Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1883-10-13

The t:enernl's Aeeoans Of the e1Ytxfa 81 th~
Fnmoss Ssssy that has Bees - Oncn
Told.

Told.
Senator Beck, of Kentucky, Being very
intimate with Gen. Butter asked the
latter ono day the origin Of the salvcr
spoon scandal.
"While l MAS in New Orleans" replied
Butler. ''.her. were a number of com
plants brought .o me Of private houses
being entered by soldiers and plundered
of fire plate, pictures and any other
valuable adornments that ssruck the
fancy Of the marauders. / referrsal
these complaints to n young officer on
| my stall with orders to Investigate them
strictly. He reported to me that the
complaints were greatly exaggerated.
! and hal originated from ille impu,ienoo
and trcspasses Of private soldiers. Com
plants continued II come In and ON IN
vestlg were similarly disposed of.
One day. while | WAS in rather bad
hum"r. a rruIninsn. citizen of New
| trlealis came 10 nv ciiic.s aud renewed
the t.l cry His house had been iuya-
| ,lcl and stripped # all lis valuable or
| naments, and h" came to me- Ia recover
them. If the United States, said he.
| has sent an army # rni,htrs down hcp'.
| and robbery Is their object. very welt: |
i can put up with II, but If robbery Is not
authorized, then | want my property re-
| stored
Being ont cf temper answered HIM
rather grnif1v. aud told hin dii not
believe "a word If his story, that had
| had numerous eases investigated with
ont finding any truth iii the reports.
and that l thought IT was n system Of
| les to annoy the Union forces and at
tempt To awaken sympathy. In consid
erahle passion | then ordered him away.
and SAID | did not want Ia hear any
more such tal.A Ep my surprise he
| said he did not care ,Mho was or what
| thought; that lHs yaluahl.s had l-rn
stolen and u. Intended Ia complain
whenever ii WAS Necessary. He -,
much in earnest that II thought strnck
me-, and | concluded to test him u the
utmost.
Get ont 4 my flee. said I, III
f,lgned passion, and stop those lying
complaint, or I'll have you taken out
and shot.
".You may, shoot me and bc hanged.
responded the indignant Creole; I'm. |
shall complain IA long band of rob
hers and thieves plunder me.
Orderly 7 ! cried. and All officer
appeared. Take a .iie of men and shoot
this rebel Immediately.
"The orderly went ont and soon re-
turned with file of men in the mean
time the Creole WAS expressing his opinion
of the Government, It's troops and my
self in language SO earnest and sincere
that | could not doubt the truth uf his
complaint He continued 1t even after
the orderly had roughly seized him and
Was pushing him along to execution.
At that moment | called HIM back, dis
missed the file, AMI, explaining the ma
turc Of the preceding Investigations.
asked him for minute details as 10 tn"
robbery of his house and told him
would investigate it myself
"He identified the hackman who had
brought the robbers to his residence
and removed the booty, and, acting on
this clue. ] soon found the hackman
and compelled HIM 10 tell the whole
truth. He admitted that he had driven
the officer and soldiers TO number II
houses on similar errands and finally
took me To house where the plundcr
was stored. i. was oyerfiowing with
fine pictures, plate, silver spoons, valu-
able ornaments and bric-a-brac he
then told ne who the plundering officer
was, and 10 my surprise II was the young
staff officer to whom had ntrustcd the
Investigations and In whom, up Ia tha,
moment. I had imposed every conf
, lencc. He was the son Of man
knew well. had the plumber removed
to nv warehouse until 1t could be
,.a.rncd and restored Then the staff
iiic.r was arr. stcd, .ried, sentenced and
shot never sent any word home as
= the manner o. his death. and BIZ
family thought he hni died -or wa
hl.lcl III service
Why have Won never told this s.or,
l.efore and cleared yourself of the often
i've charges ?" asked Senator Eerk.
"Oh. said Bu'!er, reiapsing into hi'
usual Il, NOR. they would &c. up sofn'
3,hcr lie on me II | did.