The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-07-25
From New York
Correspondent Of the Crescent. ]

z 3 i I
Of the Crescent.
New York, July s, 1865.
Major General Benjamin F. Butler is
bout to appear again in public, in connec-
ion with the affairs Of his deceased BROTH
n, Col. Andrew j. Butler, who died in this
lily two years ago. The citizens Of New
Orleans have some interest in this matter,
md a brief statement Of the circumstances
nay not be uninteresting. In the halcyon
days Of war, when the Crescent City was
delivered over to the Butler brothers to be
9 squeezed like a lemon" Col. Butler was
high priest, grand vizier and vicar general
of his brother, and all business arrange
ments were transmitted through the chan
mel of his influence. Fertilized by the
citric irrigation Of the generals satrapy, the
9 estate" which at the first was
" no bigger than grain ofmustard seer"
swelled, grew and aourished, until finally it |
expanded into the proportions Of the bay
free Of their native State. For rumor has
it that Col. Buffers entire property, when
New Orleans fell into federal hands, would
not have sufficed to pay his passage thither
at the usual rates; but go rapid was the ad
vance Of his fortunes that when be returned,
and died of fever in New York city, on his
way back to New England with his gains,
a good Judge fixed bis assets at two millions
of United States government bonds. APP
preaching death gave admonition that his
will was to be made here 10 New York; and
Zen. Butler, having obtained from Secreta.
ny Stanton and Mr.. Lincoln leave OF abb.
sence from the field where duty had assigned
him to active service, abandoned the militia
~ operations in which be was then engaged,
and hurried on to this city to direct the tes.
tamentary campaign which was to dispose
Of the vast fortune his brother had accamu.
lated. The will is a curiosity. The pen,
held by the dying man, was guided by fra
ternal affection not less touching than that
which knit David to his brother Jonathan.
For, although the testator left q wife and
son, (both ofwhom, as chance would have
it, had just at that time sailed to California
he btquehthed one half Of all he possessed
to bis brother Benjamin, one.quarter to his
wife, and the remaining quarter to bis broth
|er Benjamin, as trustee, until his son should
attain the age OF thirty. The parties who
drew up and supcrintended tho execution Of
i this instrument were friends Of the Butler
brothers, and the only person about the dy
| ing man. That the latter was competent t
comprehend and execute will has not beer
legally questioned, and the inference is tina
the dying colonel considered that the various
services he had received from the Surviving
general entitled him to one-haf Of the pro
perry standing in the testator's name, AM
after this, Benjamin's portion, toa good girl
upon another half Of the remainder.
il Gen. Butler brought forward the will III
!, which be was named sole executor) for pro
bate before Surrogate Tucker, and swor
that the amount Of the property did not ex
coed 100000. After examination Of wit
nesses, the will passed to probate, and let
tiers tcstamentary were issued to the gene
raj; on his fling security as required by tn
statute. This he did in the sum Of $500
900, his two sureties being ex-Gov. Gardine
of Massachusetts, and ext Morgan (nos
u. s. Seuator) Of New York. Each Q
these two gentlemen justified in the sum .
$500, 600.
Three or four months passed along, within
a which. by the laws Of this State, an inventl
t ~ and appraisal "oi all the goods, chattel
), aud credits Of the testator are to be mad
and fled with the surrogate. The majo
g general not complying with the law vol0r
/ tarily, the surrogate issued his summons I
. compel obedience. The general then cam
forward and asked the surrogate to appoiu
appraisers. This was done, and the genera
called upon to show his hand and state tn
5 assets. He declined to do so, except as to
SIN Ill amount, which be ayerred was in th
r country Of New York. As to all other PR
perty, wherever situated, he declined I
< make any statement to the appraisers. Th
appraisers reported to the surrogate; III
surrogate ordered the general to render y flu
/, inventory or to be attached for contempt
and the general, by his counsel, Recordt
Jno. K. Hackett, appealed to the suprel1
/ court. There the question lies, and wi
/. continue to lie until Gen. Butler and b
. counsel are ready to argue it year or tw
hence. The surrogate appointed Algerno
J S. Sullivan, Esq. who had acted as one
D tie appraisers, to argue the case before Il
e supreme court.
I'd Having thus tied up the public curiosit
which had become excited to a sonewhs
= troublesome degree about this matter, &c
$ Butler went on 10 bis own way to admin
!. ter the estate, until the Is months Above
q by law for that purpose were complete
As be gave no sign Of voluntarily bringir
y his accounts before the surrogate at the e
d piration Of that time for settlement, and
d no creditors applied to compel him to a
I'D count, it became the surrogate's duty und
the revised statutes, to Summon him to q
count. This has been done, and the tin
b fixed by the citation for the second Monds
10 in July. On motion, however, Of the gen
. rails counsel, the time has been extended
!, to 23d inst.
y Upon the rendering Of an executors q
e, count, all creditors Of the heceased can pr
III scut tuCii SIoiiuS w tu0 OuttOSdtc, duu liz
u their validity and amount determined.
: decree for payment is made as to such as
y proven.
fs A number Of Your citizens, am inforl
70 ed, allege that they were dispoiled by g
(. Butler. Their claims can now be present
j before Surrogate Tucker, since bis ord
= compelling an account; and they can at i
u. obtain full and impartial bearing, with {
'. assurance that that Nemesis, which soor
in or later yindicates her divinity against
: men, living or dead, will secure to them I
y redress Of their wrongs before magistra
rs who, whatever his political opinions, is u
ne versaly aud deservedly recognized here o.
% fearless Judge, good jurist, and an homo
~ BILE gentleman. II these complaints Of ye
~ citizens lie well founded, their Investigate
ct will probably result ina notable expos,
lst and revelation Dis to the mode in which
Andrew j. Butler did business /" q
"squeesed the lemon in the Crescent CT
There may also be some inquiry into the
on tual amount Of property leit BY the colo
Al q 4