Weekly Trinity journal., 1865-11-11
NUMBER "A.
The TOmbs OF Professor Butler and His
Murderer.


A correspondent of the New York Times who
has been taking a stroll among the Louisville
cemeteries writes
! noticed but few monuments in the grounds
bearing names known to the country. One
ument. however, attracted me, bearing name
which had dozen years ago wide and painful
nooriety. II is a structure of somewhat bizarre
appearance. The body of it is composed of small
rough blocks of marble, relieved by what is
meant to represent aquatic plants, snakes or
it may he an cells head, projecting between two
of the ragged stones. From the top of this rises
a hower-wreathed cross, six or seven feet in hight
plain table on one side of the cross bears the
following inscription = To my husband On
the opposite is the following: Mathew +.
Ward, died in Arkansas. Sept. so, 1862, in his
31th year" This scriptural excerpt closes the
inscription q In the world to come is life eter-
nal. :"
This Mat. F. Ward is the person who killed
Professor Butler in the school he teaching
in this city, and in presence of his scholars, on
November .. 1853 The horror occasioned by
the event, the deep popular interest it excited,
and the trial especially ranking with the celedres
causes of the country, will keep it fresh in the
memory of multitudes, though occurring yes
terday. At the North, nnety-nne out OF a hun
drcd regarded the act murder, and nothing
short Of it, But wealth, social position, the ia
pathy, with the aid of such eminent counsel as
Governor Helm, J. J. Crittenden aud Tom Mar
shali-not yet become the wretchcd wreck which
strong drink afterwards made him-united to ret
the felon free. He left Louisville. rather never
after the trial came back TO it to brave the indig-
nant sentiment he had aroused. He settled on
his plantation in Arkansas, and there, before the
door of his dwelling was shot down By party
of rebel soldiers, who, from his dress sup
posed to have mistaken him for an enemy.
That is what the papers call - poetcal JUS
tice though why this rather than straight-ior-
ward, prosaic iastce, is not easy to explain
will call it the latter, rather, which is the
same thing. instsncc of that retribu;on with
which the 0mniscicty often stamps the iallibility
of human judgments, and visits with signal
overthrow offenders who have long cxulted in
n4unty.
Not many rods from the Ward monument
stands simple, unadorned marble shaft, which
has about ii an interest even greater than that
belonging to the one just noticed. 1t bears in
scriptions on its four sides faces, which feel
strongly imPeled to copy. and which here
transcrbe, thinking that others may find kim
drcd interest to that which felt in first reading
them. On one side is this: q William II. e.
Butter, born in Jefferson county, Indiana, Oct. 3,
1928 died at Louisville, Nov. > 1888" On the
second side these words .: He fell by the
hand Of violence. in the presence of his loving
of his duties" The third f.tscade bears the fol
lowing Inscription. which, | am assured, has
nothing in it of strained or exaggerated eulogv
. man without fear and without reproach Of
gcntle and retiring disposition of clear and
vigorous mind accomplished scholar; de-
voted and successful teacher meek and hum
bic Christian And on the remaining side
craven these significant words: "This monu-
ment is erected by his pupils and bcreaved
community. show their appreciation of his
worth and 70 rerpctuatc their horror at his mur-
der.
Thus the very marble over the grave Of the
victim Of lawess violence utters to the coming
times the horror of all right-thinkiug minds at l
deed of blood whose character is ftly described
in the name given to it, 1t IS an impressive les
son which
The living who view tlic ground
Where they must shortly lie
will be more likely 10 heed and profit by than
most of those that . soried urn mute mar
bic teaches.