Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-01-12

The court was obliged to refuse the re-
quest, as other important cases had prcc
edence and the bench was short handed
until Judge Cole takes his seat.
His age as well as a general impairment
of health while listening to the oral deci
sions-looking for his own--was a matter
of remark time and time again. Finally a
few weeks ago the case was decided against
him. Whether or not the loss of this case,
to which he had paid so close attention,
brought anything more than the sorrows
of a casual defeat will not be known
A Sketch of His Life.
Benjamin Franklin Butler figured in
more characters than any other public man
of this age. There have been several ADLER
generals many more prominent statesmen,
as many more eloquent attorneys, though
very few as successful, and perhaps few
as adroit politicians But no other man
played so many parts as WELL from the
place of small lawyer to that of proconsul
in a captured city in the most delicate era
and difficult situation of the civil war.
AS child Butler was very sickly and ir
ritable. He went on long fishing voyage
and got rid of all his troubles except a
tendency to irritation, say some of his crit
ics. He was indeed combative from the
start
In college he was half the time engaged
in n controversy with the faculty. and
barely escaped expulsion; in politics he
often bolted party lines, and in congress he
was perpetually in hot water. He reached
his maximum of greatness about lS6G-76,
and after 1884 was practically withdrawn
from the public view. Thus retired the
yarcati1a che, bat
ever appeared in American politics.
Personally, an eulogist of Butler said of
him. "Ie is thorough 'Yankee'-using
that phrase in its most slangy as well as
local and genealogical sense. Other men
may be somewhat Yankee-he fills the bill.
Like all intensely positive characters who
possess ability. he has been much admired,
more feared and most intensely hated but
it cannot be thought that he was ever
widely loved.
"Many have cursed him; no one ever said
he was n fool. As to stock, it would be
hard to find purer blooded Yankee. The
Buffers came to New England among the
first, and Ben's grandfather, Captain Ze-
phaniah Butler, fought under Wolfe at
Quebec and gained fame in the Revolution,
while his father, John, was captain in
1Sl2-l5 His mother came of the Cilleys,
a Scotch-Irish family, and the Cilley of
New Hamshire who was killed in the noted
duel was cousin of the general
He was born at Deerfeld, N. H., Nov. 5,
1918; was graduated from the Baptist col
lepe at Watervlle, Me in 1888, and was in
no long time admitted to practice at the
bar; was married in lsi3 to Miss Hildreth,
and became general of Massachusetts,
militia in 1860.
Buffers Military Career,
1t was in his capacity as an officer of the
Massachusetts militia that he entered the
service of the United States, April l6, 1861
On the 10Th he started for Washington,
and his experience at Annapolis, Md, from
which his troops repaired the railway ana
locomotives and ran the latter, was one #
the most interesting and encouraging incl
dents of the time.
Can you repair this engine9" he asked
of Private Charles Homans, of the Eighth
Massachusetts.
II guess So" was the Yankee reply, "foI
! helped make it."
Calling to his aid other machinists who
had worked in the same shop, they soon hat
the locomotive in running order, and But
ler's command entered Washington on tn,
25th, exciting an enthusiasm OF which NJ
idea can be conveyed in words.
May Is, 1861, General Butler took posses
sion of Baltimore, finding the late turbu
lent city as quiet as Lowell, and three day,
later he was commissioned major genera
of volunteers commanding the department
of eastern Virginia, with headquarters al
Fortress Monroe. There he issued the ia
nous order, or decision, that ''as slaves ar,
property in Nireinia, fugitive slaves wht
enter our lines are contraband of war;" ant
many year passed before the freedmen
ceased to be called "contrabands." Th