The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-05-01
w Z R. X :
r.oortant Letter from Capt. Virus
Counsel.
unsug DOES THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
,ypERsoNvILLE HORRORS REST?
70 THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

Intending to leave the United States for
anna ne time, l feel it my duty, before / start,
~ hlfll in part promise which few
S y before his death, gave to my unfor-
innate. innate client, Captain Wirz, who was exc
,. u at Washington on the 10th day of
lavender, 1865. Protesting up to the
sst moment his innocence Of those mon
~ crimes with which he was charged,
he received my word that, having failed to
ssre him from felon's doom, would, as
l I'm as ! lived, do everything in my power
% clear his memory. l did that the more
,sadily, as | was then already perfectly
eonyinced that he suffered wrongfully.-
Since that time, his unfortunate children,
both here and in Europe, have constantly
implorcd me to- wipe out the terrible stains
which now coger the name of their father.
Though times did not seem propitious for
obtaining fall justice; yet, considering that
man is mortal, / will, before entering upon
perilous voyage, perform my duty to
those innocent orphans, and also to myself.
Twill now give brief statement Of the
causes which led TO the arrest and execu-
lion Of Captain Wirz.,' In April, 1865,
President johnson issued "a proclamation
stating that, from evidence, in the posses
sion Of the Bureau of Military Justice" it
appeared that Jefferson Davis was implica-
edin the assassination Of Abraham Lin
coin, and for that reason the President Of
ered reward of one hundred thousand
dollars on the capture Of the then fugitive
Ey-President of the Southern Confederacy.
That testimony has since been found to be
entirely false and mere fabrication, and
The suborner ConOver is now under sen.
tence in the Jail of this city, the two per.
jarers whom he suborned having turned
State evidence against him, whilst the in.
diyidual by whom Conover was suborned
has not yet been brought to justice.
Certain. high and influential enemies OIL
Jefferson Davis, either then already aware
Of the character of the testimony OF those
witnesses, or not thinking their testimony
quite sufficient to hang JEFF. Davis, expect
ed to find the wanting materials in the ter
rible mortality of Union prisoners nt An
dersonvile. Orders were issued according
II to arrest a subaltern officer, Captain
Wirz, poor, friendless, and wounded pris
,oper of war, (he being included in The sur
render Of General Johnston,) and besides 6
foreigner by birth. On the 18th OF May he
was placed in the Old Capitol Prison al
Washington, and from that time the great
er pant of the Northern press was busily
engaged in forming the unfortunate man il
the eyes of the Northern people into sucf
monster that it became almost impossi
BILE for him to obtain counsel, Even hi;
countryman, the Swiss Consul General
publicly refused to accept money to defray
the expenses of the trial! He was doomed
before he was heard even the per
mission to be heard according to law wa'
denied him. To increase the excitemen
and give eclat to the proceeding, and tt
inhame still more the public mind, the tria
took, place under the very dome of the Cap
itol of the nation. A military commission
presided over by one Of the most arbitrary
and despotic Generals in the country, wa
formed and the paroled prisoner, his wounds
still open, and sofeeble that he had to recint
during the trial on o sofa, carried before
the same. How that trial was conducted
The whole world knows. The enemies o
generosity and humanity believed it ther
10 be a sure thing to get at JEFF. Davis.
Therefore, the first charge, was that o
conspiracy between Wirz, Jefferson Davis
Seldom, Howell Cobb, r. B. WilHler, anc
number of Others, to kill the, Union pris
oners. The trial lastedfor three months
but, unfortunately for the blood-thirsty in
stigators, not o particle of evidence was
produced showing the existence of such Z
conspiracy; yet, Capt. Wirz was rfound
guilty Of that charge! Having thus failed
another effort was made. On. the. night be
fore the execution of the, prisoner, a rtele
gram was sent to the Northern press from
this city, stating that Wirz had made i'm
portant disclosures t., General L. G. Baker
The welLknown detective, duplicating JEFF
ferson Davis, and that the confession would
probably be given to the public. On the
same evening same parties came to the
confessor Of Wirz, Rev. Father Boyle, ant
also to me, one Of them informing me thai
ahigh Cabinet officer wished to assure
Wiz that il he would implicate Jefferson
Davis with the atrocities committed at An
dersonyille his sentence would be commu
ted. He, the messenger, or whoever NJ
was, requested me to inform Wirz of this
In presence Of Father Boyle, | told Wiri
next morning what bad happened. Th'
Captain simply and quietly replied
Mr.. Schade, you know that have Away
told you that do not know anything
about Jefferson Davis. He had no con
nection with me as to what was done a
Andersonville. If I knew anything OF hin
'lwould not become traitor against mn
or anybody else, even to save my li!e.
He likewise denied that he had made an,
statement whatever to Gen. Baker. Thul
ended the attempt to suborn Capt. Wiri
against JEFF. Davis. That alone shows
what man be was. How many OF his de
famers would have done the same ? Will
bis wounded arm in sling the poor parol
ed prisoner mounted, two hours later, th'
scaifold. His last words were that he diet
iuuocent-and so he did. The tenth day 0
November, 1865, will indeed be a blacl
stain upon the pages Of American history
To weaken the effect Of his declaration
ofinnocence, and of the noble manner, j
which Wirz died, a telegram was manufac
iured here and sent North, stating that OIL
the 9th day of October, Mrs, Wirz, .Itwh'
actually was 900 miles on that day ava,
rom Washington had been prevented b,
that Stantonian demr er naachiad, Genera
j. G. Baker, from poisoning her husband
Thus, on the same day when the unnfortu
nate family lost their husband and father
a cowardIy and atrociohs attempt wa
made to blaeken their character also, Oh
The same day | branded the whole as Al
Infamous lie, and since then never .hav
heard of it again, though it emanated from
q Brigadier- General Of the United State
Army. -, v,.., .S,.r ,t.,pc. q Il ,asl.
All those who. were charged With hayln
eonspired with, Captains .Wiz have sine
bssn released, except IefersOll Davis, tn
prisoner oftbs American 4.Casttle Ghiloln.
Captain Winder was let off without ttria
and if any of the Others have been triee
which | do not know, certainly none {
Them have been hung. AS Captain Wir
could not conspire alone, nobody will now