New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-02-26
THE GEE Y IL 1 a e.
The Military Commission at Raleigh, NC.
Arraignment Of Rebel Major for Alleged
Rarbarities to Union Prisoners.
First and Second Days Proceedings.

The trial ny military coHinrNlon vi A~"y
John IT, Gee, formerly tie Rebel comnandant oil 10"
salisbury Prison. which has been ix'd again and 'hn
during the past few weeks, was begun IN this e! y'"
terday morning.
will be remembered that Gee was in command ce
the prison for number Of months previous To the tine
of the capture OF Salisbury By Cen SS'nomans iorces
last April and that during that period etroci'ies @"
barbarties were practiced there which were DOL EUR
passed even at Andcrsonyille. Georgia.
Those barbares have already been gwen in detail m
the newspapers especially by The var correspondents
Of TIE TRIBUNE, Albert ID. Richardson aud Jnn'hs
Henri Browne WHO were confEed there neiG.y ye'f|
and who made their escape from that d. OF BorioIs on
the 18th Of December 1851. and reached h1ONYiDe'
Tenn, on the 18th Of January, 1865
Asmany as 10000 Union prisoners were co9hnod az
Salisbury as early as the month Of &c Oer lsh4; ana
from that time until thei rec sc in ,rch and April
1865 at least 600 of the number dei rom h-'feat~
meut and we're buried the town. 5cf1Fc stone
mans forces entered Salisbury, MajIr Gee escaped WIN
the few prisoners left there, most Of those VINO "eo
well escaping on the way. and aftr"ari went To-
Georgia and gave himselfu at Anguta, subsequent 70
Gen Joseph l.. Johnsons Surrender to ien S1crnah-'
Gee then proceeded 10 Quincy Florida whch was hi"
home and was there arrested in OcsD'r or So'eNOsn
last on charge Of treating the pr h'fs Ender nS
care with inhumanity and barbsriy. and Of beins
guilty Of conduct not in accordance w.t. the uiGes OF
war; Since then he has been in close s,ody, and at
last brought to trial in this city.
GEES ANTECEDESTs AND APlLA3AScH.
Major John II. Gee either native, - has been q
resident of Florida for number Of years. Darine.,
the first three years OF the Rebellion he served in Gen.
Lees army and was then appointed cpmnnndant Of
tho Salisbury Prison. He for Gisos1 years med
zeal practitioner and was following the profession &C
the time OF the breaking ont Of the war.
Gee il about Il years Of age five feet nine inches ~
hight well built though rather slight, with brown har
largely sprinkled with gray, gray ms ache and gostee
blue eyes. aquinc nose. with an integ sut AMI Iathe1
IN 1ous expression Of face. He was ~ Court yestef-
day and looked worn aud thin and p.c-nnch moro W
than when In command at Saisbury-wbici may he tha
result Of his confinement or OF tie anxiety naturally
appertaning to his present Circumstances
THE MILITARY COMMISSION
engaged the trial Of Major Tee composed as fo-
lows: Col. w. w. Wheeler. :s M!cHiean lniantrys
President; Brevet Lieut. Col John Hamilton, U. s A.
Lieut. Col r. X. Miller, Firth Ind ana Infantry Bre-
vet Major John X. Myrick, U. g. A.; Brevet MaJor n
S. Conner U. s. a.. Capt. John Corr. 2sth Indiana
Infantry; Capt Dwight Fraser. i2sth Indiana Infantry.
and Major Francis Z. Wocott Judg,-Advocete.
| ~. Il.
of that State and John Wilder Of N ssachusets wera
introduced by the Judge Advocate as counsel for tho
defense.
THE WITNESSES
present for the prosecution number about 30 persons
Union soldiers who we're confined at Salisbury. two
War correspondents also capves there several Rebel
officers OF the military garrison and number OF citizens
Of that town. number Of Witnesses are also present.
for the defense and more are expected.
THE INTEREST IN THE CASE.
good deal OF interest felt In the trial here and %
may be supposed the Secessonsts Of Ra eh particui
larry the feminine portion sympathizs deeply With GeeI
No one so far am aware, pretends to doubt that
the Salisbury prisoners suffered greatly, but the friends
Of the Rebel Major claim that be is responsible foc
their treatment
There were ieN persons In the Court which is held
in the buildings at the Of Morgan and Fsyette
vile opposite the Capitol; the ing of the LegsJ
lature attracting many who would other wise attend the
trial
CHARGES AND SPECIFICATIONS.
Yesterday the charges and Specifications were read
by the Judge Advocate. They lengthy. and refer
to the wanon and malicious exposure aud starvation on
the prisoners; the deliberate shooting Of those held m
custody there. and other enornites a. variance with
and in opposition to the laws of humanity ard the
usages of war.
| Defense OF THE PRISONERS COUNSEL.
The prisoner by his counsel offered plea in bar %
the charges and Specifications which read bcforu
the Court. The main points Of the plea are, that by th
terms of captulaon agreed 10 between Gems. Sherma
and Johnston and by the terms Of parole granted under
those terms TO officers and soldiers surrendered uDder
Gen. Johnston. the United States by its accredited
agent agreed and pledged its faith. that these officers
and soldiers shall not be moleted long they cons
ply with the terms Of the parole.
SECOND DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
To-day the JudgeAdvocate declared that the plYoie
given to Rebel prisoners did not refer any conduct Of
theirs not in accordance with the usages of war A.
number of authorities including Valtel L.eber and
Attorney General Speed read to support his DO.
stion whereupon the counsel for the defense cited su
thoritcs in turn. and finally the Court cleared A.
little before in the afternoon the Court ruled that tho
position assumed by the Advocate was correct.
that it had jurisdiction in the case and that the trial
should 60 without interruption.
THE TESTIMONY.
The counsel for the defense Is evidently anxious -
gain time and disposed to defer the trial as long,
as possible while the Judge Advocate Is determined n
shall be prosecuted without delay though entirely will
ing the prisoner after the examination Of whine sses 5o
the defense shall have such time as is requisite "a
obtain testimony in behalf OF the accased.
Msjor Wocott thinks he W II begin 10 examine wit
nesses the prosecution morrow and that no wiz
DO able to elicit from them all the testimony needed
within eight ten days. though he Is Of opinion that
the trial will continue FOX at least month.
The ways and results OF Military Commission ssiA