Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-09-23
Trial Of Henry Wirz.
The Prisoners Poisoned by
the Surgeons.
Prisoners Letters opened and
the Contents Stolen.
The Defence 10 be Opened on Tuesday Next
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1865.
UNITED STATES MILITARY COMMISSION
= GAY LRM. WALLACE. Preaident.

UNITED STATES MILITARY COMMlSSlON-
- 0RN. LRw. WALLACE, President.
Ma; SGL; n 7; 4 CstrsHS HOME Judge Advocates,
Tho Commission met this morning at ten
o'clock. All the members present-the Judge
Advocates and Mr.. schade, one Of the counsel for
the accused.
wIrz was allowed to remain In his room during
the reading Of the proceedings. At half past
eleven clock he was brought into court. He
looks about the same as usual Yesterday after
the adjournment Of the court he was placed In an
ambulance and taken to the Old Capitol lie
seemed TO be greatly agitated, and did not appear
calm until about six o'clock. Dr. Ford, the physi-
clan Of the Old Capitol prison, was summoned,
and administered medicine to him. This morn
ing, on entering the court room, he Immediately
laid down on the sofa near his counsel.
The number Of ladies in attendance this morn
ing was larger than on any day before, many
being unable TO obtain seats.
The reading having been concluded, Mr. schado
said that Mr.. Baker, his colleague, was kept
away from Court on account Of severe indisposi-
tion, though he would endeavor to be present
this afternoon.
SERGEANT GEO. W. GRAY
was recalled for cross examination by Mr..
Sohade. lie testified that he resided In Randolph
county, Indiana Was q religions man, and be-
lieyed In punishment after death. witness ar
rived at Anderson VILE in company with six or
nine hundred other prisoners. witness was
captur red in a regular battle. Had been on raid
ing parties with the regiment. When he arrived
at Andersonville his pocket book and coat were
taken away. Saw Capt. WirI when he arrived
at the prison.
The last witness saw Of Undcrwood's money
wirz had IT, Witness escaped about the last OF
August, and was reoaptured about is miles rom
the prison by blood hounds. WirZ shot stewart
when he was under guard with witness. All
that Stewart said to Wirz was that he and wit
ness were out by authority. WirE said, You
say that to me, d-n y0u.' WirL, after he had
Twenty or thirty dollars were found on him,
which wirI took, aud then told the guard to take
witness back 10 the stockade.
Witness left Andersonville in October. The
shooting occurred some time before he left. II
might have been two months, or 1t might not
have been so long. Witness was In the stocks
about the last Of August, aud the shooting oc.
CURED about two weeks after he was taken out.
OF tho stocks. Witness was In prison about two
months after the shooting Of Steward took place.
By the Court: Wirz was the same person he
saw with Lieut.. Davis when he arrived at An
dersonyille, Witness thought they were both
ceiyed the most miserable stuff to eat. The meat
given to the prisoners was often full OF maggots.
On the Sd Of July an order came In for the pris-
oners to prepare themselves for big dinner the
next day, The prisoners Ielt dellgnteu, Dut tue
next day came and tho prisoners received no:
thing Had seen prisoners drop down dead, and
knew that thousands had died from starvation.
Had seen O thousand hands stretched out for
something TO eat. Had seen men shot down by
the sentinels often.
CAPTAIN J. II. RICE
testified that he had been In the rebel service and
was on duty at Andersonville; knew the pris-
oner wirr. He took command Of the prison
about the last Of March or first Of April. In the
ahaan nf ~ ngt cnmmnndpF.
loughs Witness superintended the extention OF
the stockade the work was done by the pris-
onsrs. Witness made requisiuon Of S75,oO to
pay of troops. 1t was received By Captain H.
b. winder aud used by him. Witness sue
ceeded H. D. winder. Witness had no din
Guilty In obtaining axes when he wanted them.
Witness remembered the time when an effort was
made by the ladies OF Americus to relieve the
wants Of the prisoners. Captain Reed, the Pro-
vost Marshal, swore the provisions should not
go in the hospital. The prisoners could have
been supplied with wood had they beon allowed
to go out for 1t under guard.
Gross examined: wirZ wasin command when
ever the commander OF the post was absent
Witness knew that seven days furlough had
been given to rebel soldiers, approved by Capt,
WirL After General Wiuder came thoro ho had
authority 10 give 50 days furlOugh. WIz,acting
in his place, could give 80 days furlough.
r. LEWIS DYER, "r
having been sworn, testified that he had been In
the iath United States SOlCred troops. Was a
prisoner at Andersonville from JdYy, 1891 to
February 3 1855. Part Of the time witness was
at work inside Of the fort, near Captain Wir2's
headquarters, digging well. Was then taken
to DR.. Whites house as servant Isaac Haw-
kins, o. fellow prisoner, was whipped by order
Of WirI. lie received two hundred and fifty
lashes. Wirz ordered him to have hye hundred.
Another prisoner, named Abe Harris, was
ored soldiers, let them take the oath, and choose
their masters. Guards heard Wir1 say that hs
intended to starye all the d-d Yankees TO death
aud make them join the Southern army.
Witness saw Hawkins whipped Tho other
men were whipped at Wirz' house. U. S. cloth.
ing was sent there but 1t was never issued to the
prisoners. Had seen the Confederate soldiers
wearing the clothing. One day witness saw
5000 letters come there for the prisoners. Capt.
wirz brought them out to DR.. Whites house for
Capt Reed = wife 70 read She was to take all
things out Of the letters and then burn the let.
ters Had seen money, pictures, &c, taken ont
OF the letters. Reeds wife would make fun Of
the letters, Witness was ordered to burn them.
Saw the hounds at the prison every day Had
heard tile surgeons at Dr. Whites house say, 81
have poisoned ave Yankees to-day" another
would say, ~ poisoned ten They would all
tell Of the number they poisoned.
Witness was ordered to DR.. Whites house by
Capt. Wirz; heard Wirz tell the surgeons to vac
cinate all the prisoners In the stockade; heard
some Of the doctors say they would yaccinate all
the Yankees in the stookado aud kill them all or
take their arms of. Part Of the time witness
got mule meat to eat.
By Mr., schade: Received the same rations at
DR.. Whites house that he did while at work
about the stockade.
By the Court: Three or four hundred dollars
was taken from the letters, aud no memorandum
was taken Of the letters or the money taken out
Of them.
The Court here took a recess for half an hour.
On reassembling-'
Col. Chapman said there were some letters In
the letter book Of the prisoner to which he desired
to call the attention Of the Court. The counsel
for the accused and the Judge Advocates had en-
tered into an agreement to hereafter Olier In evil
deHce the Hosp pital Register, Letter Book, Death
Register, and some other papers kept by the ac-
edsed ,held subject to legal objection. Col c,
said there was some four or Ave witnesses, not
now present, yet to be examined. He desired TO
close the case now Informally, with the under
standing that hen the witnesses came In they
should be allowed to testify.
He said that certain documentary evidence,
would yet be offered connecting the Richmond
government with the Andersonville prison before
the final close Of the case. lie wOdld close the
cAhe now with those reservations. set Of pic
lures Of Anderson Vile would also be introduced.
Two lithog raphs, made from pencil sketch by
the witness, James Burns Walker, he would now
introd ucs for the information Of tho court.
Mr Baker thought he would have to object to
going on with his case until after the evidence
from Richmond was introduced. Matters might
be introduced In that evidence which wonld at
feet his client. He did not object to accumulatiye
evidence. 1885,.
Col Chapman replied the evidence referred to
Davis, Lee, and others connected with the rebel
govern ment, aud the counsel had no right to OBJ
Jeet TO testimony which did not effect their chnt.
They appeared for Captain WirZ, and II was rot
their duty to follow the Government in pursuit
OF these parties. They have only to explain the
conduct Of wrz for the past eighteen months.
Mr. Baker agreed, when Col. Chapman stated
that the Testimony for the Government would be