The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-11-28
STATIONS BLACK LIE.
The Murder Of Wiz.

The Rev. william John Hamilton.
ROTOR. of the Cathedral IL Mobile. Ala
who wa one .. tho tour priests adnIl-
IN ~ Tie ~tockade mt Andrf,onvliie
rr-.on 10 minister "a dying soldiers. :
in Louisville. visiting Bishop Met los
k4y Father Hamilton was one q
Wiz, witnesses during the trial in No
yenbcr. 1865. and he related a lew day
100 wh.,t liz Claims j. some Of the Sc
rret history OF the trial that has never
before been heard. Father Hamilton
was constantly at Audersonville after
the carnival oil death commenced. anu
he defends Wiz. who he says VAS the
most humane keeper Of a prison he
ever met and was constantly assisting
in acts OF charity.
Ill. +. true said Father Hamilton.
that the >u~ilcrin-s among prisoners
were terrible. but WirZ. poor ieIlow.was
no more responsible than /, and -
when he wa, arranged IN August. loo1.
went OH 10 Washington 10 10 what
could in his lchalt. During the trial
Cant. WIZ was suffering from various
diseases and wounds. aud he was ear
ricd to and from the court room IN iptu
marines. y medical commission hia
been appointed ID eNuulnc " n, ana
this examination resulted IN the couclu-
sion that lie could possibly live longer
than two month, Ill the fugthcrc~t. Tins
information | obtained through i friend,
and | felt il my duty 10 lmplrt II Y
Wirz. tl,at he might prepare hlm>el i"f
the next world. This wa> about two
weeks before the cad OF hI- trial. IL
received the Information calmly. aie
then made 4 request oi me which /
Shall never oluet. He SAID he realize.
that his couNlcr.un n cnndcinuafo n
to death was a iorrgoue conclusion. autI
tat le had no reason to think other
wise. | agreed with hun that on tc-
count of the feeling existing III the
North lie would certainly DC condemned
TO death. He then requested me 70 CAL
uDon Secretary stanton AM SAY that
he was willing To plead guilty 10 the
charges. provided tiiat III liking Tie
punishment the commission would sci
a day for the hanging far enough IL the
future to afford him IN opportunity OF
preparing himself for death. AMI at III
probably dying Il natural death before
the day fixed.
II called upon Secretary stanton and
laid WIZ 5 proposition before ilm. aud
made "A personal request myself that il
bc accepted. Mr.. Stanton thought favor
ably of it. and said he thought the rest
of the cabinet would have no hesitancv
in accepting it. He said there was TO be
a cabinet council that day at | O'Clock.
and then he would lay the matter before
the cabinet. and, would inform me later
in the day wlaraction had been taken
in th" premises. After the meeting |
called upon him, when h" Informed me
thai the other members had refused t.
listen to any such proposition as that
made BY Wirz. | asked him what rca-
sons they gave. aad he made the reply
| will neve forget II. The people
Of the North demanded the blood OF
some one for the crueities practiccl AT
.Anders nyille. Wirz has only TIVE
months to live. Let's take thi. man
and shed his blood. and by doing so We
spare the life of Il better man - and
then he mentioned the names of three
men-Lce, Davis, and cphens. 81
Georgia.
n SAW there WAS nothing more to be
done, and | communicated this fact t.
" irZ, who began preparing himself to
meet his Maker. In less than two weeks
he had been convicted. was sentenced
November 9. and hanged the next day.
| felt that WirZ had simply suffered toI
others, and | knew il. but he died with
out Il murmur, save at The i9nominy Of
the means. Impressed with this belief,
when i met President Johnson a short
time afterwards, | alluded 10 Wirz ;
proposition TO Stanton. and asked him.
for my own satisfaction, why the cabineJ
have not favored a. did Secretary Stan
ton. Mr.. Joau>lon : rel y was most
startling and surprising to me. " hat,
said he, Stanton III favor OF he propose
ton? and he seemed greatly astcul~hcl
Why Stanton Was the Only member II
the cabinet opposed to i, and we've bound
To accept, when Stanton threatened to
Resign II the proposition was entertained
Tor a moment. Mr. STATIONS services
could not wei be dispensed with, and
rather than have him re>igIwe allowed
the matter to droI.