Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-16
DAILY LEADER.
THE DIARY OF CAPTAIN wIRz.
HIS ProtestatfOn of InnOeenee-Run-
ming Comment ON the Trial.


The New York Tribune of the l4tl
inst, publishes the diary of Henry Wirz
kept in prison, from which we make som,
extracts;
OLD CAPITOL PRIsoS, Oct. l. 1855.
Everything is quiet around me. Nc
sound but the measured steps of the senti.
mel in the corridor can be heard. The
man who is sitting in my room is nodding
in his chair. Poor short-sighted mortals
that we all are. This man is put in nv
room to watch me, to prevent any attempt
l might forcibly make to take my own
life. My life-what is it worth to any
one except myself and my poor family
that they should be SO anxious ? Think
l understand it very we'll; they are afraid
l might cheat them and the public at
large from having their revenge, and Civ
ing, at the same time, the masses the ben
eft of seeing a man hung. If that is all,
they are welcome.
The second reason why / did not des-
troy a life which is a burden to me, is be-
cause l owed it to myself, my family, my
relations, even the world at large, to prove
that there never existed a man so utterly
devoid of all humanity, such a fend in
~carnate, as it has been attempted to prove
me 20 be. 1 see very well that 1 have no
earthly show-that l am a doomed man;
but thanks be to God that 1 am enabled to
say with Stephanus, Lord, lay not this sin
to my charge. They judge from what
they hear and 1 must abide by it.
1t makes me feel very sorry, and at the
same time l could almost smile when 1
see men like Col. Parsons and Captain
Wright give their testimony how careful
they first weigh every word how afraid
they are to say something which might,
perhaps, implicate themselves 1 pity
them. A day will come when they will
be sorry that they took not a more manly
stand than they did. Perhaps one of the
hardest things l have to bear is when /
hear such men speak now and recollect
what they have said, and how they acted
a year ago. Then they did not say that
they did not wish to associate with me.
Oil no; then they visited my house and
invited me to theirs. But enough. l de-
spise and always have despised 8 coward
My wife has tried again to see me TO-
day, but could not because Gen. Baker, |
who, by order of the Secretary of War, |
has to be present at the interview, is still
sick. l think it is pretty hard beause a
is sick, l have been deprived new for
two weeks of almost the only joy-to see
my poor wife. 1t looks to me that, among
the hundreds of officials at Washington, |
one could be entrusted with the fearful re-
sponsibility to let a sick prisoner see his
wife, talk with her for thirty minutes
their dear children, their domestic
affairs. But why should l grumble or
nave any bitterness in my heart 2 L think
1 ought to be proud that a government
like the Government of the United States
considers me Of such importance to take
such extraordinary measures.
For five weeks have l asked in vain to
have the permission to see a minister OF
the gospel-to get such consolation as l
thought I needed, Part of the time l was
at deaths door; and finally, on yesterday,
l was allowed to see the Rev. Father
Boyle; but during the whole time, except
confession, the officer was present.
[ think it is high time to blot out the eagle
in the American escutcheon, and substi-
5ute q buzzard. 1 have heard, when l
a boy, that the eagle was the king of
birds if he is, how is it that he stOops SO
low to, tear with his talons an humble Cap
and is afraid to strike men such as l
could name. Poor eagle, 1 pity thee; thy
acts are more like those of a buzzard.
OCTOBER 3, lS65,-What, q mockery is
this trial. feel at times as if l ought to
speak out aloud and tell them why do you
wrong yourself and me too? Why not
end the game at once2 Take me and
hang me, and be done with it. A few
lays 1 asked to arrange my defense: it
was refused on the ground that l had
time. Ample time indeedl May
he day be far distant for Gen. Wallace
when hemay plead with grim death for a
Law, and receives the answer, Mol ! just
received a note from my wife, saying she
lad tried in every way to see me, but
impossible. She says she is going to her
in kentucky, and hopes to be able
% do more for me there than in remain
here. Poor, deluded woman, what do
7ou expect to accomplish, what can you
10 for me but pray2 Oh, what a cOnsola-
ion is # to a person in a situation like
nine, that there is in the wide, wide
at least one being that will pray for
ne. Yes, pray; but pray for myself, the
'oad thou hast to travel is a hard one;
when thou fndest out that when you
pressed my hand two weeks ago, when
by lips touched mine, it was in all prob
lbility the last time, then dost thou need
IL the comfort prayer can give. May
rod bless you, and take care of you and
he dear, dear children. 1 must end.
Everything swims before my eyes. God,
N, God have mercy upon me.
OCTOBER s, l865.-When I left the
to-day, 1 heard alady remark:
L wish 1 could shoot put his eyes" mean
ng me. Foolish womanl The time will
,ome when my earthly eyes are shut up
re you in such a hurry2 But it is very
natural that people do think and pass such
'emarks. For weeks and weeks they have
heard men testify to cruelties done by me,
md now a very slim chance have l to
contradict these statements. 1t seems to
as if Gen. Wallace had a personal spite
me or my counsel, or he would not
the way he does. If he has one against
ne, 1 pity him that he has not more mag
1animity of soul than to crush me in such
N unheard of arbitrary way; if he has a
pite against my counsel, it is a cowardly
Ict to do as he does, for in the end l am
he sufferer, and not my counsel.