The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-21
GENERAL BUTLER ON THE STAND
Fun Narrative Of His Operations OF New Or
leans, with Begging and Threatening
Letters to Him frem Wiegel.
VIE GEL sQUELCHED.
Sudden Collapse OF the
Prosecution. ~
GENERAL BUTLER INDICATED.

The Tlden-Butler suit was concluded yesterday,
before Judge Shpman, in the United States Circuit
Court The court room, notwithstanding the ex-
treme heat, was crowded by an interested audi
tory, and the principal object OF interest-the de
rendant General Butler, on the stand-awakened
peculiar and hushed attention.
The proceedings in the forenoon related princl-
pally to the character of the witness Wiege, In
lation to whose truth and veraclty several wit
nesses were called among them Mr.. Alexander
Fulton, Supervisor OF Internal Revenue for the
States OF Maryland and Delaware; General Erastus
b. Tyler, resident of Baltimore; David Bendann, a
photographer of this city, formerly OF Baltimore,
and Mr.. John Ashton, resident OF that city, all OF
whom testified to the character Of Wiegel as being
bad, ana they would not believe him under oath.
GENERAL BUTLER ON TIE STAND.
The defendant In the case-General Butler him.
self-took the witness stand; he gave in the course
OF his testimony full and succnct history OF his
transac tlons In New Orleans, covering the time
and subjects OF the prosecution; he arrived In
New Orleans on the 1st day of May, 1862, as Major
General Commanding the Department OF the Gulf
and remained there In command until the 10th OF
December 1862, leaving finally on the Oath OF that
month, being succeeded by General Banks; about
the list OF September, having determined, In con-
sultatlon with Admiral Farragut upon an expcd-
ton with brigade into the Teche and Atchafalaya
country, to be commanded by General Weitzel, and
In order to do this 1t was necessary to have naval
force to cooperate with the Land forces in order to
capture Brashear City; the navy had no gunboats
Of light draught enough to enter across the bar in
Berwick Bay, SO to reach the seat OF operations;
he thereupon took two river steamers-the Diana
and the Gray Cloud, afterwards called the Coonel
Kinsman-and iron-plated them, so as to cover the
boilers aud forward deck; but as these two steam
ers were river boats, 1t was not safe to send them
round outside in the Gulf. unless they could be ac-
companied by one or two light drauglt sea-gong
steamers; he had one steamer called the Calhoun,
which he turned over to the navy, and they fitted
her mp as q gunboat; he instructed his captain OF
the port to look out among the shipping fol- another
light draught steamer and inform him as soon as
came into port about the 4th or 9Th OF Septem
Der the steamer Nassau came into port, and Cap
tain Sturges informed him of her arrival and
that she might probably answer his pur-
pose; meanwhile his Quartermaster, Colonel
Shaffer, had gone North, leaving New
Orleans about the lst Of September to make
requistion at Washington for funds, in green
backs, for the necessary expenses OF the army;
this threw upon General Butler the burden oil pro-
curing such a boat; he sent one OF his officers,
now deceased who had some experience in boats,
seafarng man-Captan r. s. Davis-to examine
the Nassau; he reported that she was suitable for
the purpose; he then made inquiry to who was
the owner of the boat; falling to learn who owned
her, he found that she had been consigned to
George Hunnewen; General Butler sent to Mr.
Hunnewe and asked him to call upon him, and
made inquiries about the boat; stated to Mr.. Hun
newell that If she would do for his purpose he would
procure authority from the Quartermaster General
to purchase her. Mr.. Hunnewell stated that he was
the sole owner OF the boat; General Butler then
asked him what he considered the boat worth; he
said $4,000; thereupon General Butler told him
that he could not pay any fixed sum for the boat,
as he was not authorized to do so, as he had no
right TO Tx the amount, but that he would have
informal board Of survey who should fix the price,
and that he would take her AT that price and give
certificate OF Indictment, so that Mr.. Hunnewen
could get his pay at Washington; thereupOn
board OF survey consisting OF one citizen ship car
penter, Captain Davis, OF his sta, and an engineer
as to the boilers, went and examined the boat
and reported her TO General Butler as being worth
In their Judgment, $4,000: he got an estimate OF
repairs, and found that the cost Of fitting her up
would be about twelve thousand dollars more;
he intended that she should carry one very
heavy rncd gun forward and two howzlters aft;
would give him certificate Of Indebtedness for
2S,000 in the meantime General Butler wrote n
letter to the Quartermaster General, In which he
stated all these facts on the 14th OF September OF
which a copy will be produced in Court and re-
ceived answer by return OF mail that he might pur
chase the boat; Mr.. Hnnnewe said that the boat
was worth more than that; General Butler told him
that he could not pay any more, and indeed he
cos pay Ss woI h naS 70 gS
quartermaster returned II he got the money, other
wise it would be paid In Washington, because the
moneys OF the government in the hands OF General
Butler from other funds devoted TO feeding the
poor aud the purposes Of civil administration
great loss to him not to have the
pay; indeed he did not sec how he could get along
without the pay but II he could not get his pay he
formed him that chartering the boat would be use
less, because the expense would be SO large In
tts.tta and thn nlf ~
unfit her for any other use; the service she go
Ing on was dangerous one, in which she would
very likely be destroyed, and that 10 return her to
him and have him alter her back into q passenger
boat would cost quite as much as the worth OF tho
money; General Butler told him that, while he
could not pay him in Treasury notes., yet he woul(
pay him in notes OF the Citizens Bank at discount
which would make them equal to treasury notes
he had deposited his funds in the Citizens Bank
Mr.. Hunnewell agreed TO take them, whereupol
per cent discount; Mr.. Hunnewell accepted 1t;
bill of sale was drawn mp in General Buffers Office
Mr.. Costanzi, the Registers Clerk in the Custom
House, was sent for and asked If therehad been
proper transfer Of the boat by Mr.. Hunnewell ant
proper entry made La the Custom House; Mr.
Costanzi informed him that there had been, ant
thereupon bill OF sale was executed in Genera
Buffers office and witnessed by Mr.. Costanzi ant
Mr. William II. Hunt citizen OF New Orleans
who happened to be present at the time; a man by
the name OF Buell. came in with Mr.. Hunnewell and
acted as his friend; IN the meantime hands were
put on the boat, the after part OF the cabin was cut
OF, the ratings and timbers taken or on the
after deck, SO as TO make shear deck, on
which to place two howitzers; the deck
was strengthened; the steering apparatus
altered so as not to be in the way OF working the
guns and arrangements were made for the accom-
odation OF the officers and crew in the after part
OF the vessel; meanwhile the deck panks on the
fore deck were taken up preparatory TO strengthen
ing her there and adding timbers by which TO sup
port the heavy guns TO be mounted there; there
upon Mr.. Buchanan having examined ner, Waitet
upon General Butler. with the ship carpenter who
was making the repairs and stated 70 him that sh'
was 80 weak forward that she would not supper
the gun without as they expressed IT, making he
''solid'-1lling her up nearly solid with timber, 81
that there would be no place for the seamen In TIT
forward hold, and, besides her weight forward
would be so much increased, together with the gun
that to put in the proper ballast to bring her
even keel, she would draw probably toe
much water; upon that report to Genera
Butler he concluded to abandon her, and
having no further use for her, he wished
to sell her; he supposed that perhaps Mr.. Hume
well would be willing to take her back, as he
claimed that she was worth more than he had paid
for her he thereupon sent his orderly with his com
pliments TO Mr.. Hunnewell to call upon him, which
he did In company with Mr.. Buell.; lie told Mr.
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