Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-02-26
Correspondence of the n. Y. World.
ANECDOTES OF GEN. BUTLER.
An Enemy's Tribute,

ANECDOTES OF GEN. BUTLER.
An Enemy's Tribute.
Butler will swagger more than ev-
er now in the few days that are left
him of official strutting. How
we shall miss that slouching figure
strolling up the aisle after the morn
ing hour is begun! He always
comes in late, chewing his cigar;
throws his overcoat to one page, his
hat to another, sticks his hands in
his pockets and then turns around to
take q leisurely survey of the House.
He always manages to have
front seat, by exchanging with OF
buying from, some less important
member who happened to draw
good position. He is very rarely to
be seen at his desk. His practice is
to go close up to whomever he is
addressing, and talk into his face.
This is not his first tilt with Kentuck-
ian. Who remembers the scene be-
tween him and Garret Davis in the
Senate one day? He and Davis had
been denouncing each other in Pick
wickan fashion, and while the Sena-
tor was speaking ION some indiffer-
ent topic) the Representative hap
pened in and sat down next to him.
Butler in self defiance and impu-
dence. Davis was a little, wiry man.
Well, Butler sat down, threw mis-
head back, and looked both ways at
once. Davis glancing down, thought
he was looking at him, and began to
grow fgety. Butler moved not
The speech went on-Davis' speeches
always did-and Davis grew more
nervous, but Butler was invulnera-
BILE. By this time the Kentuckian's
discontinue was so evident and in
course so ridiculous, that the other
Senators were convulsed with laugh
ter? Not so with Davis; he was fu-
rious. "Does the gentleman mean
to insult me?" he cried in tower
ing passion in the middle of his
speech. Still Butler sat perfectly
passive. But finally at last it threat
ened to be so serious that Wilson, of
Massachusetts,, went over to Butler,
sat down between him and Davis,
and finally got Butler away. But
ler protested afterwards he had no
intention TO offend the Senator
When he does choose to speak he is
uncommonly ready with his answers.
l remember one night, directly
before the close of the last session,
after a long speech by Foster
against him not in the most parlia-
mentary terms, Butler arose and
made few similar comments on
Foster with regard to some action
that Butler characterized as fraudu-
lent. "Let US pray" SAID Foster
with a sneer, as Butler ceased.
Quick as flash "Old Coekeye," as
Foster had insolently called him,
turned to the stenographers: ''Put
it down with an e." he said, so dis
tinctly that it reached every corner
of the House, and shook it with ap-
plause. One favorite bit of smart
ness with him is to distract atten-
ton from the point at issue by get
ting up a personsal quarrel with his
antagonist. When he made out his
briefs for cases before Judge Shaw,
of New Hampshire, he used TO
write opposite the weak points,
<''Here insult old Shaw" Of course
cold Shaw" would get angry, and in
the heat of the discussion Butler
would get what he wanted. Chief
Justice Perley, of New Hampshire,
used to take his bed regularly after
Butler had tried a case before him,
and the latter, at the impeachment
trial, worried Stanberry into a fit of
sickness. Evarts he completely
disgusted. Curtis alone could bear
his insolence with unruff1ed dignity.
Nothing disconcerts him. Shortly
after the conviction of Prof. Web
ster, of Harvard College, which
set all New England agog, Butler
was examining-or bullying would
be better word-a professor wit
ness in case, when one of the op-
posing counsel Indignantly interfer-
ed, and said perhaps he didn't know
who he was dealing with. Perhaps
he does not understand that is Pro-
fessor of Havard College and distin
guished person." said the counsel,
with lofty sarcasm. "Oh, yes" said
Butler, promptly, 81 know all about
them; we hung one of them the
other day." The only man who
ever got ahead of him was Joseph
Ames, the painter. According to a
gossippy story, he painted a POr-
trait of Blanche, General Buffers
beautiful daughter. An exquisite
picture it was!-she, in pure white
dress, stepping from a rustic door
way. And then he asked $4,000 for
it. Her father refused to pay it.
So after waiting little while, Ames
wrote to him that he should paint a
basket of fish on her head, and one
in her arms, alter the dress some,
and sell it to Boston club. But
ler paid the money then, but pro
tested against the injustice, as he
said, the portrait was painted at Mr.
Ames' request. Though not dis
tinct or graceful speaker, the mo-
ment his voice is heard the house
fills. So suddenly do the gentle
men come in that it looks as II
they sprung from the floor. In
domestic life no man could
be more charitable, gentle and
pleasing; he is true friend, both IN
public and private. His memory is
prodigous; he can examine, cross
examine, and sum up case without
taking a note. He is familiar with
every branch of light and solid lit
erature, and his wife, who is beau
tiful reader, reads to him a great
deal. BY the charm of his conver.
sation and his perfect courtesy OF
manner he becomes almost handsome
He has always lived quietly, extend
ing hospitality to few favored
friends, whose recollection of tina
home before the beautiful daughte
left it is one of the most charming
pictures in the world.
a young fellow in San Francisco
suddenly snatched kiss from a la