Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-02-10
BENJAMIN +. BUTLER.
a CORRESPONDENT NOTES SOME OF
THE GENERALS IRREGULARITIES.
His Strong Point, Of Indiy duality -Niews
Which Generally Kun Counter to the
Commonly Accepted Ones
Inheroic Mishap.


No man more odd than Benjamin F. Butler
comes u town. lie Is here now As he
walks in Broadway, or sits in the theatre, or
goes into court IN the practice OF his profcs-
sion, he provides amusement for all specta-
tors. Not many If our notableS are the
equals 81 their caricatur.S- But no ppr-
iralture If Batter in the most hostile ~
comic journals IS an overirawing Of his
strong points " individuality. The regard
Eor him is a strange mixture Of ridicule and
respect. Put him into a suit # tatterel
clothes, start HIM off a tramp AMI be
would lie - remarkable figure IN that
grotesque walk OF life rs to defy mpct!-
ton, AMI make the dogs bark more in awe
than a-greS~iveueSS. But h wears good
clothes aui has that unmis,aklble air Of
prosperity which Is sure t. command the
respect OF Inercenary Americans
Fuller i the funieSt man on earth, IL
marks his felluw-l un5er in the hotel cor
rllor
Il am told that he has accumulated half n
million, says another observer.
Instantly the sentiment III the careless
breast of the first speaker changes from
amazed contemp: t serious admiration. 1t
may not be the same ia Chicago but here in
New York man ii known 10y the bank ac-
count he keeps The fact that Ben Batter Is
wealthy through IN, own efforts : enough %
make Us respect him. IN way; and | trus:
that | am ofendin. no political
preju lice when / write that Butte e.
INDECENT would lie merely uiicul-
Gus crank, while Buti-r afilueRt
is admirably eccentric 1t i true. however.
tina; he Is an unSolved puzzle 10 those nigh
hlm. The only certain conclusion Is that be
Is the most entertaining OF men. His con
ver>Stioa l. unique. HIS views nearly al
ways run cu9nter 10 the commouly-acoeyjei
oneS, anI-strsnger still-they do not inn
pr's, the hear,r a. having been formed. like
those II professional lhileS1 pher, for the
expires, and only purpose 81 establishment
asked him what he Thought about journal
ism For instance.
L love reporters ana | Late editor, he
answered. 1t Is a common "a hi g. ~
gard all reporters as liars. On tie cor
trary. have. IN a long and varied expo
Tienced, foUui them trust worthy d m;
mean to say that th re are not wufE!ly
bad exceptions. tut nine times IN
ten the ruhlI>h-l interview. the
printed ,Icech. The hurried account OF
any public occurren-,. Is FAR more accurate
than the most conscientious and honest rec
election of AZ uHVr1trS>ionai observer woul
afford
Bu;ler * q man Il varied accomplish
meatS lie IL one 4 the most elaborate Of
eaters. He Is y sumptucus liver When II
New ,rk, h. literally demands the hJst
that fashionable hotel affords in tie mat
ter II both lodging ana meals He has the
eNactlnS taste q an arts. and >oIue.hiu-. 4
the skill OF one. too. \ curiou, habI; If lis
Is the using Of pencil IN lis finger nails
lie uses the ends 81 his fircers t. receive a.
well As make memoranda. and while much
OF the data TN, manicurei i dry anI stats
teal, there are numerous pictorial features
In his earlier wears be WAS s1Insth!n. Of Al
artist. and on returning from a day or even
Ing OF intercourse with his fellow man ana
woman his nails are usually covered with
hastv covert >ketc-eS II what has I,1rt.cu-
larry impressed him
However. do2b- Il be made the slightest
picture OF The funniest thing that ever hap
penei T. INN II was in the Union Square
which IS furnished with chairs that
are automatic TO degree, involving ma
chinery sufficient for a steam engine toevery
seat These cont-ivauce> are the invention
o. Steele Mackaye. a curious lullvl1U8l
who wrote "Hasel kIrke devised the
double stage u advertising use al the Mad
ison Square theatre, lectuped years ago on
the Delssrte system OF expression by panto-
mime Each OF the chairs belongs 10 pair |
swivelei to a solid, iron post, 70 which il
hangs in dependen. uncertainty The
stranger who atterints TO us il |