The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-11-25
Transfer Of the Sub Treasury
Arrest of Ben Butler.
NIw York Nov. lG.

New YORK Nov. l6.
The formal transfer OF the Sub
Treasury by Gen. Butterfeld to his
successor took place this morning.
Business here will be generally sus
pended tomorrow.
A order Of arrest was issued against
Gen. Butler to-day, Mrs. Florence,
of New Orleans, charging him with
appropriating three jewoled, gold
hilted swords, formerly the property
Of Gen. Twiggs, and worth s35, 900,
and box of silver-warc valued at
$1,000.
Fifteen thousand dollars bail will
be furnished on Friday, and the Gen
eral allowed to 60 on parole.
Sioux City, Nov. II.
The Sioux City Times has the fol-
lowing intelligence of . destructive
fire at Fort Sully:
On last Sunday, at about half.past
four o'clock in the afternoon, a fire
broke out in the Quartermaster's
storehousc. Every effort was made
to quench it, but without avail. The
building, with its entire contents,
was destroyed. A strong wind was
blowing from the east, and it was
only by the utmost exertions that
the entire garrison was saved from
destruction. The quarters Of the
troops were saved only on account of
their being constructed of logs, to
which fact may also be attributed the
preservation ofthe entire post. The
logs, being more solid than frame
work, afforded o greater barrier to
the progress of the flames, and thus
bringing them more subject to the
control of the men.
The store house was constructed
ofboards, and filled with combusti-
BILE materials, and burned like tinder,
owing to the strong wind which pre-
vailed at the time.
The fire appears to have originated
under the Office floor, but its cause is
unknown, various suppositions being
current as to its occasion. An idea
was first entertained that it was the
work anincendiary, but subsequent
Investigations shows the fallacy Of
this opinion; for the location Of the
fire when discovered, according to
the Testimony of those who first
reached it, was such that it could
have been reached only by entering
the Office and taking up the door
which could not have neen done
without detection. Some consider it
an instance OF spontaneous combus-
ton, while others think it was caused
by defective tiue; others express
the opinion that it may have been
occasioned by rats carrying matches
and combustible articles under the
floor out of which to build their nests.
The latter explanation appears to be
the most probable, although they are
all possible.
An immense quantity of goods, in
tended for distribution among the
Indians, were stored ut the fort, for
want Of storage room at the Chcy.
enne Agency, all of which were de-
stroyed. The loss of these will occa-
sion real dissatisfaction and suspicion
among the Cheyennes, who will Of
course have an idea that Uncle Sam
IS trying to swindle them, not being
able to reason about the matter, but
blaming the Government directly for
any failure IN obtaining their goods,
not considering what the cause of the
failure may be. They will probably
have to suffer considerably, too, be-
cause the stores included quantity
Of clothing of various kinds, without
which they can scarcely keep COM
fortably during the coming winter
This will not serve, to any great ex-
tent, in their keeping their temper,
and may result in something more
serious than is anticipated.
Some Of the stores destroyed were
intended for the detachments of sold
iers which have left during the past
week, and for others yet to come
Their destruction will work hard
ship for those for whom they were
furnished, and boys in blue on the
frontier during this winter may ex-
perience a taste Of what boys in blue
at the front experienced during the
rebellion,
The loss to tho Government by this
confagration is immense, and will
amount to about 100000. The
Quartermaster's Department ofthe
Northwest will suffer great inconve.
nience until the stores can be repla-
ced. which can only be done by the
long and tedions method of wagons
and teams, navigation being effectual-
ly closed for this season.
The Mt. Pleasant Journal is in
mourning for its Senior Editor, Mr..
Richard Hatton. Mr.. II. was born
in Fairfax county, Virginia, and was
sixty-one years old. He has been,
for twenty-five years, an editor, and
in that time had charge of several
Ohio papers. He returned a few days
ago from a visit to his aged father in
Iowa. He was stricken down at the
depot ut the very minute of his reach.
ing Mt. Pleasant, and died in a few
hours. Mr.. O. H. Snyder, tempora
rlly in charge of the Journal, says OF
him:
In the death OF Richard HattOn, q
good and noble man has gone from
our midst. During his residence in
Mt. Pleasant he had gained the re
spect and confidence Of al who be
came acquainted with him, and bore
the highest character for honesty
and integrity. He was prepared tol
the death that overlook him, having
been for many years consistent
member Of the Methodist church
and carried his religion into his every
day life. Although called suddenly,
he was ready to go, and good man
has gone to God.
lie was dutiful son, aud had the
greatest reverence Tor his aged faith.
er. He leaves 4 widow and six chill
dren to mourn their irreparablc loss
To his wife he was ever an affection
ate and tender husband; and to his
children kind and indulgent father
Sadly will they miss him.
The debt OF Leo county, this State
under Democratic rule, looms up to
the nice little sum of one million
five hundred thousand dollars.