The New Orleans crescent., 1868-07-23

this sugsr was seized and went to New York
through the hands of A. J. Butler. The proceeds
OF this cargo passed into the hands of A. j. But
Ter Co., or their agents.
The boats employed in the business were the
Iberville, Laurel Hill, the Empire Parish and the
Lieutenant Morris, boats in the employ of the
United States government. The Iberville was
chartered by Colonel Schsfsr and Mr.. Boomer
who did the outside business for Butler, at $4,000
per month. These boats paid no freight to the
qusrtermasters department. The witness paid
the tesmsters and wsgoners employed 10 the work.
The boats all passed out Of the port of New Or.
leans free of any charge or tax.
The witness says: " suggested to General
Butler that the government transports might be
ballasted with sugar. He said that it would not
be proper. for the port was not open, but finally
that might do SO provided it was sand instead Of
sugar.
Q. This was the general himself? A. Yes, sir,
this was before A. j. Butler arrived here.
Q. Did you pay to Butler any freight upon this
ballast? A. No; | commenced going round to
persons who wanted to ship sugar to New York
and told them that it would be taken for ten dol.
lars hogshead, and to say that il was sand il any
inquiries were made about il. The port was not
open until the middle Of June but this sugar was
shipped in the month Of May. General Butler said
it would break the blockade in the eyes of foreign
governments if We were found chipping from here
before the port was opened. When Col. Batter
came here be sent Capt. Turner and desired an in
PRODUCTION to me. / went down, and he, the col.
onel, stated that he had been informed was the
only person capable or willing to do business,
and as there was great deal of shipping to be
done, that If would do II he would furnish Off
ces, stationery and clerks, and would divide with
me. | declined doing 80, when he sent for me
again and insisted upon my doing so. 9.I heard
him say TO the captains of vessels: When you
arrive in New York lay of in the hsrbor; go
to the qusrtermaster and get your charter eau
celled, then hove alongside the pier and dis.
charge your cargo to the consignees, who will pay
you 50 hOgshead. Keep your mouth shut"
Q. What did you engage this freight for! A.
SO head.
Q. Where did the s. go to- A. don't know.
Isuppose that the money went to the government.
l charged nothing.
Q. Into whose hands did these ten dollars pass.
A. | suppose the government consigned to the
quartermaster and collected the freight in New
York. suppose everything was proper; can
bring you down TO the list of the cargo of every
vessel. Col Shsffer cancelled bis bonds by paying
sixty thousand dollars, as they would not bear iu
vestigation.
r. Bloomer was examined before the commits
sion 23d February, 1865, and testified that he was
guardian of the childIen Of one Mr.. Way, who had
an interest in the steamers New Orleans and
Southerner, Belle Lee, and the johnnie Rodgers,
and the Simpson. During Gen. Buffers admins
trstion these boats were run on capital which the
witness says was probably" furnished by Gen.
Butler. Col. French became interested in them
shortly after they arrived at New Orleans. he
first became interested in the SOutherner. He
bought one.third, for which he paid six thousand
dollars. She paid the one-third the first week she
arrived; these bsats broughtthe agricultural pro-
duce OF Louisiana to market. They got into
trouble, witness says, every week, were seized
by military authority and, says the witness, t be-
came my duty to get them released. | generally
went TO Col. Butler, and be would see persons in
authority, and they were generally released" He
says they were released " sometimes in court. In
the case of the Southerner she was seized and
bonded, and i understood the district attorney
discharged il. Sometimes we petitioned that the
boat had violated no military law ami Gen. Banks
and Gen. Stone would release them. There never
was any money paid in any case that recolect."
Colonel French was the provost marshal gen.
eral during the administration of General Butler.
George HONEYWELL examined before the COM
mission on the 5th Of May, 1865, testified that on
the l7lh of September, 1867 General Butler com.
ihrty-one thousand three hundred and sixty dol
lars 1881 .360l in current funds: "He called it
twenty y-eIeht thousand dollars In greenbacks. He
gave me his check on the Citizens Bank for thirty
one thousand three hundred and sixty dollars
($3l ,36O), equal to twenty-eight thousand dollars
in United States treasury notes. had offered to
charter ber to the government for fifty dollars
day, and If that was too much, they might have
had her for forty. He said he was going to send
her on perilous errand, and could not charter
her. General Butler sold the steamer few days
afterwards for forty five thousand dollars in green
backs. He afterwards chartered her to the gov
ernment for three hundred and fifty dollars day;
ten thousand five hundred a month. / saw the
check for the first months charter"
Such is the substance of the testimony affecting
General Buffers administration. For full details
we refer to the dispositions on file.