The New York herald., 1869-02-27
THE AaDERsoAylLLE J2lLEa.

to his death he ever took deep interest in the well
fare OF his country.
THE AsDERs0sylLLE JAlLEa.
->~~~~~-~~~-~~~~~~~~~~
The Removal Of the Remains OF Wirz-Thefr
Appearance and Where and When They
will Be Reburied-The Head and Other
Parts OF the Body Missing.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25. 1859.
The remains Of another victim OF the late rebel
lion were taken from their obscure resting place
yesterday and prepared for Christian burial In con-
secrated ground. The bones OF Henry Wirz. the
Andersonvue jailer-or ar least the remains Of his
bones-were exhumed by permission Of the Presi-
dent. N
The circumstances connected with the arrest, ac-
cusaton, trial and execution OF Captain Wirz are
yet too fresh In the public mind to need more than
brief mention now, in recounting the last occur
rences that will require to be recorded In con-
nection with the Inflated commander Of the rebel
prison pen at Andersonville Ca
It will be remembered that IN the spring OF 1865
evidence was obtained by the Bureau OF Military
Justice which tended to implicate Jcfr Davis with
the cruelties that were perpetrated in the rebel
prisons upon Union soldiers. The evidence ndi-
Gated that formal orders had been issued by the
pretended President Of the confederacy directing
the practice OF these cruelties, and Wlrz who had
during the last days Of the rebel government been
In command OF the Anders0nvlle prison. was
charged with having received these orders and OF
carrying them into execution. He was arrested,
brought to Washington and lodged in the Old Capitol
Prison. Public opinion was 50 strong against him
that it was with the greatest diiicuity "a lawyer
could be found who was willing 10 brave the storm
Of popular indignation in defending him. Finally
Louis Schade, q lawyer OF this city, undertook the
z eaiously in behalf Of his cllent. Wirz found
guilty. by the military commission which tried him.
OF cruelty towards and the murder OF Union prison.
ers. and was sentenced to be hanged and on the
10th OF November 1865, he was executed at the Old
Il was given out publicly that after his execution
the body OF Wirz was buried in the grounds OF the
Arsenal; the occurrences during the trial and the
scenes at the execution were themes OF conversa-
ton for few weeks, aud all the circumstances con-
nected with the Andersonvie jailer faded from the
public mind until the present.
Shortly after the execution Mr.. Schade was be-
sought BY the wife and children Of Wirz 70 make
did All his endeavors however proved lnetrecluaI.
The government authorities. meaning the presiding
aor o. e Sody g 70 e er e
relatives 1t was eventually ascertained that the
remains Of wirz were deposited IN the same grave
and Booth, in the ammunition store room OF one Of
the Arsenal buildings
for the removal OF the remains OF Mrs. Surratt Mr.
Schade recommended his efforts to obtain the re-
in distant parts OF the couniry-Mrs. Wlrz IN
Georgia, three stepdaughters at Cadiz n.y., and one
own daughter. goyerness N Europe-and & were ere
finerai; but Mr.. Schade, with q iew Others made
private contributions until enough money was OBJ
tanned to defray the expenses.
An application was then made for the remains,
and yesterday the President gave Mr.. Schade an
order addressed to Secretary Schoield directing
him to issue requisite instructions for de-
livery OF the remains. General Scholeld referred
the order TO AdJutant Genera. @ Iownssnd WIN drec-
An order was then delivered to Mr.. Schade, adj
dressed to General Ramsey, commander oi the
"a i'm, IN hava n lfvn- fs klr
Louis Schade the remains OF Henry WIrz for the pul-
pose OF giving them Christian burial Grated
srGans Gaie yesterday afternoon Mr. scnade, with Mr..
Berorf the undertaken repaired to fhe Arsenal aud
presented the order which was prompty conpiied
summoned and the coffin was dug up. Unlike the
other collins, this was IN good state OF preservation;
the wood seemed to be comparatively sound Dut the
nd was slightly depressed In the middle a. though
heavy weight had iallen upon IT, The oox male
OF white pine boards, and on the lid was mailed
narrow board. painted white, containing the name
"Wirzu On opening the coffin the remains were
found to be almost entirely decomposed Inc body
had been buried without sarod vi c0ning upon it.
In the bottom was quantity OF Lne wood shavings
The bones were bare o. nesn from tne Knees down,
ana from the waist TO the neck A little lesh, dis
| colored ana dried, st clung to the thighs
| and lower portion OF the frame. Ihe bone
| on the right arm below the eiOow was gone.
This was the arm in which WIZ was wounded IA the
early part OF tae war. The neal looked much Cat
tened and shriveed though traces of the features
could be distinguished and the hair and beard yet
adhered TO the dried skin As request had been
to md TUT TO be cleaned and sent to the relatives.
In searching for this 1t discovered mat the Skull
was missing. On Closer inspection IL appeared that
the head had been skiuly dissectcd, the skull re-
moved and the flesh sewed up.
IL was then recalled to mind that in the early part
of 1866 soldier at the Ola Capitol Prison exhibited
q skull which he asserted was the skull ol nirT
Very few persons credited the story at the time Dts
the fact that the skull ~ gone would seem TO
confirm the statement OF the solder. 10 Ia known
that the arm OF Wirz Is at pr sent Ia the Army edi
cal Museum, formerly Ford's theatre. where II Is
exhibited to inqulrng students IN the study % ala-
tony as curious specimen OF shell wound a. also
Is part OF the spine: ana II Is supposed tnaL the
skull Is In the same collection.
Mr.. Schade states that he win make an effort to
recover these, inasmuch a. the Presdent gave Asin
an order Tor the whole remains or Nlrl, and not
dismcmpered trunk The skeleton held so well to-
Rether that the men placed boards under it ana
lifted II entire into the new coin, wnica - walnut
covered with silver plated ornaments alid quite
handsomely finished. No bottle was iouni ~ the
old box. such as were enclosed with tue bodies OF
me assassination conspraofs' ou, p,ece M % Wn.e @
gcons make their reports OF dssections, was found.
which, together with the fact tnat tho skull aud
Instead OF having been buried after the execution
the BODY had been permtted to fall into tue hands
OF SOME ambitious sawbones
The remains were taken this afternoon to tire vault
at Mount Olivet Cemetery, where they Will be kept
until sunday afternoon at three O'Clock, whchl IL
the time fixed for the funeral The reburial viii DO
attend. notice having been received that they are
unable to get here IN time. All that are expected
be pressn, are Mr. Mt n rss Ms ~ ING am ons or
In which the remains will be inferred was given by
the Cemleteral Board wirz having been Catholic,
and the funeral service wIt bc performed by the
his conicssor at the execution
No ornamental stone wii DO erected over the grave
simple slab win be placed - IT. head bearing the
name and age OF the deceased. Jns done aud the
world Will have said farewell 20 wirx tle Anaerson-
vile lasler ana whether ne was guilty. OF the heinous