Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-05-25
HIGHLY INTERESTING DETAILS.


Our report this morning for the first edition
closed with the testimony Of Captain Emory,
relative to prison life in Libbey.
The next witness was
Color Sergeant SCHRARER sworn Witness
was captured on the 18th OF October, 1868, and
confined at Belle Isle for five months ana
seven days. There were about 5000 prisoners
there during the winter, almost without shel.
ter ard with about half enough to live on. The
ration OF meat was twenty fl We pounds OF meat
to hundred men, including a large portion of
bone. The bread was Of corn, including husks.
Saw men taken out dead and not buried, where
they left them for eight or nine days and lon
GER witness appealed to Lieut. Boisseau, but
he replied that ne could do nothing. Dead
men were carried ont at the rate OF fifteen or
twenty per day. A number OF men volun.
teered to work for the purpose Of getting some.
thing TO eat. Witness remained without smell
ter for two months, and when he reached
home weighed but l23 pounds; he usually
MI BALL sworn:-Witness was prisoner
at Andersonv vile Ga, for over II months where
there We're about 22,OO0 prisoners. They mad
no shelter, but were turned into swamp
without shelter; their blankets, clothes and
money being taken from them. They had about
ounces of "live bacon,' corn bread every "a
being 1888 The rebel officers were appealed to,
when they replied that they didn care d-n
whether they died or not Witness remem-
bered that Howell Cobb made q speech there
in February, in which he was bitter towards
The prisoners. He said 1t was the hes: that they
from a creek in which the rebels empued their
Stops. When witness first went there men
were shot every day. When any man got
within half foot Of the dead line he was shot,
and 1t is said when sentry shot Yankee he
got 80 days furlough.
Cobb in his speech said there was plan to
burn and plumber the North. When witness
was frs. captured they took his shoes off and
marched him to GordoIs ville, where they
stripped him OF his clothes. He was in his
drawers and shirt for nine months. Witness
stated thaGCapt WurtZ received clothing from
the L.. 5. Government for the prisoners which
he put in his house and sold it. Witness lift
there on the l4th Of March, and up to that time
. Ii. Us had died in the prison.
Remainder or the testimony unlntelHgible
from the gabbie OF the women. . -s-
GKoRGE W. Ross sworn Witness had been
1861, when Fitzpatrick was on raid. Witness
saw the place where the powder was buried
to blow up the prisoners The fuse was kept
in the safe at the Office. A colored man told
him that 1t had been buried in the center OF
the prison. There were two sentinels kept
over The place, and no one was allowed to 60
near. Major Turner told witness that the
powder was buried, and that the fuse, which
was eigbt.second, wos to set it off in case the
Federal army got in, when they would blow
up the Yankees. The powder was taken up In
May succeeding, when there were no prison.
ers there Witness never was in the army,
but was detailed by the conscript officers as
clerk tothe prison. Turner was acting under
General Winder, who commanded the depart
ment : -.-
- LAToUcHR, sworn.-Witness was lieu
tenant in the 25th Virginia battalion, and was
detailed In Libby Prison in March, 1o6f-
rat this luncture the ladies behind the re-
rorters commenced some lively comments
upon the looks OF the prisoners, criticising the
manner In which their hair was combed, or
not com bed, DC. and for some moments the
witness voice was dro wned, as far as the
reporters were concerned
tt,nSs kH1p dor
got into the city be would blow mp the build
ing with the prisoners in it.
r FRANK MCGEE, sworn.-Witness knows
The Judge Advocate General asked if Ar
mold had been in the military service Of the
rebels. . as .- -. -i-
Mr. Ewing objected, and stated the grounds
OF his objection. Arnold was here on trial on
charge Of being engaged in 9, conspiracy ana
other things set forth in the charges and speci-
6cauons. But it was not competent for the
Government TO show that IL such be the facts
that before that, he was in the mi litary service
OF the rebels. He was not on trial for having
should undertake to follow it up to that eftect)
for having taken the oath OF allegiance and
broken it, He wasCn trial upon charges set
forth in the specification, and il was not COM
petent for the Government to attempt to ag-
eravate tn offence OF which he is charged by
alleging his unfaithfuiness ito our Govern
ment. r--E4. aaJ
Judge Advocate General Holt said the testi
mony had shown no W kindred We're the crimes.
DsIoya was the sole inspiration of the
murder Of the President. The purpose was to
show that the prisoner was prepared for this
crime by the course OF his life.
Nr. Ewing.-"Is there any authority"
Advocate General Holt.-ssAbundance."
Judge Advocate Bins CHAM here quoted from
Roscoe's criminal evidence, where 1t Is ex.
pressly laid DOWN that where an intent is put
in issue other acts TO prove that intent may be
brought in as evidence: The prisoner was In
and with intent to aid the rebellion against the
Uni'ed States. 1t was designed to show that
the prisoner was part OF the rebellion; was
In it, ..-.s
AFTER some further discussion between Judge
Advocate Bingham and Mr.. Ewing the Court,
after elaboration, Oyerru led the objection.
Witness continued He conld not state posi-
| lively that Arnold was in rebel military ser.
vice. Had seen him at Richmond with rebel
priyate's uniform on as he thinks, in 1862.
BY Mr.. Ewing.-It may have been 10 NJ az,
1861, when he saw Arnold In Richmond, but
could not say when 1t was.
- CALDWELL sworn.-Witness lives In
Georgetown. and on the morEing after the as
sass nation he was in Matthews d 10. g store.
| In GEORGETOWN, when Atzerods came IN and
| said he was going to the country. Atzsrodl
wanted to sell witness his watch, but witness
| did not buy 1t. He then asked for $40 and wit
ness lent 1t to him, Atzerodt leaving his revol.
| yer as security. Witness Identified the pts.
BY Mr.. Doster.-wi.ness has known Atzer.
fodt for three or four years. 4A L -
BY the Judge Advocate.-The pistol looks a.
| II II had been fired. fETsFCI "a faEa
MARY Sums (col) sworn Witness knows
DIR Saml A. Mudd and lived with him, having
| been his slave. Witness lived with him four
| years and left him abouta month before Christ
mas. Witness SAID she had heard DR.. Mudd say
| that Mr. Lincoln, when he came in TO Wash
/ iDeton, came In dressed in womens' clothes,
and IL he had came In right they would have
killed him. John Surratt and Watt Bowie
visited the house frequently last SIMMER.
| Surratt was young slim made man, sort oil
| lisht hair. He was there nearly every Satur.
| day night and Monday night. They slept out
| in the woods all the time-Andrew Gwinn,
| George G vim, Ben Gwinn, Surratt, Wat,
Bowie, Capt Turner, Capt White, Capt Perry.
| When these men came to the house DIR. M add
| set the ser wants TO watching 1t anybody should
come while they were there. The victnals for
| them was set by the spring, when thsy would
come ont AID get it. On one occasion when
| Capt Turner, Capt. Perry, Andrew and Ben
I Gwnn were at the house, witness saw m an
coming up the road and she told Dr. Mudd of
| it, when they ran from the house. They used
| To 90 nv themsAl yes ND stairs To taIk Witnass