The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-11-29
Butler i'll New Orleans.

A gentleman who was in New Orleans
at the time writes to the Chicago Herald:
4 correspondent of the Herald yester
day asked to be informed who it was
that Gen Butler hanged in New Orleans
for treason. The man was VIM. B. Mum
ford, prominent New Orleans sporting
man, and the circumstances were these:
Alter Furragut's fleet hal passed the forts
below the city and anchored of the levee
Captain Morris, of the Pensacola, was d.
rected by Farragut to land q boats crew,
take possession of the United States Gus
tom House and Mint and hoist the Union
flag on both buildings. The rebel troops
under Mansfield Lowell had fled the city
out Buffers forces had not vet arrived.
The flag was holsted en- the mint on
April ~, and within two houfs Mumiord
had collected posse Of followers as
reckless as himself and proceeded to tear
1t down: The fiag was cut into STRIPS and
distributed among the drunken crowd
as trophies. Tue next day Butler Landed
with his troops. The rebel papers OF
that morning were filled with CLOWN.
accounts OF Mumford's deed, and he was
applauded as u. patriot. Ihe enemy"
were defantly assured that the act was
the act of the city, and that the whole
people would stand by Mumford and
de end him with their hearts blood {"
This and other twaddle in the Picayune
forced Butler to take greater notice OF
Muulford's act than he might otherwise
have done. He arrested Mun.iord and
brought him before the provost guard.
His object was to punish him for drunk
enness and disorderly conduct. The
next morning the PIcayune and True
Delta fairly screamed their defiance,
Mum. ord must be rescued" "The
Yankees must be driven out!" they
yelled. That was too much for Ben. He
sent a guard and took possession Of
10Th newspaper offices put
their propri--tors in the guard house
called .or volunteer printers and editors
from the ranks OF the army, and next
morning both papers appeared as bang
up Union sheets, and crAmmed with To-
cal news such as New Orleans papers
uad never printed before.
"What are you going to do with Mr.
Mumford?" defiantly asked the rebel
mayor, as he strobe into old Ben's pres
ence.
II am going to hang Mr.. Mum:orl,"
said Butter, sarcastlcally, land if you're
not mighty careful I'll hang you. As II
is am going to. send you over to Ship
Island tor your health. Cap;ain-'"
10 an aid, "tell General Strong to come
here" When the general came, Ben
said with pleasant smile, ellis Honor,
the Mayor, thinks that after the 'ur'
moil ana excitement of the past
few days he would like a
bref period Of rest at Ship Island. You
will have b vat ready to sail at 20 clock
and see that his Honor takes passage III
her. have gwen him permission to
take his family" and with that the Gen.
eral leered at the Mayor in his peculiar
way. Representation WAS in vain, aud
the Mayor went.
Two days after Mumford was arranged
before u military commission OH a charge
ol treason, and was convicted anu sen.
fenced to be hanged. fne most stren-
uous Efforts were nude to save him;
even FarrAgut coun~elled caution, but
old Ben only said, Il mean to co vince
these people hat this is war, and no
child's play" And he did. Mumford
dang ed from the gallows in less than
ten days after the commission of his
reckless act.