Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-05
The WiFZ Trial.
ThirtietIl Day.

WASHINGTON, October AT the Wirz
trial this morning, \. Morsner, prisoner,
testified that the Tations were stopped from
squads of prisoners wherever a man was
:, until he wits accounted for Boxes
sent by the Sanitary Commission and
friends of the prisoners, arrived several
times, but their contents were never dis
tributcd inside the stockade. One lot con-
tanned clothing, and Wirz gave about $50
paroled men each Il suit, except shoes.
There were only about fifty pairs of shoes,
and these he gave to those most needing
them. Other things were turned over TO
the hospital, where Wirz had nothing to
do with them Wirz furnished tools for
the prisoners to dig wells. There were
about forty or fifty boys were in the stock
ade. Wirz requested DR.. White to take
them into the hospital, and said that if he
(Wirz) had his way he would send them
into the Union lines, as they would only
get sick and die. He finally sent them to
pick blackberries for the sick. Witness
learned, however, that the nurses made
pies of the berries, and the sick got none
DR.. White ordered vaccination, and Wirz
said to man, who refused to be vaccinated,
that he did not care if hedied, as the order
was not given by himself. The chain
gang was formed under the commanders
orders, when plot to escape was discOv-
cred. Wirz was sick in July, and Lieut..
Davis was in command. In September
Wirz came back very sick.
4. Morsner testified that after he had
been taken prisoner to Andersonville he
was paroled and sent to Captain Wirz's
office as clerk. He had to carry orders to
the stockade and morning reports to Gen
eral Winder's headquarters. Requisitions
were made OUT every day. They stated
the number of prisoners and Of those on
duty outside of the stockade. The guam
tity of rations was left blank, and the
Commissary would see how many men
were present and would then know how
many rations they would have to furnish.
Every morning a list was made of the
number of ratiOns each regiment had got
from the cook house. Witness carried the
list to Duncan and left it with him, and
did not remember of ratiOns being stopped
for the entire camp. They were som
times stopped in the squads when a m a
was missing. As soon as a Federal ser
geant could answer for the man the rations
were renewed. If he reported him escaped
or sick they were returned. Boxes from
the ortharrived three times. Some were
mne by the Sanitary Commission and some
by the friends of prisoners. Witness saw
many boxes outside of the stockade, and
one of the clerks told him the boxes were
for men who were dead or could not be
found When the second lot of boxes was
received Lieutenant Davis was in COM
mand. He gave the contents of the boxes
to the men outside of the stockade. There
were 50, 1000 prisoners inside the stockade
ia the time. The third lot of boxes was
received in November They were taken |
to the store house near near Wirz's office. |
He sent down for all the paroled men,
about 100, and every one got whole |
suit of clothes, except shoes. About |
fifty pair of shoes received and he gave |
them to those most in need. Other things |
had been turned over to the hospital |
Witness had seen some colored men get |
things \ confederate sergeant was in |
charge of the colored men and he came |
over and obtained some clothing. There |
NAV have thirty or boxes more belonging to
The prisoners which could not be found.
Captain Wirz had nothing to do with the
boxes after they We're turned over to the
Surgeon. General Windcr gave an order
o search Stonemans raiders. The boxes
we're searched to ascertain whether they
contained liquor. Captain Wirz gave
Duncan some tools, picks and shovels, in
,rder to enable the pioneers to dig wells.
He also gave Duncan orders to provide ths
prisoners with barrels to put down in
he weels to keep the dirt from falling in.
"A