The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-05-08

replied: "Mr. Schade. you know ,ha,
have always told you that I do not know
anything about Jefferson Davis. He had
no connection With me as TO what was
done at Andersonville. If | knew any
thing Of him I would not become a trai.
tor against him or anybody else. even to
save ms life" He likewise denied that
he had made any statement whatever to
General Baker. Thus ended the attemp,
to suborn Captain Wmz against Jefferson
Davis. That alone shows what man
he was How many Of his dsIamers
would have done the samei With his
wounded arm in sling the poor paroled
prisoner mounted, two hours later. the
scatfold. His last word. were ,ha, he
died innocent-and 40 be did. The 10Th
day Of November. 1865, will indeed be a
black stain on the pages Of America n
history.
To weakeq the effec, OF his declaration
OF innocence, and Of the noble manner
in which Wirz died, a telegram VIZ. man,
ufactvFed here and sent North, stating
that MIS- Wirz, (who actually WAS nine
hundred miles on that day from Wash
ing,on). had bsen prevented by that
S,an,onian deu, er machind, GenerarL
Z. Baker, from poisoning her husband.--
Thus, on tine same day, when the unfor
mu"te family lost their husband and IN,
ther, cowarJly and atrocious attempt
WAS made to black their character also.
On the mex, day | branded the whole as
an infamous lie, and since then have
never heard 1t again. though il emsuated
from Rr'gaGier General Of the United
States army.
All those who were charged with h,v.
ing conspired with CAPTAIN Wirz have
since been released. except Jefferson Davis.
the prisoner Of The American "Casle Chill.
lon." Captain Winder was 10, of with.
out trial, and Il any Of the others b.ve
been tried. which I do ct know, certainly
none Of them have been hung. A. Cap
tain Wirz could not conspire alone, no
body whl now, 10 view OF lha, importsn,
fact, consider him guilty Of tba, CHARGE
So much. then, for charge No. l.
As to charge No. Q. In wit. M,,ds, n
violation of the law, and cus,o,,. NJ wo,
do not hesitate to declare what about a
hundred and for,y five out of a bund,sd
and sixty witnesses on both ,ide, dscl.rsd
during the trial that Ca,,.in Wrz nev.
er murdered or killed any Union prison
ers with his own hands. or o,be,wi,e-
All those witnesses (about twelve 10 f;E
taen) who testified that thew saw C,n,a;n
Wiiz kill q prisoner, have sworn fal,slv.
abundant proofs Of that assertion being
in existence. The hands Of Cap,sip Wirz
are clear Of the blood of prisoners Of war
lie would certainly have at eas, in,ima.
ted to me knowledge Of tho alledye
murders with which he wa. charged. In
most all cases no names OF the alee ed
murdered men could be given, and where
it WAS done, no such persons could be
identified. The terrible scene in Court
when he wa, confronted with one Of the
witnesses, and the latter I.i.tinu IN a,
Wiz was the man who killed a certain
Uuion prisoner, which irri,a,ed the prs.
oner so much tha, he almost tainted, will
still bs remembered. sTha, man (Gtey)
swore falsely, and God alone knows what
the poor innocent prisoner suffered a,
that moment! Tbs, scene WAS depicted
and illustrated in the Northern new.pa
peis as il Witz had broken down on &C
coun, OF his guilt. Seldom has mort.
suffered more than the trieudless and for
ssken man.