The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-08-30
THE RIRZ TRIAL.


Z Messrs. Schade and Baker. I understand
: that on my most fervent entreaties they
nave consented sgsin TO sppear for me-
Ihey understand my whole case, and know
my witnesses. Hoping that the Commis
sion will grant my request, sign myself
3most respectfully, your obedient servant
H. WIRz
a Late Captain and A. A. G. y. s. A.
Msjor General, Wallace said if there wa
no objection the gentlemen would be sem
for.
No objection being made, and the Com.
mission being disposed to afford every
proper means for defence, an orderly wa
despatched for Messrs. Baker and Schade
The Court was then closed tor about
three quarters cf an hour, and when the
doors were opened the record of yesterday
was resd.
Messrs. Baker and Schade again appear.
ed in Court SIS counsel for Wirz.
The room was more crowded than here.
tof0re with spectators, many women being
! in Court.
DR.. j. G. Bay was called, and being
Examined by Assistant Judge Advocate
Hosmer, testified that he was on duty at
Andersonville. He was under the imme-
diate charge Of DR.. Stevenson. The hos
lpital was in deplorable condition, there
not being sufficient supply of tents and
bunks. There were no comforts. He was
told that there were between 10000 and
30, 900 prisoners there. He did not find
much difficulty in obtaining medicines, ex.
|cept some of the rsrest articles. The men
presented the most horrible specimens of
humanity he ever saw. A large number
|of them we're affected with the worst form
of scurvy. He attributed the sickness toI
long confinement exposure and the sb-
sence of the comforts of life. There wereI
Imsggots in the swamp near the hospital,
the malaria from which had q most fs-
tai effect upon the patients. There were|
many insects, or white ants, with wings,
such ss result from decsyed animal andI
matter. They were sol
excessively numerous tn t it was
dangerous for man to open his mouth
after sundown. Witness heard that thereI
was dead line, and one of his patients
was killed, but he did not see him shot.
He stated the circumstances under which
the prisoners were when Wirz had COM
msnd of them, and while he was in the
of his duties as o surgeon.
ALI the surgeons came to the conclusion
that Wirz had full authority over the pris-
oners under Gen. Winder He had seen
the chief clerk of DR.. James bucked, and
on inquiring the reason was informed that
the punishment was inflicted by order of
Captain WiTz.
On reassembling DR.. B. A. Vandegift
testified that he was on duty at AnnspolisI
from May 26th, 1863, to Nay 2Sth, 1865.
He attended to more than 1000 of returned
prisoners from Andersonville. They were
from chronic diarrhes, seurVyi
and other diseases. Some were in 8 dy-
ing condition, and others had to be treated
in the hospital before they acquired
strength to be taken home. The disease
from which death ensued, more than any
other, was chronic disrrhea- This resulted
rom insufficient and improper food, and
exposure. Very little attention was paid
% their condition at Andersonville. He
vas shown photographs of a living skeleton
md said he had seen many prisoners re-
Cross examined by Mr.. Bsker-The hos
oitsl fund about which he had testified and /
With which delicscies for the sick were pur-
,hssed, was in existence wheH he went
% Andersonville- During the months of
February and March last, $4,000 in Con-
ederste money was drawn from the fund.
At that time one dollar greenbeck would
lave bought twenty dollars of Oenfederate
money. Witness was at Andersonville six
months, and bucking was the only instance
If cruelty he had seen. The medical con-
iition of the hospital was better after DR..
Clayton came there. Captain Wirz exer-
Used no more influence over former physi-
,ians than he did over Dr. Clayton.
At one o'clock the Court took recess
lntil two o'clock.
Gross examined by Mr.. Baker. He knew
,mcislly that men were from Anderson-
nile who had seen men reduced TO the con-
lition represented in the plates. Witness
vas regularly educated in Germany as :
physician.
Martin z. Hogan testified ss having been
prisoner at Andersonville. The men
here were in miserable condition, as bad
IS they possibly could be. The men were
10 thick that they could scarcely elbow
heir way. Some lay in their own filth :
,slling for water and wood, but no Atten-
ion was psid to them. He spoke of the
quality of their food and its in
urious effects, such as half baked sour corn
bread, and the beef, when furnished, was
If an inferior quality. Men afflicted with
jcurvy would crawl upon the ground, the
light was horrible. Many were poorly clad
md having no shelter they burrowed in
he ground. He was brought back to pris-
IN by the sgency of the hounds. He mad
ieen hounds trying to strike the track
If an escaped prisoner for attempting to
sscspe from prison about the 9Th October,
1864. After the most obscene abuse from
Wirz be was fastened by the neck and
eet, and remained there sixty eight hours.
He heard Wirz give orders that he should
not have food; but he did get food from (
Iome psroled comrades who stole it from
him. He had seen three comrades put in
he stocks at the same time. One was put
n because he asserted his manhood
1y resenting the abuse of q Con-
rederste soldier. When the prisoners
we're being removed from Andersonville toS
MilleD, witness saw Wirz take mSn by
.he collar because he could not walk faster.
The man was SO worn out he could not
move faster. WiIz threw the man on his
back, and stamped him with his feet. He saw
the man bleeding and he died in 9 short
lime after. In the dissecting room hessW
Students in the pursuit of knowledge, saw
ng open the skulls of deceased prisoners,
and opening their bowels.
Gross examined by Mr.. Bsker.-When
he escaped he took with him 8 knife to
protect himself from harm if necessary it
was Confederate Surgeons knife he had
.aken without leave. He and his compan-
on, when they attempted to escape, were
provided with revolvers. He was put in
he stocks for personal revenge because he
.ried to escape. The papers he signed be-
fore he attempted to escape he did not con-
,ider parole of honor. BE did not know
what he was signing.
Q-Do you believe you could have pass.
I'd out of prison without signing any pa
pers.
Answer-If 1 had signed parole of
honor would have respected it.
The cross-exsmination was further con.
.inued.
j. d. Kieser said he wss in the United
States service, and was captured and sentI
10 AndersOnvllle. Arrived there with thel
first party of four hundred men. There
was sufficient accommodation then, but as
others came in affairs became bad, andI
men began to be afflicted with disrrhes,
dysentery, scurvy and gaDgrene. They
Law on the ground and were not protected
from the weather.
In April or May, 1864, supplies were re-