The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-28
Great Trials of History.
TRIAL. or CAPTAIN HENRY wInz.

One OF tho most exciting trials
brought about hv the civil War was
that Of Captain Henry Wirz. who was
the keeper Of the Confederate prison
at Andersonvill". ia. 1t Is difficult
to ind nm impartial view on tho sub
jcct. owing to tho violent opinions of
those IN opposition in tho great strife.
When tho rebellion was over, anu tho
Northern arms had won. Wirz was
tried convicted and executed. To show
that the South believed him gultlcss
thcy erected 10 his memory, closc by
the scenes that brought about his trial.
II monument.
No viewpoint will be taken IN this
brief article as to whether he WAS
guilty of the crimes charged against
him, AZ testified by men OF the North,
or whether lie is entitled To tn" opinion
Of his friends in the South that he was
"judicially murdered" and died mar
tyr after conviction upon charges of
which he WAS innocent The mere facts
OF the trial only will be touched upon.
Tho people in tho North wcro startled
when it became known that close to
1900 had met their death rs prison
crS Mt Andcrsonvlic. An invcstiga-
tion must he made to see If anything
criminal had TRANSFERRED, and natur-
ally the government turned their at
tcntion upon the keeper, ana Wirz
was arrested and lodged IN tho old
capital prison III Washington. The
I y
ncndation Of Judge Acknowledgement
Holt, requested General y. i. Chapman
To prepare the case for trial.
| Charges and specifications were pre-
I, pared by August. 1865. The following
men were selected TO act as Il military
commission 1T the trial; General Lew
Wallace. president and Generals -.
Mott, j. W. Gcary, l.. Thomas. John +.
| Iiailier. Francis Fcsscndcn, j. II. Stibbs.
Il. :. Bragg and Colonel Alicock
No., Il
charges read 10 him he pleaded mot
guilty" The trial began on August
-, 1866, and closed OF October Il.
1850. lasting siAty-thrcc days. Tho
chief charges were that Wirz had con
spired with others TO in5uro the health
aud destroy the lives OF soldiers in the
military service OF the United States.
then being held rs prisoners OF war at
.Andersonvillc. There were thirteen
murders charged against him.
large number OF witnesses were
called by both sides. on the side OF
the government officers and soldiers
who had been imprisoned at Anderson
Vile gave testimony of the horrible
condition that existed ut the prison,
and implicated Wirz N being respon-
Siblc, not only for tho condition, but
also OF maliciously killing prisoners.
On the Confederate side, many ON
Gers. cicrgEmcu and soldiers, testified
as 10 The good character of Wirz, his
I experience III similar work, and If there
was any blame, 1t was due to tho in
ability to cope with the situation
brought about by the necessary over
crowdinG prisons. In fact, their tcsti-
mony WAS entirely tho opposite 10 what
had been brought out by the prosccu-
ton.
At tho conclusion of the Testimony
Wirz was allowed a stenographer, Hen
~ q. Hayes. TO assist him In tho prep
arat!on of his address 10 the court.
The trial WAS y long one, and had
taxed the physical and nervous forces
OF all who took active part in it to
the verge of exhaustion. At its con-
clusion. and after the judge advocate
had made his summary of the case 10
the court, they made the findings, ac-
cording to the charges preferred, and
pronounced thc prisoner guilty OF ten
charges ami innocent OF three where
uron the judge advocate general sub
mittcd the findings 10 the President OF
the United States. Under date OF No
vcmbcr 3. 1863, the following orders
were issued from the White House.
The pro ;eedings. findings and SEN
tcnce Of the court I'm tho Wirg case arc
approved, and II IS ordered that the
prisoner be executed by the officer COM
handing the Department OF Washing
ton, on Friday the 10th day OF Novem-
her, 1866. between the hour OF 6 O'clock
~ NJ. and Il o'clock noon.
ANDREW JOHNSON
President"
The prisoner was duly executed by
&. c. Annur, Encouragement OF volun
tcers, on the day mentioned, and the
body OF WirZ was Inferred by the side
OF Atzcrod'. one OF the men executed
for tho murder Of President Lincoln in
the arsenal grounds. The remains
were later removed to Object Cemetery.
near Washington.
The peo.a r,trJ