The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-25
An old cnn,lnI ncyI,ca.

Fred Perry Powers writos In America,
rcyiving the record Of II. r. Batter, Of
this State, who has been 10 biltor in tho
denuncialion OF his fellow Republicans "a
pack Of thieves. lie says
But have in mind FAR worse case
than this, because Ia this case the as?irant
ior Office Is respectable. one X. 4. but.
Ter. OF Tennessee, understanding full well
that the Indian Office disburscs from So
OQO. 600 10 sSuO1.OOO a year, aud that Il
awards largo contracts, and that u Is easier
TO cheat the Indian than any other cluss Of
the community, and easier, probably, TO
cheat tho Government through tho ln-
dian Office than through any other
channel wishes tn bc appointed
Commissioner Of Indian Affairs. 10
promote this object he has secured
abundant Inducements of the most im-
portnnt sort. Mr.. Butler i 10 well known
In Washington that Inducements should
have bccn rupcfilnous In this ease. r. X
Butler was member OF the Forty liut
Congress; be- wis convicted by a commit
tcn uf the House, In that Congress, uf sall-
ing West Point cadctship. A resolution
10 cxpcl him Tor this oilcnsc received q
large majority OF the votes In the House; u
failed because the vote Tor expulsion lacked
seven Of being q two.thrls vote. ma
jorty ccnsurcd Mr. Butler for selling
cadriship. iiut this was not calculated %
hurt Mr.. Butler with his Emplc-iuindcd
constituents, who would probably have
thought a man an idiot II lac did not seil
anything hc had that had q money value
aud was OF no use TO himself They
elected him 10 the FoHy.thirl Congress,
aud In this Congress one sugg Fort, of
Tcnncscc, put la q claim Tor nearly 5000
supposilious barrels oi il0ur at $500 bar
rel, alleged b. have been taken for use of
Federal troops during the civil war. Tho
Committee ON War Claims rejected the
claim because there was surprising lack
Of evidence. Tho Oummislry-d General Of
the army had once rejected Il for want Of
iurI'diction. Immediately after the
adjournment OF CongrtsS Mr.. Hut.
lOf went 10 the now Commisgary-
General, tho ionncr having been
rutirod, aud persuaded him that ho hal
Jurisdiction, and got him 10 transmit tho
clniui b. thc Treasury with favorable ~
port. In one day. ihe 30ih oi June, But.
lcr AMI Fort g1l the favorable report Of
the Commi,sary.Gcncral, the approval OF
the Third Auditor, aud the approval Of
thc Second Comptroller; Il was now past
office hours, aud they drove ~ tho rysi-
dcnco oi the Rcquisition Clerk Of the War
Department and got n rcquisiiion for q
warrant, aud drove 10 the residence Of the
Secretary oi War and got his signature,
returned 10 the Treasury, where Butler,
~ Member Of Congress, had
gotten the officials b. remain till
q or o'clock, got a warrant signed by
| the Assistant Secretary, cOuntcrsigncd by
- III - asN
| by the Registrar Of the Treasury, and a
draft issued thereon by the Treasurer.
| Why they did not get tho daft caslicd
| that night does not appear, but II was not
| important for them, because the drnt was
| as good ~ money NJ any bank the next
/ dny; - after keeping the treasury officials
| nj tho donartment till O'Clock, they dis
missed them, and drew tho money the
next DAY on a draft payable 20 sugg Fort
and X. X. Bnller, the latter getting ~ 800
out OF II. This claim went from It's initial
examination by the Commis,ary General
| through the Accounting Department Of tho
| Treasury, aud reached the point where a
| draft had been issued In payment OF u la
the course Of a single afternoon. Soon
after this claim was paid IT, prvposierous
character attracted attention, aud sccfo-
tary Brisiow had Il investigated. You
can read nll the documents in the case
showing ita fraudulent character IN the
House Committee reports Of the Forty
third Congress, which show, among Other
things, that Butler told the Second Comp
troller that the claim had not been ro-
icc,edby the War Claims Committee when
Il had. The Comptroller and Auditor
who passed this claim were dismissed
Butler WIS indicted, but the principal wit
ness disappeared, and the case had 10 be
dismissed. SIR. Buffers constituents esw
nothing wrong In this transaction, and
elected him 10 the Forv-cigh,h or the
Forty.ninth Congress, aud ho has now
been lndorsod Tor tho Office Of Indian
Commissioner by few Senators and
about seventy members Of the House In
the Fihieth and fiity.hrst Congresses, IN.
cluding all the Republican members
elected from tsuthern staloA