The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-16
BEN BUTLER's LITTLE JOKE.
He Wanted "A Ballot Box which
Would Aid the Boys In Their Little
Game.

Game.
From the Philadelphia Times.
Washington, Aug. 5.-One OF the best
Jokes on Ben Butler and one which has
never been in print. is that told a few
days ago by Gen. Beverly Robertson of
Washington. one OF stuart's brilliant cav
airy officers, who now Is a business man
at the national capital
Some years ago, so it seems a gentle
man from the southwest came to Wash
lngton TO collect n claim for twenty-five
hundred against Uncle Sam, for feed furn-
ished TO federals troops during the war.
Perrymah, for so the man was named,
met with lawyer who advised him to
make his claim nifty thousand
But" exclaimed the man, who still re-
tanned some faint instincts OF honesty, Il
never owned such an amount in my life
and all the feed the union troops got out
OF me only amounted to the sum named
twenty-five hundred dollars"
oh" replied the shyster, who was one
OF the many tricksters engaged about
manage this matter. Wen sue Uncle sam
for fifty thousand just for luck"
So nifty thousand It was and fifty thous-
and was the sum for which suit was en-
tered Strange TO say the verdict was for
the claimant, though ten thousand was
taken OF from the original amount Bnt
IN few days the voucher for forty thous-
and was placed in the countryman's hand
washington
10 collect his lawful twenty-five hundred
dollars.
In the meantime another character had
appeared upon the scene in the person OF
man who had invented a ballot box SO
constructed that, so he claimed. II was
practically impossible to have any but
fair election, that ''stufing" n hoy
would be rendered so difficult that detec-
ventor. Of the "anti-stumng bal
lot box" who could do moth
ing with his machine, heard Of the good
luck OF the countryman, and made up his
mind that it would be lawful game So
when the claimant went to collect his for
~ thousand the ballot-box man waylaid
him at the door.
Are you interested in the subject of
fair elections, sir?" querried the man with
the box as the farmer hove in sight
In an instant the countryman was all
attention and the willy inventor had awaJx
ened his enthusiasm as to the vast amount
OF good that the box would do as to tine
huge wealth that would come to the hold
er OF the patent.
Il am not caring much to SELL the
man presently remarked "but as Won
are so patriotic, ] will let YOU have tbe
entire rights for the small sum of thirty
seven thousand" The poor farmer swal
lowed the bait, paid the man the money
ana lett but pittance Of his big money
just paid by Uncle Sam. The inventor
then told him to call on Gen Butler. who
would finish some legal technicalities nee
SSSdTy ana ala IN putting the matter be-
fore the government. The inventor van
ished and the farmer called on Butler. AS
he explained that he had a ballot hoy
which would prevent stufing, Butler
jumped to his feet
why man aliver he exclaimed in
great excitement, prevent ballot hoy
stufing. You are crazy. That is one OF
the bulwarks OF American liberty. No
If you will bring me a box which will
aid the boys In their little game I'll take
II out OF your hands at once. No sir.
none OF your anti-stufiing ballot boxes
for me-"
So poor Perryman grew disheartened
Little by little his slender store of money
gave out his invention would not sell
his Col. Sellers dream OF wealth vanished
into the stern reality of a garnet, and a
short while ago the man died in abject
poVerty-died for need of a doctor. And
the famous ballot box has never left the
files of the patent Office