The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-09-23
. The Horrible Condition Of the Prison Know
to the Richmond Authorities.
EXCITING SCENE IN COURT.
Wirz Attempts to Contradict a Witness,
and Sinks Exhausted to His Couch.
&c. &c. &c.

WHITE were ordered 10 make tnorougn lnspectoh Vi
the prison and hospital with view to their improve
The witness here read the following letter as the
report which he had made:-
ANDKRsoxvIILE Ga, August !, 1854.
Brigadier General JOHN A. WINDER:-
GENERAL-Your order Of the 2Sth July, requesting
to make examination of the federal prison and
hospital at this place and ascertain and report to
you the of disease and mortality among the prison.
been complied with, and we respectfully submit the fol-
lowing causes of disease and mortality -First-The
The entire absence Of all vegetables diet so necessary
as preventive of scurvy ThirdThe want of barracks
shelter the prisoners from sun and rain. Fourth
The inadequate supply OF wood and good water Fifth
Badly cooked food. Sxth-The filthy condition of the
prisoners. seventh-The morbid emanations from the
branch rayine passing through the prison. the cond
ton Of which cannot be better explained than by
ing ta morass Of human excrement and mud.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
First-The removal Immediately from the prison OF not
less than fifteen thousand prisoners Sccond-Deail or
parole sufficient number OF prisoners to cultivate the
red into practical operation, the arntment Of agents
along the different lines Of railroad TO purchase and for
racks to shelter the prisoners. Fourth-To fur
nish the necessary quantity OF wood and water
have wells e dug to supply py ssuads
each squad under the charge OF sergeant, furnish
the necessary quantity Of soap and hold the ser.
squad Furnish the prisoners with clothing at the ex
pense Of the Confederate government and II that gov
and call upon the federal govcrnmn to furnish them
Sixth-By daily inspection of bakehouse and cookery
Seventh-Cover over with sand the entire morass not
less than six inches deep. Board the water
course and conne the to the OF the Sinks and
make the penalties for dsobedence OF such orders severe
For the hosp tai recommend that:-Frst-The tents
70 be n0Ored with plank; II plank cannot DO had, with
puncheOns and il this be imp, ssble, then with fine
straw, TO be frequently changed S.condWe hndan in
adequate supply of stool boxes and that the
number DO increased and that the be required TO
remove them as soon as used and before them
diet for the sick not such they should have and We
recommend that they be supplied with the necessary
quantity OF beef soup, with vegetables Fourth-We also
that the surgeons be required TO visit the hos
pital not less than twice q day.
We cannot too strongly recommend the necessity for
the appointment Of efficient medical officer to the
elusive duty inspecting daily the prison hospital and
bakery requiring Of him daily reports of their condition
We have the honor to remain, General very respect
+. s. HOPKINS Acting Assistant Surgeon.
: DR.. Hopkins further testified that he submitted II to
Dr. White for his signature The latter said that
tained tho TRUTH and that he would sign and send
General wndor but he did not sign It, and the wit
moss did that anything had been done to carry
out the suggestions.
Judge Advocate Chapman then submitted general
order Of General wnder, addressed to Dr. Hopkins to
show that the Richmond authorities had knowledge Of
tho condition Of the Andersonville prison, and that
General winder had authority to apply remedy.
Cross-examined by Mr. Schade-The witness said he
did not know who TO blame; Captain wirz signed
the orders commander Of the interior Of the PRISONS
he could great dfnculty in the way Of improve
msnt; Il was the implicit confidence which General
wnder had in wrz that caused the state Of things
exist, otherwise General winder would have visited the
prison.
cus testified that he did not think they out
OF bacon and there were as much there as could be
shipped ~ a., -, ,,,,,.,,,. ,,,,,.,., .
tho prisoners were the same as furnished o<hs Conede
ratio soldiers
Dr. G. L. Rice on duty at Andersonvle, testified to
the terrible condition Of the stockadc; men died from
starvation cold and exposure and other causes med
formula or number according to the rules Of the prison
for instance, instead OF mentioning the medicine the
prescription would be for number one or two, or any
other number SPECIFIC for disease being designated
by number there was NO other way in which medicines
could be obaned Dr. Stevenson who had been In charge
OF the hospital tried and found guilty Of embezzing
che hospital funds which amounted 70 from 500
Captain ws s F r. s q the ss Connect
confined in room sixty feet long and twenty-five feet
Wide; they were there I'VE weeks IL they had not bad
starved 70 death from Indifferent raiions '' ' "''
JR Griffin, Sergeant J. = Alden, Robert Tate and
the conduct Of Captain wirz
The commission then adjourned
INTERESTING SCENE IN COURT.
AZ the close Of the proceedings Of the trial to-day
an Indiana cavalryman named George w. Gray, hid
been tesyng to outagcs the part Of wrz that
che party prisoners in whose company he arrived at
Andsssonvie were ordered 10 place their blankets,
haversacks knapsacks, &C. one place when an officer
diers 70 help themselves and let the prisoners have ,he
remainder. The rebels helped themselves and there
was nothing left. He was not certain whether the
mounted officer was Captain wrz or not In June
or JAY, 1884, the witness and a young fellow
cavalry ts own resimeu wen, 10 tSe suiers
tent wrz was there Underwood asked for something
20 rub his wound with The sutler said he would give IT,
when Wrz said mo he cannot have IT, unless he pays
me DOLLAR Underwood gave wIrz his only money,
which ten dollar bill, and when he asked for the
put in tho stocks four days for attempting 10 escape He
knew TO die in the stocks In August or September
ds, s no ous ~ ,ns re
He knew Wirx TO shoot a young fellow named william
Stewart, belonging TO the Ninth Minnesota infantry He
a dead body which they bad begged, whom
they met Captain wirz He rode up to them
them by what authority they out there Stewart
replied that they there by proper authority wrz
said no more but drew his revolver and shot him. After
he was killed the guards took from his body twenty
thirty dollars wrz took the money from the guards
and rode or telling them 10 carry the witness 10 prison
II was the witness determination TO escape " he could
and for that he had gone OUT but he at
tempting TO do at the time When the prisoners
being removed 70 the cars for exchange wz gave orders
20 lieutenant Davis to bayonet any man who laid down
on the road and the witness had seen men who
crawling their hands and knees to the bayonet-
ask Wirz where he going 70 remove the Yankees,
and wirz's reply was, damn these Yankees,
they will all be dead In a few days, anyhow"
he had prisoner who had been caught by the dogs
with part Of his cheek torn of, and his arms, hands
and legs gnSwsd up 50 sna ne 0ny Lived
day that he heard Lieutenant Davis call his name at
the gate.
Judge Advocate cHrrxAS-cap,an wirz will you be
good enough TO stand up7
The prisoner, who had been lying all day lounge,
squirmed round partly raising HIMSELF till his eyes liz
mp with wild haggard Expression and yet glazing def
antly. like those Of wild animal brought 70 bay, met
abe eyes OF the witness
Colonel CmIpxAN 10 the witness)-Do you recognise
thai the man who shot your comrade9
man
The prisoner here made an effort TO contradict the wit
pea. mutter ne ncohercnt expressions about not
hsyps eesn Ssn By We witness NTH sussnaas ppYiA