The New Orleans crescent., 1868-07-23
Batter In New Orleans.
PART OF THE srASroN-sUPrREssED REPORT.

The order creating this commission was signed
by Abraham Lincoln as president, on the 10th day
OF December, 1864. The commissioners named
were Maj. Gen. William F. Smith and Hon. Henry
Stsnbery, of Ohio. Gen. Smith reached New Or.
leans January 2 1865, but owing to the non arrival
OF Mr.. Stanbery, it was not until the 26th of Jan.
nary that the hrst testimony was taken. Mr.. Jas.
I. Brady, Of New York, arrived in April 1865
having been appointed by the president in place
OF Mr. Stantery. The report, q volume con tain
ing nearly four hundred pages of foolscap, is now
on ME IN the war office, having been suppressed
by Stanton since the time il was submitted in Sen.
tember, 1865. 1t is signed by VIM. p. Smith, ma
9or general, properly known as Baldy SMITH I;
James I. Brady, and Nicolas Bowen, lieutenant
colonel, A. A. g., judge advocate. The commits
Honers, in their introduction to the report, say:
Much difficulty was experienced in developing
the administration Of the various departments,
from the fact that the testimony in most cases was
obtained Fl om unwilling witnesses. and parties VINO
had themselves been implicated in the transac-
ton exposed. But even before the arrival of Mr..
Brady proof bad been taken establishing con.
clusively that the greatest want of system and
conformity to the acts of Congress and orders of
the government pervsded the entire division. with
few exceptions, and that many of the officials
had been engaged during all their term of office
IN gross misconduct, some particulars Of which
will be detailed in this report.
Mr.. Jacob Barker was examined on the 9th of
February, 1866, and says, among other things,
that when Gen. Butler arrived in New Orleans he
told the witness he had no money, or very little,
In the military chest-sbout $l00. Mr.. Barker,
at his request, loaned him $500, which was after.
wards paid. about this time be told me (the
witness cOntinued) he wanted more money-a
900 on his own account for his bill In Boston,
[ agreed toiet him have it, He took the greater
portion, for which he gave me his exchange on
Boston, which was honoraby paid. OF this
money most Of 1t he drew on me for gold in favor
Of his brother. Subsequently be told me that his
object IN this negotiation was to get funds to loan
bis brOther.r
Mr. b. F. Smith testified before the commission
on the 9th Of February 1865, that he had resided
In New Orleans twenty-five years, and was there
when Gen. Butler arrived; that be was interested
with Col. A. j. Butler the brother of Gen. But
Ter, IN carrying goods across the lake. consisting
Of salt, quinine shoes, corn groceries and liqu
which went mostly into the hands of the rebels
as Col. Butler well knew. He received one-third
OF the profits realized upon them. The witness
was asked: do yOu believe that Gen. Butler
Knew about this trade?" A. Yes. sir; | told him.
He asked me the question, and sl3, 900 worth went
after that.
Q. Did you deal in cotton at alls A. We tried
10, but got only 100 bales.
Q. State about the transaction. A. Gen. Bot
er informed me that no more goods should 90 out
lnless cotton returned. / went to the rebel au-
thOrities.
Gen. Lowell, the rebel commander in chief.
endeavOred to have the witness come back with
more goods. The witness told him what Gen.
Butler had said.
Q. You had no difficulty to get in and out (of
our lines) when you pleased! A. No, sir. had
Iix or seven schooners chartered Col ButIer got
everything fixed. French signed the passes.
The witness says that when he came back to
New Orleans after his Interview with the rebel
general asout the cotton, he reported progress to
Gen. Butler and Col. Butler, and that he got
promise and he says the general told me that
the rebels would fool me-"
Q. Did the cotton come in! A. Yes, sir, and
goods went out.
Q. What was the value of the cargo? A. Be.
txua tural nd
Q. What was the value of the cotton that came
in' A. One hundred and ninety.six bales, at As
cents pound.
Q. When you came to settle with Col. Butler he
gave you only twenty Eve hundred dollars! A.
He did not give me that The party who repre-
sented the rebel authorities came to me and offered
me ten thousand dollars for my interest in the
thing.
o. What was the amount of your claim on Col.
Butler! A. don't know; | was to have one
third OF the net proceeds. We paid for the cotton
think 10 cents pound, and got As cents Ii
worth about two hundred dollars bale. That
would be about thirty six thousand dollars. The
salt was bringing about thirty dollars q sack.
Q. How much percentage did you make upon
The goods. A. More than two hundred per cent,
and seventy-fVe per cent. upon the cotton.
The witness Smith says that he was a rebel at
the time and did not take the oath until after these
transactions.
W. W. Watson testified on the lst day of March,
1865, that he knew person named A. F. Smith
r.
ness last examined as will appear by q careful
examination of the deposition) MIR. Watson says
that Smith did great deal of business during Gen.
Butler's administration; that he would slightly
doubt his statements because he was party in
The Bayou Lafourche land company bill,l which
Lhe witness regarded as a swindle.
The witness testified as follows:
Q. Is there anything in that to hinder his credi.
bity as a witness, except that he was connected
with the straw company? A. No, sir, don't
think there was.
Q. Do you know anything about this business
that he carried on across the lake in Gen. Butler's
time? A. At the time l saw him the business
was not carried on very well, and he told Gen.
Butler that be would retire.
Q. What knowledge had you that he was going
into q cOntraband and improper business! A. /
had no direct knowledge, but was of opinion that
he filled out the generals passes In a written form.
Q. Do you mean he signed the generals name,
or that the general furnished him with blank
passes? A. | saw his book on the table, and saw
his passes that were not signed by the general:
Q. And you are certain that Gen. Butler filed
I'D these passes? A. Yes, sir he cleared three
vessels from here to Matsmoros, among which wa J
the Mary Davis; when Admiral Fsrrsgut was in.
formed of il, he sent gunboai and took the su-
percargo, Reed, Gen. Buffers brothern-aw !;
Farrsgut took his pass and went up to the gen.
erals with it. and asked him If il was his hand
writing. to which the general replied: " That is
A. Us handwriting;" A. J. Butler was then ar
rested and psroed, and afterwards taken up by
q picket and brought back here, and having given
security in $50 600 bonds, finally ran away.
The witness was not present at the interview
between Admiral Farragut and Gen. Butler, and
based his statement on hearsay. The witness
says that the permits which Col. Butler made out
contained great variety of articles, and in
stanced one TO a man named Long to take ves-
sci of about eighty tons to Mobile, loaded with
provisions. He was to bring back the money be-
longing to the Merchants Bank Col. Butler and
Mr.. French made out the list Of medicines and as
sisted in getting the medicines to send by this
vessel.
The witness was asked Have you any reason
TO suppose that Gen. Butler was interested in these
operations?
A. Yes, sir; l have reason to suppose SO, but
don'tknow the fact.
Q. State any fact. A. They had no money until
they get three hundred and twenty thousand dol
lars out of the city treasury; | saw the FIRST thou
sand dollars counted out on the table in Buffers
(cooneis) Office.
Q. Who was present when that money was
counted? A, No one except Mr.. Wyer, Mr.. Du-
nell aud myself; Mr.. Dues, Gen. Butler and Gen.
Shepley signed the order; it was presented to Mr..
c., and he would not give up the money, where