Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-09-12
Gen. Bntler Explains His Transaction
with Mrs. Durham.

Washington Cor. N Y. Herald, Sep 10 !
In these dispatches recently allusion was
made to certain forth coming disclosures in
reference to the plot to obtain Impeachment
evidence against the President, and it was
sta'ed that an affidavit would be included,
showing that Mrs. Dunham had received from
General Butler $50. and was reproached by
thetlatter for not having performed the ser.
vice for w hich che ha d been engaged. In re-.
lation to this subject the following Is given as
Cen Butler's explanation: While Conover
was in Jail in this city lady who boarded in
the house with Mrs. Dunham called on Gen
Butler and informed him that Mrs Dunham
had said her husband knew ofthe whereab bouts
OF certain very important documents bearing
upon the ASSASSINATION OF President Lincoln,
and subse uently gen tleman, a boarder in
the same house with Mrs. Dunham, came to
General Butler and reiterate this information.
stating, in addition, that Mrs. Dunham had
said il che could get money Sufficient to de-
fray expenses Of travelling she could obtain the
papers IN question. General Butler then said
it Mrs. Durham would bring to him a state
me Mt from her husband setting forth the char
acter OF the documents, he would enable her
to get at them. Mrs. DnEham afterwards call
ed on the General with the required statement,
and told him that the documents were in New
York, to which place she would have to 60
for them. and that MIR. Dnnham had fully in :
structed her now TO proceed in order TO obtain
them. Gen. Butler asked her how much money
she wouln need for the purpose She replied
that as she would be obliged to have g compan.
ion she would reed fifty dollars. This amount
the General gave her, and was assured by
Mrs. Dunham that she would start that even
ing. A day or two after wards Mrs. Dunham
again appeared before the General, stating that,
as some trouble had occurred at the jaii, she
was unable TO see her husband. but brought q
nole from HIM explaining that he could not
give her the directions necessary TO get the pa
pers. Then you cannot 60 to New York.
SAID the GeneraE You will not require the
fifty dollars so You had better return the
money" Mrs. Durham answered that she
had not the money to return. General Bntler
hen told her he knew the money had been
used for other purposes. and that she could not
repay it. Mrs. Dunham was greatly aston
ished, and asked the General how he knew
that she had made other use OF the money.
General Butler answered that he would tell
her story. He then related how, when he
was in command of the Army OF the James, be
bad engaged man to 60 into the lines and
bring him an account of the iron -clads that
were being built at Richnond how the man
returned in three weeks with q budget of in
teTestirg information, and how, after the spy
had told him his story, Butler had produced a
detective who disclosed that the spy had gone
from the army to Washington, where he re-
maned during the whole time, instead OF going
to RichmcRd, and finished by saying that he
had him ornamented with a ball and chain
and set bim to digging in Dutch Gap. The
General hen told her that she had her answer;
she might 60; and she went.