New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-22
APUP PRESENTED To BUTLER.

Mr.. DOolittle, on behalf of the plaintiff,
offered in evidence several letters, written
by General Butler to Colonel Wiegel, the
witness, in the spring of 1862 They were
all short, and each referred, together with
expressions of friendly nature, to the re-
ception and subsequent conduct of a dog
presented by Colonel Wiegel to the General
at Lowell General Butler expressed his
obligation for the dog in one letter and
asks Wiegel to accept 500 from him as a
token of friendship. In another letter he
says: "Will you not now take the money
as the tribute of sympathiziDg friend ~
The letters were read in court by General
Butler.
Judge Shipman ironically These let
tiers seem very important in this case.
General Butler-Yes, sir; but it is not my
fault that they are offered.
BUFFERS DOG A FIGHTER.
The last of the letters spoke of the dog as
having had fight with another dog, and as
still suffering from his wounds.
Judge Shipman-What is the date of that
important piece of testimony Severely
Mr.. Doolttle, | think very little of your dis
erection as counsel in introducing letters
showing the relations between the witness
and General Butler about dogs.
George Hunnewell was then called and
testified:
In August and September, 1862, was in
New Orleans; l was the owner of the
steamer Nassau; purchased her about the
tenth of September.
QuestiOn-What were you proposing to
do with herr
General Butler-I object.
Ex-Judge POrter-We propose to show
that he had made a contract to alter her
into tOwboat; that thereby he was inter
fering with Andrew jackson Buffers inter
est in the towing business; and that as
soon as he had determined to change her
into a towing boat, Mr.. Hunnewell was APP
preached with a proposition to sell her, and
he refusing to sell her, she was taken from
him.
General Butler-What was a proposition
in his own mind is not evidence. What he
did may be.
The court allowed the question.
Witness-=I made a contract to alter her
into t0w-boat; the first thing that fol
lowed, Mr.. Eddy called at my office; be was
in the tOw-boat business, and made an offer
for the steamer; 1 had an interview the
next day with Mr.. Hassanl
COME TO The KING.
Ouestion-What occurred between you
and General Butler Answer--I think the
next day, the seventeenth Of September,
1862, United States soldier came to my
uH1Cb anu h6hGu II H. ndlLG was 4AunLA
WELLS said it was; he said General Butler
demanded my presence at once; l went;
when | arrived at his office, General Butler
asked me if / was the owner of the steamer
Nassau; / told him | was, and that she was
i1 nv name; he says, Il wasn't to buy her;
what is your price for her 2" l told him
didn't wish to sell her; he said, "If you
don't sell her l will seize her for the use Of
the United States government" l then told
IL, I Oh
her to the government and that rather than
sell her would charter her to the govern
ment for $50 day, OF even for $40, for the |
reason that | had use for her if the govern !
ment didn't require her; General Butler |
replied, Il can't charter her; I'm going to
send her on periiOus expedition, and she |
may get lost" / then said, in case of her |
loss, would look to the United States gov |
eminent for my indemnity; his reply was,
mo, know what she cost you; am going /
to take her and give you my own price for |
her"
"YOU LIE, SIR
I said I thought it very hard as I had Just /
been offered $50, 500 for ive-eighths of her /
by his brother; his reply was, You lie, sir: |
l know all about it, l think he mentioned 4
s28,O0O as the sum be would give; he then /
called an orderly and instructed the order /
" to 90 with me to the transfer desk Of the 1
CustOmhouse, and Lave the vessel trans
ferred from me to him General Butler); / |