The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-09-02


u crossed She dead line. The hounds wer
common plantation dogs, and not particu
lsrlY ugly or savage; had never seen
man bitten by them.
Capt. l. Heath who had been on duty il
Andersonville prison, in the Confederate
service, testified that in August, 1864
s WirE sent 13 men TO him to be ironed
they were brought by Provost Marsha
4 attached to Gen. Winder's headquarters
The next day twelve of these men were
I ironed; one Of them got away, when
hounds we're put on his scent; the man
was discovered up a tree, and pistol was
fred at him; Wirz commanded him to
come down the man asked that the dogs
might not be permitted to bite him; they
however attacked him when he descended,
biting at his legs. Wirz could have taken
the prisoner, but did not call the hounds
off. He recollected of a sick man being
put in a chain gang; he did not know
whether the man died OF not; he did not
like to tell what allied the man, there being
ladies in the Court Boom.
| Judge Advocate Chapman said, witness
could modestly tell what allied him.
Witness then said the man had the diar-
rhea and those with whom he was chained
said they would be damned if they would
be fastened to such man they to travel
at the same time to the same place, for the
same purpose; namely, to the sink.
The witness had seen the prisoner knock
down two or three prisoners once when
movement of the prisoners commenced,
because one of them tried to get out with
squad to which he did not belong.
Witness was cross. examined at some
length by the defence, saying among other
things that before the stockade was ex-
tended he heard Wirz say that if any
more prisoners were sent there would not
be room enough for them.
The court here took recess from l to
2 o'clock.
When the court re-assembIed General
Thomas member of the court, called at
tention TO an article which appeared in
yesterdays Evening Star, as follows:
III records of the Anderson vile prison,
captured by Gen. Wilson and furnished
by the War Department to the expedition
sent to Andersonville by Secretary Stanton
to lay out a cemetery and mark the graves
OF our soldiers who died in prison in that
place, have turned up missing since the
return of the party. One of the clerks of
Eue U IarCeTutasTef Dep1rGmions WI40- az
compAnied the expedition, and in whose
hands the records were last seen, has
been placed under arrest by the military
authorities until he can give satisfactory
account of the disposition made of them.
1t is thought by some that if the records
were stolen instead Of lost it was for the
purpose of preventing their use as evi
dence sgsinst Wnz, the keeper of the
Andersonville prison now being on trial
here.
General Thomas said he wanted the
prisoner tried fairly and therefore asked
whether it was true that the recoros had
been lost or stolen.
Colonel Ohipmsn replied that the hos
pital records and register of deaths, with
one exception, were in charge of the
clerk to the Committee. He lid not know
on what article in the Star the idea was
based. The Government intended to in
troduce the records at the proper time.
Mr.. Baker said ne knew nothing about
them.
Colonel ChipmsR remarked that the al
legation in the star was so indefinite that |
it was impossible to tell whether the pa
pers alluded TO have ever been in posses.
sIon of the government or not. He report
ed that the hospital and death registers |
were not stolen, and would be introduced
at the proper time.
Mr.. Baker knew nothing about the |
statements in the newspapers he had read. |
So far as the counsel for the prisoner was |
concerned they would be happy to have |
produced all the records bearing upon the |
Andersonville prison. He asked that all the |
prisoner ever did be laid before the court. |
Colonel Chapman said the article could |
not relate to the papers in his custody.
Mr.. Baker said if it was not inconsistent
with the Judge Advocates duty, the
records should be put where the Counsel
of the defense could have access to them.
Col. Chapman said, if you Can convince
me that am not capable Of taking care
of them will do 30.
Mr.. Baker-We make the request with |
the proviso that if it could be done con-
sistently with your duty.
Gel. Chipmaa-That is another ques-
ton.
Mr. Bsker-That was all we asked, in all
sincerity, for our client.
Col. ChipmSn-It is not now consistent |
with my duty TO produce papers.
Mr.. Baker-We made the request
civilly, for information. We need all
papers very much.
VIM Willard, late in the service of the |
Confederate army, at AndersonvilIe, GER
tilted to the filthy state of the prison and |
the miserable condition of the prisoners,
owing to the want of the necessaries of |
life and from other causes. He gave some |
facts in connection with men in chain |
gang, or hunted by hounds.
Calvin Honey cuth, who was also in the |
rebel service at Anderson Ville, said he saw
Capt. WiIz draw his pistol and threaten |
to shoot 8 man who was sick for not stand |
ing in line. The prisoners attempting to !
escape were hunted down by hounds. He |
saw one man who was torn in the leg by |
them; another man was whipped Oh his |
bare back with stick because he blscked |
his face and attempted to escape with
gang of negroes.
Jas. Mshon, who was in the Confederate |
army, and on duty at Andersonville, testi-
fed lat he and an Assistant Provost Mar
shal took l3 men to blacksmith shop |
for the purpose of having iron col |
lars and chains fastened on them. |
He received his verbal orders from Capt. |
WiTz through an orderly sergeant. One |
of the men called "Frenchy." however,
made his escape Capt. WiTz said, when
he heard of it: "Thst damned Frenehy
has escaped again" snd he sent for dogs,
which got on the track of the man. who
was captured near 8 stream. Wirz got of
his horse and went along by the side of
the dogs; witness judged that it was Wirz
who fired the pistol at the man; the mans
trousers were torn by the dogs. He did
not know whether the flesh was injured.
Witness had heard Wirz remark that he.
wished all the prisoners were in hell and
himself with them.
The witnesses above named we're Cross
examined at length. The last one ssid it
was laborious and vexatious task to take
care of prisoners and ne did not think any
one would be ambitious to have the situa.
ton.
Judge Samuel Hall, of Georgia, residing