" Before the time came for the trial Butler
surrendered and paid over the money. After the matter was
settled he said to Mr. Pierpont: "Well, you beat me. But
I want to tell you that you made one mistake. You said the
people of Lowell would not think very highly of me when they
saw me riding through the streets in my carriage and knew
it was paid for by the money of this bank. The people would
think I was a fool for not having taken twice as much."
General Butler was appointed treasurer of the National Soldiers'
Home. He mingled the money of that institution with his own,
got the use of it, got interest upon it, for which he never
accounted. An attempt was made to investigate his accounts
and he refused on the ground that he could not do it without
showing his private account books, which he was not compelled
to do.
He had a powerful political influence which made him an object
of terror to timid and ambitious men. So, much to the shame
of our public authorities, the investigation was not pressed.
He was allowed to pay over only such sum as he himself admitted
to be due.
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