The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-01-12

jamin +. Butler died at 100 this morn
ing of heart failure, superinduced by an
attack of pneumonia. He retired at IL
o'clock last night and soon after mid
night his colored body servant, West,
who slept in an adjoining room, heard
him coughing violently.
West went to the Generals room and
found that he had gone to the bathroom
adjoining. He followed him there and
offered assistance. The General men,
toned that his expectoration had been
discolored with blood, but he did no.
appear to think seriously of the m after.
West assisted him to bed and he appar-
emily went to sleep. He died soon after
TIE DEAD GENERAL.
benjamin Franklin Butler was born
on Novem Der 5, 1878, at Deerfield, N. Ell
He was graduated from Waterville Col
lege, Maine, in 1888, after which he
made his home in Lowell, Mass, where
he studied law and was admitted to the
bar in 1S4l, and became distinguished
as criminal lawyer, but he imme-
diately blended law with politics and
soon becaue known as the STRONGEST
Democratic politician in Massachusetts.
he was sent as representative to the
State legislature in 1853, and repre-.
sented his party in the State senate in
1850 CO. At the Democratic national
conventions at Charleston and Balti.
more in 1860 he was sent as delegate,
where he supported jefferson Davis for
nomination for the Presidency. he
was nominated the same year for gov
ernor OF Massachusetts by the Demo
Gratis, but was defeated.
Butler, oven while performing his
several law and political duties, had
found time to interest himself in tho
then primitive Massachusetts militia
and had risen to the rank OF brigadier
general. At the outbreak of the war he
was placed under marching orders with
the Eighth Massachusetts brigade. He
was appointed to tho command of Balti
more and subsequently of Eastern Vir-
GINA, with headquarters at Fortress
Monroe. He afterwards was appointed
to the command of the military forces
from Boston to New Orleans. 1t was
at this time that after New Orleans had
surrendered to the naval forces under
Farragut and while Butler held military
p session Of the Crescent City that by
his severity he brought upon him
self the detestation OF the Southern
people, especially by his order concern
ing tho women of New Orleans.
After being relieved of his commits
sion by General Grant he returned to
Fortress Monroe and acted under that
general during his operation against
Petersburg and Richmond. On January
3, 1865, by his refusal to CO opera to with
the naval forces he caused failure of
tho first attempt to take Fort Fisher,
the chief defense Of Wilmington N. C.
AT the end of the war he returned to
Massachusetts, where he took an active
part in politics, in any party almost
that called for a fighter. In 1866 he
was elected member Of tho National
House OF Representatives, whore he re.
manned until 1878. In 1882, after al
most twenty five years continued
struggle. he was elected governor of the
Bay State by combination of the
Democratic and Greenoack parties. In
1852, when again nominated BY the
same parties, he was defeated by Rob-
inson, Republican.
1t is SAID that Butler remarked that
he would rather be tho governor of
Massachusetts than President of the
United States, and tho statement can
hardly be doubte from the fact that
during his political career his every
act was subjected to invidious criticism
by the people OF his own State, yet
Butler, who was nothing if not free
.ance," could collect around his stand
ard an army of workmen who really
represented the balance of power n
that strong protective State. In 1884
he was appointed delegate to the
national Democratic convention and n
the same year he was nominated for
tho Presidency by the Peoples party.
Benjamin e. Butler will be remem-
bered as one Of tho most unique char
acters in the political history OF Mas
sachusetts. There was nothing of the
patrician in Buffers veins. He was es-
sentially man of the people. In his
legal life he was known as ono of the
great cross examiners of his time, and
was terror to the younger Nom bers of
the bar. Butler would never charge a
workingman fee for his legal advice
One of the greatest cases he ever won
was that in which the evidence hang
entirely upon the date of a certain tran
saction and after all the evidence was
in against his client, he quietly placed
the paper to the light in which the
water impression of the mill was of
date two years subsequent to the tran.
saction.
General Butler was deeply interested
in America and Americans and in all
of the out-of. door sports of the country.
The care he bestowed upon his veteran
cup winner, the America, shows the acute
politician and shrewd lawyer in his
brighter side OF the American sports
man. While OF generous disposition
Butler by his business tact accumulated
largo fortune. He was tho owner OF
magnificent town house in Lowell, a
country seat at GAINESVILLE, Cape Ann,
and besides his large mill interests
owns largo percentage Of tho granite
quarries just outside of Gloucester,
Mass.
SENATOR KENNA DEAD