The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-08-09
OLD SPOONS y
TELLS an Interviewer How IL Happene
thar He was Called 1hief Butler.

Tells an Interviewer How it Happe ned
thar He was Called 1hief Butler.
Exchange.
"While I was in New Orleans there were
quite a number Of complaints brought to
me Of private houses being entered by
private soldiers and pluudered OF fine plate,
pictures and any valuable adornments that
struck the fancy Of the mauraders. l re:
ferred these complaints to a young officer
on my staff with orders to investigate
them strictly. He reported to me that the
complaints were greatly exaggerated and
had originated from the impudence and
trespasses Of private soldiers. Complaints
continued to come in and on investigation
were similarly disposed OF. One day,
while | was in a rather bad humor, u
prominent citizen OF New Orleans came to
my office and renewed the old story. His
house had been invaded and stripped OF
all its valuable ornaments and he came to
me 10 recover them. III the United
States said he, has sent an army Of rob-
bers down here and robbery is their OBJ:
ject, very well; | can put up with 1t; but II
robbery is not authorized, then l want my
property restored
'Being out OF temper I answered him
rather gfutiy and told him l did not be-
lieye a word Of his story that l had nu.
merous cases investigated without finding
any truth in the reports and that l thought
it was q system o ibid lies to annoy the
Union forces and attemptto awaken sym.
patty. In considerable passion | then order.
ed him away and said I did not want to
tear any more ouch tales. To my surprise
he said he did not care q d-n who | was
or what l thought; that his yaluables had
been stolen and he intended to complain
whenever 1t was necessary. He was so
much in earnest that a thought struck me,
and / concluded TO test him to the utmost.
sect out Of my office" said j. in ieign-
ed passion; and stop these lying com.
plants or I'll have you taken out and
shot,
"You may shoot aud be DID, respond
ed the indignant Creole; but l shall com.
plain as long as a band Of robbers and
thieves plumber me-
"'0rderly !! I cried, and an officer APP
peared. Take a file OF men and shoot this
rebel Immediately
"The orderly went out and soon returns
ed with a file Of men. In the meantime
the Creole was expressing his opinion OF
the Government, its troops and myself in
language 80 earnest and sincere that l
could not doubt the truth Of bis complaint.
He continued 1t aver alter the orderly had
roughly seized him and was pushing him
along to execution. At that moment |
called him back, dismissed the file, and
explaining the nature OF the preceding in.
vestigations, asked him for minute details
as to the robbery OF his house and told him
l would investigate 1t myself.
"He identified the hackman who had
brought the robbers to his residence and
removed the booty, and acting on this
clue, l soon found the hackman and COM
PEELED him 10 tell tue whole truth. He ad.
mitted that he had driven an officer and
soldier to a number Of houses on similar
errands, and finally took me 10 a house
where the plumber was stored. It was
OVERLOOKING with fine pictures, plate, silver
spoons, valuable ornaments and bric.a-
brac. He then told me who the plunder-
ing officer was, and to my surprise It
wa the young staff officer to
whom / had entrusted the investiga.
tons and in whom, up to that mo-
ment, l had imposed every confidence.
He was the son Of q man l knew we'll at
N%ewburypork. Ihad the plumber removed
to my warehouse until it could be claimed
and restored. Then the staff officer was
arrested, tried, sentenced and shot. Inev:
or sent any word home as to the 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
charges?" asked Senator Beck.
"0,n said Butler, ~relapsing into his usual
humor, 'they would get up some other
did lie on me II l did"