Year: 1865




rb. AndersonvfIle Military Commission.


sketch of the Court and Prisoner.


Scorned, loathed, despsed, hated of all men
and women, Henry Wirtz, late captain in the ar
miss of the so-caled Confederate States, set in
a strong suard of soldiers came down through
the crowd of citizens, soldiers and sailors gath
cred in the halls of the basement floor of the
Capitol this afternoon, to the rooms of the Court
of Claims, to be tried for his nhumanites while
in command of Andersonville prison. One al
most wondered that there no outraged soldier
TO take the law into his own hands and shoot the
miserable creature he walked with his guard,
or sat on the luxuriously cushioned lounge be-
tween his counsel. That he was safe as any man
in the crowd is now evidence to the inherent
worth OF our humanity


At the head of the long table sits Major Gene
raj Lew Wallace, president of the commission
small and dark, thin and 1.-the cold and bloodless
in face, with the blacklist of hair and the sternest
of countenances, with very long black moustache
and slight chin whiskers, and, chiefly, eyes that
seem never to sleep and never to see, and yet
whose observation nothing escapes. Next him
on the right, is Brevet Major General Gershom
Mott-tall and straight arrow, with the air
and appearance of a 6rst-class business man. or
say man who, having long been at the head of
leading retail store, has recently become a
wholesale merchant down town. Next to Gene





Thomas, Adjutant General of the armies of the
United States-a thorough soldier, vet easy
affable, and pleasant Of face, with thin side
whiskers and abundant white har-an old man
who seems to carry young mans heart. Still
lower down the right sits Brigadier General
E. L. Bragg, black haired and dark skinned
officer of apparently 32 years and 40 pounds,
with full whiskers and moustache, and sort of
squarishy cut face. Last on that side of the
table is Brevet Colonel Thomas Allcock of the
4th New York Artillery--of complexion sandy
of face, wrinkled of moustache and chin whs-
ker, reddish brown Of hair, light and curly ::
Of manner earnest and cordial. Next to the
president of the commission the left OF the
table is Brevet Major General John H. Geary, of
national reputation even before the war began
Il tall and large man with wrnkled and genial
face, having the hearty and companonahle ways
Of Westerner, head slightly bald in front,
whiskers and moustache full and long and dark
brown in color. Below him is Brigader Gene
raj Francis Fessenden-with finely cut classical
face, head prematurely bald in front, eyes grayish
brown and kindly, moustache reddish and equal
to General Wallace's in length Still lower sits
Brevet Brigadier General John F. Ballier, Colonel
of the l48th Pennsylvana-a man of German
descent, probably. whose face is much like an
Indians in its general contour as is that of the
Indian chief on General Grants staff whose eyes
are small and sunken and whose hair is just be-
ginning to show the gray. Last this side is
Lieutenant Colonel J. II. Stibbs, of the 18th Iowa
"A young officer of good-humored face and easy
Western manners. At the foot of the table, and
facing General Wallace, is Colonel n. P. Chip
man, Judge Advocate-tall. straight, honest of
face and pleasant of voice, with light brown hair
and very long and flowing sandy whiskers-a
most courteous gentleman, and clear-headed
and able lawyer.


Yet the central fgurei the room is, after all,
the Swiss-American, Henry Writ, whom God
probably made, and yet whom no man thinks of
as brother. Is there family relationship among
fends? Let US be thankful that this one cannot
claim either American birth or education-Iet
mourn that the sister republic of Switzerland
must own his parentage. Writ came in with
quick step and slightly embarrassed manner.
He is about five feet eight in hight, and of about
135 pounds weight He black coat dark
vest, dark brown pants with reddish tngc, and
white shirt. His appearance is slOvenly and he
is round shouldered and STOPPING. His head is
high over the ears wanting in the rear, and de-
fcient in the upper forehead. His hair is dark
brown. and be begins to be bald in front. He
has full whiskers and moustache cut to about
half inch in length. lie is thin of face dark
of skin, bloolless Of lips, dark and very keen of
eye. His nose is thin and sharp, his mouth
straight and inelegant There isn't much of the
original villain in his appearance, though he
looks like utterly without conscience and
ready to do, for a consideration, almost any in
fernal deed set for him by superior He sat
with his legs crossed most Of the time during
the reading of the charges and specifications,
with his right hand against his cheek in precise
sort of way-speaking II word now and then with
his counsel, and looking up occasionally to the
soldiers who stood, with bayonets fixed, on either
side He looks like man Of forty years but
has one of those faces always deceptive about
age He answered .'yesn and - no. two or
three times, but it was not enough to show how
well he speaks English.


Messrs. Hughes, Denver, Peck and Schade are
his counsel of whom the first three constitute
one law firm. Judge Hughes was formerly on
the bench of the Court of Claims, was third
counsel in the recent Mary Harris temporary
insanity case, and is the leading counsel now
He is short and square smooth and Hord of face
and bald of head. His manner is colloqual and
prosy. Gen. Denver is ponderoug in body and
in manner. and is reported ready and able law
YER His hair is brown and tnmbled his face
leathery and wrinkled his chin solid and double
Mr.. Peck is younger man, and seems TO have
charge of the papers in the He is noticea-
BILE for his broad forehead large and sleepy eyes
and curl in the upper lip which may be sneer,
and may be the result of peculiar conformation
of the Jaw. Mr.. Schade is foreigner though
probably not German, as many seem to suppose


He is very short very stout, very full in the face
very flord in complexion, very bald of head.
Against this array of counsel Judge Advocate
Chapman appeared alone to-day. There need be
no fear on his aceount-though it is understood
that he will have assistance before the week is
over.


THE CnIco RoAD.-The following significant
item by the San Francisco correspondent of the
Dalles (Oregon) Nouatanecr, will be interesting