biting
At bis legs; WIZ could have taken The prisoner but
1l not call the hounds Off lie recoeced Of sizes man
hang puf in the ch0in.gang he did not know whether
be man died not; he did not like to tell what aed
tie man. there being ladies in the Courtroom. -,
r0degtv tell what allied the man.
The witness then said the man bad the diarrhea. and
Eose with whom he chained, said they would be
damned If thew would be fasteDed to such man "
They had 10 rave at The same time 10 The place
for tie purpose namely 10 the snA. The wit"ess
lad the prisoner knock down twoor three persons
Orce when tie Of the prisoners commenced,
because of the tried 10 get out IN squad 10 which
be did rot belong.
The witness was crossexamined al some length by
tie defense saving among other things, before the
sOckade was extended he heard Capt NirZ say If any
Tore prisoners sent thither there would not be
,OOn enough for them.
The Court took II recess from till 2 O'clock
When the Court reassembied Gen. Thomas. men,
ofthe Court, called attention article which ap
reared IN yesterdays EreniHR S.or follows:
0Ihe records of the Andcrsonviile Prison. captured
b1 Gen Wilson and furnished by the War Department
10 the expedition sent 70 AndersOnvile BY Secretary
Stanton to lsy out cemetery, and mark the graves Of
or soldiers who died in the prison Ia that place, have
tarDed I'D missing Since the return Of the party
the clerks Of tie Qlarteruasters Department, who
accompanied the expedition and In whose hands the
records were last seep has been placed under arrest Dv
he military authorities until ne give satiSGct ~
account Of the disposition made Of them 1t Is thought
b some that IL the records were stolen nOtead OF lost
was for the purpose of preventing their use IS
evidence against Wirz the keeper Of the AudersOnyIe
prison. low being tried by Court Martial here
Gen Thomas said he wanted the prisoner tried
ay and therefore asked whether was true that the
records had leen lost or stolen.
Col Chipman replied tie hospital records and the
register Of deaths with one exception were n charge
Ofthe Clerk of The Commission. lie CiQ not know On
Vhat the article in The Star was based The Govern
nen. Intended introduce the records at tie proper
tine.
M Baker said he knew nothing about them.
Col Chipmau remarked that the allegation in The Sar
vas so indefinite that il impossible TO tel whether
the papers alluded to have ever been in the possession
o. tie Government or not. He repeated the hospital
cd death register were not stolen and Wouc De IN
h0ducod at the proper time.
Mr. Baker knew nothing about the statements in the
newspapers. He had read them. As far as the
L.. COULD u.
happy to have produced all records bearing upon the
Anders0nville prison He asked that all the prisoner
ever did be laid before The Court.
Col Chapman said The article could not relate 10 the
papers in his custody.
Mr Baker asked, if not inconsistent with the Judge
Adyoeates duty. that the records should be placed
where the couUse for the defense could have access TO
them.
Col Chipman-If you can convince me that I am
not capable of taking cane Of them, viii d. so.
Mr. Baker-We made the request with the provisO
that 1t could be done consistently VITA your duty.
Col. Cbpman-1bat Is another question
Mr. Baker-That was al We Osked In al sincerity for
our client.
Col. Cbapmsn-Itis not eousisters with my duty TO
prOluce the papers
Mr. Baker-We made the request evilly ior iLforma.
t0n. We need al the papers very mrCh
Wm. Di.ard. late L. tie rvice Of the Confederate
Army at AndersonVille testified TO the filthy state Of
the prison and tie mseTable cordton Of the prisoners.
owing TO the want OF The ossGres Of life aud from
other He gave fact in co1eeuon with men in
the changing or hunted iy tOuncs.
Calvin HOueycutb, who vas also N the Rebel service
a. Andeisonye said he s1w CfDt. Wiz draw his ps-
tOl and threaten 10 shoot man sick for not
starting up IN line. l1lsOners attempting to escape
were hunted b) hounds. de saw one who was torn in
tie leg by them. AsOti,r man WINS whipped on the
bare back with sick because IL BACKED lis face aud
attempted 20 escape With gang Of regIC,s.
James Mahsn who as a.su IN the Confederate army
and duty at Anderson Ie tes ed that ne and the
Assistant Provost Marshal tO0k - ncn TO the black
.h shop 70 have iron collars anu G. aims fastened on
them; he received his verbal orders from Capt Wirz,
through an orderly sergeant; one OF the men called
"PreDcby" however. made his escape; Capt. Wirz
tad when he beniG Of IL: THAT damned Frenchy has
escaped again end he sent for the dogs which got on
tae trail OF the man, who captured toe stream;
Niz got of h- horse and alongside Of the dogs;
Tie witness judged that 1T Wirz who fired the pis
oi Ut the man; the mans trousers torn by the
cogs; be did not know whether the flesh was injured;
vaess had heard Wirz remark that he wished all the
lsisorers were in he'll, and himself with them.
ile witnesses aforementioned were cross-examined
q lesgih The last one said IL was laborods and
11s!oIs task 10 take care OF the prisoners ana nc
eah think that any one would be ambitious to have
ne situation
Judge Daniel Hall of Georgia, residing ten miles
ron AndersOnviNe, testified: lie frequently visited
us Vicinity Of the prison; in December 1854, the place
Ssso crowded that there really seemed 10 be no room
i0f more; over Capt. Wirzs Office was sign
g.simg these words: "COmmandant Of the Interior
Ffson While there he saw him draw req uisitIOns for
tAons; the act OF the Confederate Congress required
tNhth Of the farm products to be delivered TO the
o'eihmeni and paid in tax; the act was generally
,sMpled Sith the supplies were gathered at Ogle-
"VVsPe, W5lch Is ten meg from AndeTsonville.
M Deeker, IN the crOss-examinatOn asked the pIis
orst whether he knew how the prison came TO be so
SVscec. lie witness replied that he only knew from
at zen Nluder told bin. viz: that tie pTlso,
v Or ioOuO only; but that the rushing Of additional
pSOneIs rom Libby, Belle Island and other points
TvsNef hiehmond. in consequence OF Dahlgrel's and
1Sr.Peulcks raid, OvercrOwded the prison. Gen.
Ilhser was proceeding TO enlarge the prison, but lie
h1 De could not procure sufficient timber and labor;
~. ite ueheGa informed him that he had Impressed all
Wv ~ sawmlls be could. and unable TO furnish all
se prisoners with shelter; the witness was asked by
"irder 10 contract for two houses at Oglethofpe