The age-herald., 1900-05-06
BUTLER OUTWITTED
 BY A WOMAN

ory of noted general who was the leader of one campaign which was not expected to elect it's candidate but to worry and harass the opposition by a fusion of strength with its opponent. The leader of this campaign was General Ben Butler, who in 1884 ran against Cleveland and Blaine. It is not necessary that politics should haze any discussion here, although without them this story would not have been on record.
 In the campaign of 1881 General Butler was in Michigan-as a lawyer on business connected with very important will case in which millions we're involved, and known the Hoyt will case. The princi- pals to the affair lived in minor Michi- gan town, but the case was tried in De- troit, and if my memory serves me Don M. Dickinson was one of the lawyers con- nected with the case, which General But Ter won. During the few days he was oc- cupied with arguing it the crowds in at tendance were more interested in the famous war general than in the adjust ment of the case, and his eloquence and insistent arguments were applauded with bursts of genuine enthusiasm It was among the closing scenes in his distin- guished career, and his appearance be- tokened an early approach to retirement from busy life. At the close of each days labors, before friends or newspaper men could get near him, the general was spirited away. He was literally in the hands of his friends, who permitted him the privilege of seclusion from the multi tude and absolute safety from the inter- viewer.
 At this time the leading Democratic daily of Detroit, paper known and appreciated far outside of state circles, had on it's ed- cta ince included nearly everything except so- clety and reportorial work. To this woman came message over the telephone from the editor-in-chief of her paper. She lis- tened attentiyely, and this is what she heard
 Can you possibly get an interview with general Butler on the political situation? We have sent three men and he will not see any of them. He is at the Hotel Cadil- lac and leaves at o'clock"
 Eight o'clock, and it was then sixi Whew! She stood dismayed a moment, then answered, "In try" and rung off the telephone.
 Then she remembered the faithful friend or General Butler and the enthusiast of greenbackers, Moses IT. Field, who had been the generals right-hand man during his stay in Detroit. And she rung up his house telephone. The answer was propiti- ous.
 He was dining with General Butler at the Hotel Cadillac, and the newspaper woman knew just what to do next.
 
 She dressed herself in her best bib and tucker, drew on a pair of fresh gloves, donned her best hat, and card case in hand set out for the hotel like a society woman about to make a fashionable call, with no hint of business or daily pen drudgery in dress or port. Going straight to the parlor of the hotel she gave an overawed bellboy 11nn H. the dining-room and give 1t to MT. Field. She even followed and kept him in sight until he had passed the head waiter and gone on his errand. Then she returned to the parlor and awaited the result.
 MT. Field was very good to newspaper people, and a most gallant gentleman of the old school as well, and he immediately entered the parlor, napkin in hand, and asked in courteous tone the object of such unexpected visit This was ex- plained, and after thinking a moment he said
 Wait here. The general is eating his dessert. As soon as he has dined l will bring him here and introduce him. That is all can do."
 That was enough, although much de- pended on the manner of introduction, yet the newspaper women believed matters would adjust themselves to her advan- tage, and she waited contentedly until the fateful moment when she saw the two men approaching, and did not know for her life how to receive them, whether to stand up as if expecting them-or sit nonchalant- ly and gaze at them
 The voice of MT. Field introducing Gen. eral Butler to Mime. Blank, a friend of my family" broke the spell. Then MT. Field, thankful to be out of the affair." be- took himself to the hotel office to tell call CTS that General Butler could not be seen, and fortunately no one thought of looking for him in the ladies parlor. At once the general seated himself in front of the in- terviewer, saying that he was both deaf and blind. The massive head and dropping eyelid well-known and distinguishing fea- lures, gave the first qualm to the conscience of the Journalistic masquerader, and much that was said in the interview was never written out nor would the paper have re- quired it. General Butler talked freely of his own personal life of his disappoint- ments, and other personal matters, and was led by strategy into political chat and the discussion of his own views in regard to the outcome of the campaign. The wo- man. who did not know one political issue from another, bent all her energies to every word the general uttered and let him do the talking. In the most important argument in favor of his policy his private secretary appeared.
 
 'Time's up, general-the train leaves at s, and it is twenty minutes of the hour now"
 "Go away" said the general, with the air of martinet. "I have not finished my conversation, dye see"
 But the interrupted thread was not re- sumed, nor did it need to be- He talked of his yacht America, and described it's fur becoming as interested in that as he had been with his politics. and when MT. Field came and informed him that only ten minutes remained, he thanked him for the pleasure he had given him, and the little woman, who felt like Jud- as, could not but smile over the affirmed fact that the greatest of men like to talk about themselves Certainly her voice had scarcely been heard.
 But she had interviewed General Butler upon an occasion when he had distinctly refused single word with interviewers. She had won a scoop for her paper, and she went to the office and wrote out the whole substance of his political talk to the length of column and haf and I ven- ture to say that when the general read it | the next day he thought some man had overheard him talking to some of his 1