Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-09-15
THE WIDOW BUTLER.

II am not like girl that don't know
what she wants. said Gen. BUTLER, in
announcing his desire to be returned to
Congress, a few weeks since.-"I am like
a widow that knows what she wants, and
is not afraid to ask for it.' The retired
statesman, who used this novel smile, has
appeared before the American people in
many characters, but never before in the
bewitching character of widow. He has
appeared at New Orleans as a haDgman;
at Fortress Monroe as blusterer; at Fort
Fisher as a failure. and now as widow.
One cannot think of a greater addition to
Washington society than the gentle widow
BUTLER, who graces the receptions in a
subdued half-mourning, but one cannot
also help thinking of the scandal that will
be circulat ed by envious bellies. How they
will call attention to the strabismic af-
lection of the bereaved ones eyes, and to
the top Of her head, without a capillary
garment, unless she should wear a switch;
how indicate attention will be directed
to her bow legs; how her earrings will be
attributed to spoons and her bracelets to
plate, and how the mouth Of society will be
filled with lapses raked up from the
widow priv history since she was
married to the Radical party in 81. We
do not need the assurance that the widow
BUTLER is not like a girl, ''-that is a
nice girl. Few girls inp politics have dragg-
ed their trails through so much mud as the
widow has. An agent for ire-arm manu- :
facturers, and while in her seat in Congress
getting their contracts from the govern
ment; a plunderer of already despoiled
cotton owners; a jobber around the halls
of Congress, the widow must have had as
much as she could do to keep any charac'
ter at all, much less to be like girl. d
And now. just as she is entering society in
her new character, a Congressional in
vestigating committee has stirred her from
the bottom of Soldiers Home transac-
ton, where she has been hiding, and she
comes to the top anXiously brushing her
petticoats from any stray greenbacks that
may be clinging to them.
It appears that she is President, Trustee
and Treas urer, all three, of the fund of the
Soldiers H ONE, all because she loved the
Boys in Blue" and wouldn't see them i'm
posed on by anybody, for the old girl herself
fought desperately in the war as we all
know, and blew up a million pounds of
powder off Fort Fisher and might, if she
had had million pounds more, have killed
somebody. She bought piece of property
near Hampton for $4,000, and sold it
indirectly through her brother-in-law
IILDR ETH, to herself, as President, for
$4,000. In the investigating committee on
the subject the following cropped out:
General BUTLER was asked
Question When the $4,000 was paid
for the asylum property it was paid to him
(TEILDRETH) all of it?
Answer. Yes, sir.
is s And 20" did not receive dollar Of
a. No, sir it passed into his hands.
Mr.. HLDRETH was asked:
Question. Did you receive the considera-
ion Of the deed, $4,000?
Answer No sir.
@. You have meyer received it
A. No. sir I never received $50, 600.
G. Did you receive anythings
A. Yes, sir.
@. How much did you receive for the
deed ?
4. I advanced to General Butler.
G. How much did you receive?
A. | received what had advanced.
think | had advanced altogether about
81 900, which General Butler repaid me.
So now, that widow BUTLER is in Wash
ington society mot like a girl,'' one may
lie tempted to say, that she is to appear
like, but what good is there in calling
names! The widow is leader in the
Republican party and that covers almost
anything we might be tempted to call her.