Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-01-19
Butler rs IA lawyer.

Butler rs IA lawyer.
Whenever Benjamin f. Butler was not
fighting as soldier or in the political
arena he practiccd law, and his rcputa-
ton in this profession was that of an eX-
t.emcly shrewd and able man. Very early
in his career he gained a reputation as a
skillful cross cXaminer. Volumes might
he filled with amusing stories of the en-
counters between severe lawyers and the
smart Witness" and Buffers career
would furnish many. The trial and exc
cutiun of Professor John White Webster
for the murder of DR.. Parkman was the
great event of Boston in the fifties Not
long after Butler pressed a witness so
severely that the court interfereI and re-
minded the lawyer that the witness was a
gentleman aud II professor in Harvard
college.
"Ie-cs," said Butler in his dry way,
I'VE hanged one of them the other day."
His early practice was largely for the
poor, but since the war ne has earned in
some years As much as $l5o,O00 in fees, his
fee in one case being 100000 The more
intricate and difficult the case, the better
he seemed TO relish it. His mind, fully
equipped with all legal weapons, raced
over every commonplace road leading to
probable victory and then found enjoy
inent in seeking ont the most eXtraor-
binary path, and ii the same result could
be reached by that course, General Butler
took it with the greatest delight
All mis- life he was aided by phenom-
email memory, and contrary to the usual
rule it seemed Us good in age rs in youth.
| Sunset Cox used to speak of the workings
of this faculty as an 'unscrupulous ac-
| TO . la Fuct A..
lawyer he soon made variety of disturb
ances. He at first proposed to be a uni
versal champion and to take the cases of
the very poor without fees, but n lawyer
! soon RECEIVERS from that fit.
a Good Story About Butler,
now SO old that it is as good as new, is
| Substantially correct, only exaggerated
littlc, as such things are, and mellowed
by time. The reader shall have it in the
language OF one of Buffers fierccst enc
| mics:
II have my opinion about his practice
but he's terror to Others who get
crooked. I remember how during Grants
last administration he went for a wealthy
firm, large importers Of pig tin i'll New
| York. The members of the firm were
highly respectable The tariff on pig tin
was very heavy. The tariff on statuary
| amounted to little or nothing. One OF
Builder retainers named Jayne made the
| discovery that the firm mentioned was
importing an enormous number of pig
tin angels. He could not understand why
30 many hideous looking tin angels We're
wanted in this country, and he mentioned
the fact to Butler.
''Ihe old fox smelt the rodent at once
| a "A ra\ nrIN tn hn n q
revenue frauds, Jayne would of course re-
ccive nice sum could it he proved that
the good firm Was delrauding the customs
by having its pig tin nodded into angels
and imported as staru1ry to save paying
the duty. He took hold of the matter
pressed the derclict firm to the wall ant
recovered for the treasury nearly two mil
lion dollars. Or course Jayne's reward as
informer was enormous. lie told me sub
sequently that Butler got the most of il
for acting as his attorney in the matter
General Buffers Romance.
In all the life of the man there seems Il
have been but one romance, but it was {
deep and thrilling one, and, RS is the cast
with most matter Of fact persons, it con
cerned his marriage. In the autumn o
1S43 he visited Cincinnati, to fad theatel
| goers somewhat excited over the an
nOuncement that "A lady of surpassin!
beauty and many accomplishments woulC
make her first appearance at the nov
theater just opened by Dandy Foster anC
Ned Chippendale. Butler went, saw anc
was entrSnced.
The young lawyer went to his hotel in
sort of daze; but soon his practical mint
asserted itself and he secured aD intro
ducton. She WAS the only and pettet
daughter of highly respected Episcopa
liam minister named Hildreth She hat