Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-08-16
BUFFERS LITTLE TALE.
Being an Account OfHoyv the Spoons
Story Started

"While / was IN New Orleans there
were a number of complaints brought
to me of private houses being entered
by soldiers and being plundered of
fine plate, pictures and any other
valuable adOrnments that struck the
fancy of the marauders. I referred
those to a young officer on my staff
with orders to investigate them strict
ly. He reported to me that the COM
plants were greatly exaggerated and
had originated from the impudence
and trespasses of private soldiers. One
day, while [ was in a rather bad
humOr, prominent citizen of New
Orleans came to my Office and renew
ed the old cry.
Being out of temper [ answered
him rather gruffy and told him [ did
not believe a word of his story. In
considerable passion [ then ordered
him away and said [ did not want to
hear any more such tales. To my
surprise he did not care who [ was or
what [ thought; that his valuables
had been stolen and he intended to
complain whenever it was necessary.
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 I, in
feigned passion, and stop these lying
complaints or I'll have you taken out
and shot"
you may shoot" responded the
indignant Creole; but [ shall complain
as long as band of robbers and thieves
plumber me-
"Orderlyy" I cried, and an officer
appeared. Take a file of men and
shoot this rebel immepiately.
The orderly went out and soon re-
turned with a file of men. In the
meantime the Creole was expressing
his opinion of the Government its
troops and myself in language so
earnest and sincere that [ could not
doubt the truth of his complaint. He
continued it even after the orderly had
roughly seized MIN and was pushing
him along to execution. At that
moment called him back, dismissed
the file, and, explaining the nature of
the preceding investigations, asked
him for minute details as to the rob
berry of his house and told him [
would investigate it myself.
He identified the hackman who
had brought the robbers to his residen-
ce and removed the booty, and acting
on this clue, soon found the hackman
and compelled him 20 tell the whole
truth. He admitted that he had driv-
en- an officer and soldiers to number
of houses on similar errands, and
finally took me to house where the
plumber was stored. 1t was overflow
ing with fine pictures, plate, silver
spoons, valuable ornaments and bric-a-
brac. He then told me who the plum
dering officer was, and, to my surprise,
it was the young staff officer to whom
[ had entrusted the Investigations and
in whom, up to that moment. [ had
imposed every confidence. He was
the son of man [ knew well in New
buryport. [ 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 OF
was killed in the service"
why have you never told this
story before and cleared yourself OF
the offensive charges?" asked Senator
Beck.
-"Oh," said Butler, relapsing into
his usual humor, they would have
got up some other id lie on me if !
did Correspondence Philadelphia
Times