Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1906-03-31
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active canvass. The president of the
convention was one of his old SER
geants. Several of his old privates
were delegates. He was moved I'M
der in the interest of Private Jack,
and he knew why. In still another
case an officer given to abuse of his
men sought an appointment at the
hands of the governor. He met with
rebuff that took him out of the
state Chicago Inter Ocean
All Knew and Loved "Aunt Lizzie"
President Mckinley never came to
Chicago without paying friendly call
upon Aunt Lizzie" (the late Lizzie
Aiken) as she was called. And to
Aunt Lizzie the martyred president
was always plain William Gen.
Grant, to whose army she was attach
ed during the greater part of the war.
also held her in high esteem, while
Gen. Sherman is said to have been the
first to address her by the name she
was afterward known almost univer-
sally by-"Aunt Lizzie" Mrs. Aiken
bore the distinction of being one of
the few women who were pensioned
directly by the government for their
work during the war. She was always
| a welcome figure at G. A. R. reunions
diers from all parts of the country
who happened to spend day in Chi
| cago always looked her up.
One of the recent incidents that are
| related of her concerns a visit of one
| of the soldiers to whom she had min
| istered when he was wounded in one
| of the battles of the war. He was
| passing through Chicago and called
| at her home. He was cordially greet
| ed by name, and in the course of the
| conversation mentioned the fact that
| he had recently suffered a severe loss.
He said that the old homestead in
which he had lived had been burned.
and with it had persisted the only pic
ture he had of his brother, who had
been a soldier during the war. His
mothers picture was also destroyed.
wait a minute" said Aunt Liz
| zie." She pulled out long box where
she kept many keepsakes. and the
soldier saw that it was filed with
thousands of pictures. She spread
open huge pile OF them, and, to the
soldiers establishment, produced not
only photograph of his brother. but
one of himself, one of his mother, and
one of his father
For a moment her visitor was too
time 1 ever knew a picture of my
father was in existence he said
This is an illustration of the habit
ual thoughtfulness of the woman.
Leading members of the church all
united to pay their last respects to
her on the occasion of her funeral.
All speak in the highest terms of her
kindly nature. cheerful disposition and
charitable impulses. She was one of
the Oldest citizens of Chicago.
Object to Monument to Wirz.
Much indignation has been express
ed by members of the G. A. r.
throughout the country by the pro-
posal of the Confederates at Atlanta
to erect a monument to the memory
of Capt Henry Wirz, commander at
Andersonville Prison during the war,
and who was hanged by the Federal
authorities. In December, 1905, the
members of Atlanta Camp, No. 159,
United Confederate Veterans passed
resolutions in which they say:
Whereas; We have ever regarded
his (Wirz's) execution by the frenzied
fanatics who were in control of the
Federal government at that time as
an act of savage vindictiveness; and,
Whereas, We feel that the erection
of monument to his memory will be
a just tribute to a faithful, patriotic
Confederate officer, an innocent victim
of Misrepresentation, perjury and
fend:sh malignity; to a martyr who
suffered death in preference to bear
ing false testimony against President
Jefferson Davis; such a monument
will, for all ages to come, serve as a
fitting rebuke to such as would in the
hour of triumph insult civilization by
acts of cruelty
statement, but there is not an atom of
truth in any of the assertions. Capt.
Henry Wirz was not hanged for obey
ing any legitimate orders, nor was
there any attempt made to force him
to give evidence against JEFF Davis.
He was punished, as many other men
were punished, for committing acts
forbidden by the laws of war. The
evidence was abundant that he had
transgressed the laws of war, and he
did not even plead in his defense that
he was especially ordered to do as he
did His acts were the offspring of
his own petty, brutal nature and
malignity. These were outside of.
and in excess of, the general policy
| of starvation and maltreatment for
which Jefferson Davis was respon-
sible, and which was proved beyond
doubt by the testimony of reliable
Confederate officers.