Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-10-25
A BIT OF SECRET HISTORY.

LIE IbcN. w lllidlli JOllll lcCCOl
of the cathedral at Mobile, Ala, who was
stockade at Andersonville Prison to minis
ter to dying soldiers, was in Louisville,
KY, last week, visiting Bishop McCloskey.
Father Hamilton was one of WirZ's wit
nesses during the trial in November, 1865,
and he related to-day some Of the secret
history Of the trial that has never before
been heard. Father Hamilton, who is a
benevolent looking man of 60 was constant
ly at AndersOnville after the carnival of
death commenced, and while he admits the
horrors and crueties, he defends Wirz,
who, he says, was the most humane keeper
of a prison he ever met, and was constant
ly assisting in acts of charity.
''It is true" said Father Hamilton, "that
the sufferings among prisoners were terri
BILE, but Wirz, poor fellow, was no more re-
spOnsible than |, and so when he was ar
raigned in August 1865, l went on to Wash
ingtOn to do what | could in his behalf.
During the trial Captain Wirz was suffering
from various diseases and wounds, and he
was carried to and from the court room by
four marines. A medical commission had
been appointed to examine him, and the
examination resulted in the conclusion
that he could not possibly live longer
than two months at the tarthest. This
information / obtained through friend,
and felt it my duty to impart it to Wlrz
that he might prepare himself for the next
world. This was about two weeks before
the end Of his trial. He received the in
formation calmly, and then made Il request
of me which shall never forget. He said
he realized that his conviction and condem-
nation to death was a foregone conclusion,
that he had no reason to think otherwise.
| agreed with him that on account of the
feeling existing in the North he would GER
tainly be condemned to death. He then
requested me to allupon Secretary Stanton
and say that he was willing to plead guilty
to the charges, provided that in fixing the
punishment the commission would set a
date for the hanging far enough in the ftl-
ture to afford him an opportunity of pre-
pairing himself for death, and of his proba-
bly, dying a natural death before the day
fixed.
81 called upon Secretary Stanton and
laid Virus proposition before him, and
made personal request myself that it be
accepted. Mr.. Stanton thought favorably
of it, and said he thought the rest of the
Cabinet would have no hesitancy in accept
ing it. He said there was to be a Cabinet
council that day at O'Clock, and that he
would lay the matter before the Cabinet
and would inform me later in he'day what
action had been taken in the premises.
After the meeting l called upon him, when
he informed me that the other members
refused to listen to any such proposition as
that made by WirZ. Iasked him what rea-
sons they gave, and he made this reply:
North demand the blood of some one for
the cruelties practiced at Anderson. Wirz
has only two months to live. Let's take this
man and shed his blood and by doing so we
spare the life of a better man" and then he
mentioned the names of three men-Lee,
Davis and Stephens Of Georgia.
81 saw that there was nothing more to
be done, and I communicated this fact to
Wirz, who began preparing himself to meet
his Maker. In less than two weeks he had
been convicted, was sentenced Novem-
ber 9th, and hanged next day. / felt that
Wirz had simply suffered for others, and he
knew it but he died without murmur,
save at the ignomy of the means. Impress
ed with this belief, when l met President
Johnson a short time afterwards, | alluded
to Wirz's proposition to Stanton and asked
him, for my own satisfaction, why the Cabi
net had not favored it as did Secretary STAN
ton. Mr.. Johnson's reply was most start
ling and surprising to me. WHAT" said
he, "Stanton in favor of the proposition"
and he seemed greatly astOnished. "Why,
Stanton was the only member of the Cabi-
net opposed to it. The rest of the Cabinet
favored it, when Stanton threatened to re-
sign if the proposition was entertained for
moment. Mr.. Stanton's services could
not well be dispensed with, and rather than
have him resign we allowed the matter
to drop"
"Did your interest in WirZ's case end
here ?" was asked of Father Hamilton.
"Not my interest, but my inquiries did.
The times were troublOus, and the terrors
of Andersonville were too odiOus at the
North to render prudent or possible any
righting of the wrong. l have never said
anything of this, except confdentially to
one or two friends, but will say now that
Wirz was sacrificed, and that he died to
save one of the leaders of the Confederacy.
TRrTHEIrIN all the happy house