The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-11
STORIES ABOUT BEN. BUTLER.
The Truth About the Spoons-A Brace of
Readable Anecdotes.


to look into a fishery question, and Mr.. Beck
was Senate member of the same committee.
The trip occupied some weeks, and the two
became exceedingly friendly. On their return
from Nova Scotia, Beck stopped at Buffers
residence at Newburyport, and there Tor the
first time heard the origin OF the famous
spoons" story, as related by Butler himself.
There is tinge of romance in it which is
quite creditable to the better feelings of But
Ter, and presents him in the attitude of hav-
ing endured a great deal of opprobrium
rather than tell the true story, and thus by
acquitting himself, plunge the family of a
neighbor into grief and shame. Senator Beck
asked Butler for the origin of the scandal,
and it was told as follows:
'When 1 was in New Orleans there were a
number of complaints brought to me of private
houses being entered by soldiers and plum
dered of fine plate, pictures and any other
valuable adornmeents that struck the fancy
OF the marauders. | referred these conf
plants to vorng officer on my staff with
orders to investigate them strictly. He re-
ported TO me that the complaints were greatly
exaggerated, and had originated from the i'm
pudence and trespasses of private soldiers.
Complaints continued to come in, and, on in
vestigation, were similarly disposed of. One
day, while was in rather a bad humor,
prominent citizen of New Orleans came to
my Office and renewed the old cry. His
house had been invaded and stripped of all
its valuable ornaments, and he came to me
to recover them. If the United States said
he, mas sent an army of robbers down here,
and robbery is their object, very WE'LL I can
put up with it; but if robbery is not author
lied; then l want my property restored
Being out of temper, | answered him
rather gruffly and told hlm l did not believe
a word of his story; that | had numerous
cases investigated without finding any truth
IN the reports, and that thought il was
system of - lies to annoy the Union forces
and attempt to awaken sympathy. In con-
siderable passion l then ordered him away
and said did not want to hear any more
such tales To my surprise he said he did
not care a - who | was or what thought;
that his valuables had been stolen and ne in
tended to complain whenever it was neces-
sary. He was so much in earnest that a
thought struck me, and concluded to test
him to the utmost
''Get out of my office, said l. in
feigned passion, and stop these lying COM
plants or I'll have you taken out and shot
"'You may shoot and be - responded
the indignant Creole; but l shall complain
as long as a band of robbers and thieves
plumber me-
"Orderly!' 1 cried, and an officer APP
peared, take a file of men and shoot this
rebel Immediately
''The orderly went out and soon returned
with a file of men. In the meantime the
Creole was expressing his opinion of the gov
eminent, its troops and myself in LANGUAGE
so earnest and sincere that l could not doubt
the truth of his complaint. He continued it
even after the orderly had roughly seized
him and was pushing him along to execu-
ton. At that moment | called him back,
Diminishing the file, and explaining the nature
of the preceding investigations, asked him
for minute details as to the robbery of his
house. and told him l would investigate it
myself.
He identified the hackman who had
brought the robbers to his re1idence and re-
moved the booty, and acting on this clew,
soon found the hackman and compelled him
to tell the whole truth He admitted that
he had driven all officer and soldiers to a
number of houses on similar errands, and
finally took mo to a house where the plum
der was stored. 1t was overlooking with fine
pictures plate, silver spoons. valuable orna-
ments and bric-a-brac. He then told me
who the plundering officer vas and to NV
surprise it was the young staff officer to
whom l had intrusted the investigations,
and in whom, up to that moment l had i'm
posed every confidence. He was the son of
a man knew well at Newburyport l had
the plumber removed to my warehouse until
it could be claimed and restored. Then the
staff officer was arrested, tried, sentenced and
shot / never sent any word home as to the
manner of his death, and his family thought
he had died or was killed in the service
"Why have you never told this story be-
fore and cleared yourself of the offensive
charzes?" asked Senator Beck.
ooh" said Butler, relapsing into his usual
humer, they would get up some other - lie
on me if l did"
When Chief Justice Chase was a candidate
for the presidential nomination in 1868,
Judge William Brown. of NiCholasville, KY,
well known about Washington a successful
lobbyist and claim agent, under the familiar
title OF Bill Brown, went to New York to as
sist in managing Chases opportunities.
There one day he met Butler on the street,
who said:
you had better let Chase alone. He
hasn't got sense enough to make a good
President"
"What!' asked Brown in establishment;
Chase, Governor of Ohio United States sena-
tor Secretary OF the Treasury and Chief JUS
tice OF the Supreme Court hasn't sense
enough 10 be President"
No" SAID Butler, coolly, 'why he's poor
man to-day. If it were not for his salary as
Chief Justice he could not support himself
in Washington. When he was Secretary of
the Treasury he handled immense sums of
money, and let Y Cooke and a lot of fellows
make forty or nifty millions and he did not
get a cent. Il had been Secretary, Cooke
would have got less, the Treasury a great
deal more, and would have made plenty
myself"
prominent Washington official who was
some years ago reporter on the Worcester
Spy, tells a good story OF Buffers readiness.
He was attending Republican State conven-
ton where the org 4nzation was against him
and had kept him down as long as possible.
At that time there had been some nsinua-
lions that Buffers father had been one of
Capt. Kidds crew of enterprising buccaneers.
Butler at length obtained the floor and in a
tremendous and eloquent plea succeededin
holding the attention and interest OF the con-
vention. 1t was almost turning his way, and
at last he came to speak of his fathers ira