The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-09-04
Saturday Nights Report.
THE WIRz TRIAL.

WAsHIEGTON, September ?.
The Wirz Military Commission reassem-
bled to-day.
Mr.. o. s. Belieler testified that he had
served in the 18th Illinois Cavalry, and was
q prisoner at AndersonVille from the Sth of
March until September, 1864. He thought
that.Csptain Wirz assumed command about
the Ist of April. On one occasion Wirz
came into the stOckade, when q cripple
walking on crutches approached and asked
to 90 outside. The request was refused, and
the cripple said he would rather be shot
than stay there. The witness soon heard
WirE hallos to the sentinel " Tell that man
if he don't 60 back you will shoot him."
The man did not return, when the sentinel
fred and shot him in the jaw. The cripple
was known by the name of Chickamauga.
Wirz aftsrWard threatened to shoot the
other men if they did not 20 away. On
another oooeeieH. Will A. frisnpaEs wera
----5 49, - - Ni GUS ono
of the men, owing TO sickness, did not fall
in. Wirz said he would shoot him, and did
so, the ball passing through the mans hat.
The prisoners were kept In cell sll day,
and not allowed TO procure water. If they
could not give satisfactory account of any
Of their number missing they were deprived
of their rations. This was the case for three
days early in July. There was not
sufficient room in the prison, scarcely
enough for mon to stand upon. The limits
! were enlarged on the north side. There
would be AZ 900 prisoners here at one time.
| He had hesrd Wirz say he was killing more
| Yankees than those who were serving at
| the front. Witness had seen twenty-five or
thirty men shot over the dead line.
| Cross examined by thedefendant.
| Ouastion-Were there not desperadoes
| among these men who would steal and COM
| mis- other offences, and was not the cripple
to whom you refer, one of them.
AnsIer-There were troublesome charac-
tors there, but don't know whether that
man belonged to them or not; don't think
that q man on a crutch was a good man to
steal. (Laughter.)
| During a further examination witness
smoke of q man at whom the sentinel fired.
Ouestion-Did you see the ball hit him.
| Anaver-A man must have very good
ayes TO see a ball when it strikes a man
(Laughter.)
The witness gave various instances OF
| man bainR shot. One was shot while he
was in his tent, for merely stretching his arm
bevond the dead line Another was shot al
for treading over the line. He heard Capt
Wirz order the sentinel to shoot the cripple
Some of those shot at were killed and others
were taken TO the hospital.
James ii. Davidson testified that he wal
a member of the Iowa Cavalry, and was
taken prisoner to Andersonville on the Sth
of March. He described the filthy condi-
tion of the prison and the great mortality
among the prisoners. For q week he drove
the dead wagon. Sometimes twenty-five
men were thrown into it at time, and OF
the return ne would bring wood and rstionE
in the Same cart. He had seen them with
blsnkets, shoes and shirts on sent there BY
the Commission for the use Ofo own men
Capt. Wirz, he knew, made breakfast OF
some of the crackers, cheese and beef sem
there for our prisoners, He bad seen fOul