Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-02-25
BEN BUTLER AN OUTLAW.
Reward of $4,000 Once offered for Him
Alive or Dead.


Reward of $4,000 Once offered for Him.
Alive or Dead.
Ben Butler was once proclaimed an
outlaw and a felon, and a reward of
ten thousand dollars was offered for
him, dead or alive The man who pro
claimed him is long since dead, but
Butler is still alive, and is even now
busy in writing his account of the cir
cumstance.
jefferson Davis was the man who is
sued the proclamation, and he made it
public in the latter part of 1862. He
did it because Butler, while command
ing-general in the captured city of New
Orleans, had hanged a citizen named
Mumford When Farragut, command
ing the union feet, took the city, he
caused the United States flag to be
hoisted on one of the public buildings.
Mumford, with several companies,
made his way to the top of the build
ing, two or three days later, hauled
down the flag, dragged it through the
streets, pelted it with mud and then
tore it into fragments. He saved a lit
tie piece of it, and wore it in his button
hole in derision.
Butler arrived before the city the
next day, and in the morning papers
read full account of Mumford's deed
He says in his forthcoming book: ~
turned to one of my staff officers and
said: When l catch that fellow / will
hang him. and in such matters 1 al
ways keep my word"
Five days later he was in the parlor
of the St Charles hotel comforting with
the civil authorities of the city The
hotel was surrounded by an excited
and bowling mob of citizens. In a
pause in the conference Gen. Butler
noticed in the street a tall, black
bearded man of forty-two, wearing in
his button-hole tattered strip of the
stars and stripes. He instantly felt
that it was Mumford, and called upon
staff officer to notice him, so that he
would know him later. Some few
days afterward Mumford was caught
and tried by military commission,
and found guilty. Butler ordered that
he be executed, and on a gallows built
in front of the building from whose
flagstaff he had torn down the flag.
Not a citizen of New Orleans be-
lieved that the general dared to hang
this man. 'If he is hanged, his COM
panions would assassinate Butler" was
the opinion of every body. Mumford
was a gambler and very popular man
among his associates. They held a
meeting and resolved not to petition
for clemency for Mumford. The days
went by, and the gallows was built
The night before the day set for the
execution, Mumford S wife and children
came to the general and begged for his
life. Butler told them it could not be,
and that he wished her to go to the
prison and tell Mumford that there was
no hope for his reprieve. She did; but
the man even then refused to believe it.
HE will not dare" said the condemned
man. He did not know Benjamin f.
Butler.
The day of execution dawned. Ven
cradle citizens of New Orleans came
before the commanding general, be-
seeching that the mans life be spared
He answered all alike Were he to re-
spite this man, even if he deserved it,
the turbulent mob would think he did
it because he was afraid of them, and
that nobody's life or property would be
safe.
Mumford was brought to the gallows.
The street was packed with his follow
ers, shouting, drinking whisky and
fourishing weapons Mumford made
an address, extolling his own bravery
and patriotism. At the same time he
kept glancing up the street toward Gen.
Buffers office, anxiously looking for
the reprieve which he and the crowd
expected would soon come.
But it did not come. The moose was
adjusted, the drop FELL and Mumford
was hanged before their eyes A hush
fell upon the noisy crowd They scat
tered, they even ran from the square.
Alone in his Office up the street sat a
grim-visaged man with a hide like a
rhinoceros, and backbone like crow
bar. He had begun to tame New Or
LEANS Zen Ruf1er'S AutobioUraphv