Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-09-25

Court, laid COVE upon sofs, still being toe
weak TO sI ~ faEAN NH
close Of The proceedings yesterday caused the
prisoner so much distress, vas cross -eramined
| to-day.
In reply 10 . question by Mr.. Schlade, be said
he believed In punishment after death When
be arrived at Andersonvilie a prisoner his
pocket boot and cavalry coat we're taken from
him: bic boots had been removed from bis fee,
At the time of bis capture The witness gave
an Affecting account OF the suferings Of the
prisoners.
Captain j. Il. Wright, OF the Fifty-sf
Georgia, was recalled, ana testified that in the
absence Of the Post Captain, Wirz had command
and countersgned furlosgh papers. The wt-
| ness superintendent the extension OF the pfison
grounds. eleven acres having been added to
| them Wirz made acquisitions spon him for axes
which he had no difficulty in supplying. Fuel
could have been supplied il the prisoners could
have been allowed to 60 oct after it under
guard.
Cross-e1amined by Mr.. Schlade -FurlouShs
were approved by Captain Wirz When the lat
ter acted in the place Of Gen Winder be could
give furloughs for thirty days, and when acting
| tor Col Persona he could give farIoughs for
sixty days They never had sufficient transpor-
tation atAndersonville.
| J. Dyer. of the Twelfth United States colored
troops, testified that ..Cap,an wrz proposed to
the coiored prisoners that If they took the os III
10 the South they could choose their own masters
aud some of the guards said Captain Wirz de-
cared he would make the prisoners join the
| Confederstes by starving them. The witness
vas for some time servant at the house of DR..
White and was ordered there BY Wirz, COR which
he received no pay. Captain Wirz brought to
DR. Whites three thousand letters addressed to
| the Union prisoners. He handed them TO Capt.
Reeds wife. who was staying there She TOOK
| everything out OF the letters, such az money.
needles, thread pictures, &c. Mrs Reed laugh
ed at the contents OF the letters, making fun of
them. and ordered him to burn them. he had
seen COnfederates wearing clothing which had
been sent TO the prisoners. He had heard one
| of the surgeons at DIR. Whites saw Il have
poisoned five of the Yankees to-day" and an
other would say, Il have poisoned ten" They
were laughing and drinking at the time. He bad
also heard the surgeons say they were going to
vacclnate and take of the arms OF the Yankees
| They laughing about the prison. Mrs.
Reed took from the letters $500 or $500, which
she kept in box until the prison was broken
! up. He didn't know what became OF the money
Judge Advocate Chapman here read an argu-
| ment entered into between the Judge Advocates
and the counsel for the prisoner by which the
hospital records and the death register, AID such
other records as may be discovered, may be re-
1
objection may be legally interpOsed.
Judge Advocate Chapman then said that the
Government would informally close their case
to-day, reservng the right, however to examine
witnesses who may be found touching new mat
tiers, and ne would offer some records in evidence
connecting the Richmond authorities with the
Andersonville prison.
Mr.. Baker said he could not go il olind BY
consentining TO such arrangement.
| Col. Chapman replied, the evidence referred
To Davis. Lee and Others of the rebel Govern
ment, and the counsel had TO right to object TO
testimony which did not personally affect his
client
Mr.. Baker said the prisoner was charged with
consprinS with parties named, as well as parties
not named. He did not know who the latter
were. and il the Judge Advocate introduced mat
ter which had nothing to do with Wirz, then, OF
course, he had no objection
Col Chapman said there a public and
material necessity to show up the infamy Of these
| men
| The Court inquired OF J Judge Advocate Chap
man, whether ne had such testimony at hand
and whether the witnesses had been sent for.
Col. Chapman replied many Of them had pre-
varlcated or concealed facts which made il neces-
sary for the Government to take extraordinary
measures to get at the truth. The evidence was
less material to the defendant than to the trial
and was OF q general character; he could not tell
when he could procure the testimony; if this re-
CURED defense the Government would set resist
an application for q continuance.
Dir. Baker asked the Commission 70 adjourn
for at least a week from next Tuesday, for the
| following reasone:
LIST That coming into the case at the day of
its opening, have had no time TO 10 more than
keep along daily with the examination of wit
nesses pu, upon the stand by the prosecution.
have had no time 10 inform myself what wit
nesses the defense have had, nor what they will
testify TO, nor upon what points any certain wit
nees will testify. Upon all these matters must
inform myself by calling our witnesses together
and learning from them what they know and
| upon what facts in the case they testify
To do this requires time which must ask most
respectfully of the Court
2d. There are many points in the prosecution
just closed. as there always are 10 every Gaze
and more especially in cases of magnitude OF
this kind which admit and require at onr h lands
complete refusstion and contradiction. This
know can be done, but il necessitates the greet
labor OF overlooking the testimony aud docu-
mentj OF the prosecution. which numbering
several Thousand pages requires much research
and time,
| The third reason and which | regret u offer
is, that the labors devoving upon me in this case
have proven quite too heavy and my own health
| requires that should have few days rest. |
| regret very much 10 ask any favor of this Court
for reasons personal to myself, but when state
| to the Court unable TO go forward with the
case without rest, trust the Court will DO me
| the honor 10 believe that the statement comes
| not from any wish to unnecessarily delay the
case, but from my impaired condition of health.
| fourth reason, and an all-important one in
our defense. is this; and TO give il more weight
with this Court by being more clearly SEEN
| must st2te il in comparison with the powers of
| the Government The Government has shown
eommendable disposition to do severaly what
| could be made strongly to appear to be necessary
tor tue defendant, but it should bear in mind that
II convened many months before toe trial CON-
menced. 10 preparing this prosecution, the
learned gentlemen who conducted the prosecu-
ton have had the advantage Of all the facilities
known as the Bureau Of Military Justice.
my add, with honor rather than with disrespect
also the advantage Of the advice and judgment
OF that truly sble aud worthy public Ger
want Judge Holt. 10 devising the path for them
to pursue They have bad money untold. if
they needed, at their command; they have agents,
servants, clerks and reporters tor every convent
ence aud every want; they have bad the whole
or anv portion Of the detective and military
force OF the country, to search and look up
and bring before them any aud every person
who could in any way, or by tue slightest
word throw any light upon their side of the
case. Ina word. they have had all that great,
earnest and all-poveriul Government could With