The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-11-11
w IRZ.
From the New York Herald Of Thursday

From the New York Herald of Thursdayl
4 WASHINGTON, Nov. s, 1866. The APP
proval by the President of the sentence
Of the Military Commission in the Wirz
case has revived the interest in every
thing pertaining to him until it has
again become the absorbing topic on the
street. For the purpose of obtaining le-
gitimate information conceruingthec con
Wet, 1 addressed q written commune
cation to the Secretary of War, stating
that since Wirz's conviction of atrocities
unparalleled in modern times, every.
thing connected with his parentage
education and former pursuits in life
was ofgreat public interest, and request
ed permission to visit him in prison, fol
the purpose Of obtatning such infornia.
ton as he chose to communicate for
publication in the Herald, II, i'm the
opinion of the Secretary, such publica-
ton would not be Incompatible with
the ends of public Justice. Mr.. Stanton
furnished the necessary passport cheer
fully, and designated Colonel Chalfin,
of the War Department, as the officer
to accompany me and be present at the
interview. / accordingly drove to the
Old Capitol prison. Major Russell, of
the Provost MarshaPs Department, pre-
pared Wirz for the visit, and SUISSE
quently leading the way to his. room
and formally introducing us. ~
WirZ is, at present, confined i'm room
No. 9, OH the third floor, and is strongly
guarded day and night. The only door
of his room opens into hall, through
which sentinel PAGES continually. One
or more commissioned or nOn-cOmmis-
stoned officers are constantly present,
and the unfortunate man is not left
alone for single instant The room is
about fifteen feet square, with two
strongly barred windows looking out
northward on A street North. Its fur
niture consists of an army cot and ne
cessary blankets, q small, cheap wooden
table, three OF four wooden chairs i'm va
rious stages of dilapidation, one or two
small vessels and tin candlestick. The
room is warmed bya CRATE, which lends
cheerful aspect to its appearance.
AS we entered Wirz rose and came
forward to meet us with an amiable and
pleased expression of cOuntenance, en-
tirely at variance with the demOniacal
expression so often attributed to him.
His nghta arm was carried i'm sling, in
consequence of the breaking out of an
old wound received at Fair Oaks and q
recent extensive extoliasion of the bone.
In answer to whether it was troublesome
or not he replied: "Yes, / ought to be
writing some, but ! cannot do it, on ac-
count of my sore arm. There Is large
sore on it," showing his arm "it is
from an old wound"
| stated that did not desire to be inn
pertinent or importunate, but il agreea-
BILE to himself would like to have such
information concerning himself as he
was willing to impart. He replied as
follows, rerbdtim:.
WIRES HISTORY
have no secrets of my past life, nor
of my present. ] am a native of Swift
erland. My name is Henry Wirz. My
father was tailor. In 1884 ho gave II
up and was in the Custom House, the
last / heard from him, and perhaps is
yet. ] have not heard from him lately.
He is eightythree years old. My moth
er died in 1913. ! have one brother and
had one sister she died unmarried in
1899. My brother is blind. / was born
on the 18th of November, 1928. There
were seven years between my sister and
myself and seven between her and my
brother. My fatherw wanted me to study
Tor the puipiti uiu nv hNc ~. iiau
an inclination TO study medicine, and
he would not let me; finally he COM
promised with me, and | was put in a
commercial house. staid in large
banking house two years, in Zurich
then went to Italy. My people used
to be Catholics, believe. | travelled all
over Italy. Icould not say that staid
anywhere; wanted to travel. came
to New York in 1919, and tried to get in
situation as physician but as could
not speak English / soon saw could
not do that. l then went to Connecti-
cut. did not care to make anything
If / could only get along. 1 staid in
Connecticut some six months. 1 then
went to Lawrence, Mass, and worked
for short time / was weaver at one OF
the looms. had then learned English
enough to get along, and was soon en-