Benjamnin F. Butler, Butler's Book: Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin Butler

Another rule was that whenever a person was discharged from the service by the authority of the corporation he was to be paid. A third was that operatives discharging themselves were not to be paid until the pay-day next following. The rule, although it appears harsh at first, was quite reasonable because it prevented the necessity of keeping a quantity of money exposed to loss or fire. Very many of the operatives left work and were refused their pay. They went to a lawyer to have a suit brought for it, the writ to be returnable a fortnight later. But by that time the pay-day would probably come round, and it was not always quite certain whether any recovery could be had.

With the officers of some of the mills I was quite intimate and on friendly terms. Others thought it their political duty to be on unfriendly terms. I had an arrangement with some of the mills by which, when I was applied to in such cases, I was to send a note up to the paymaster to ascertain what was due and he would send the information, and I would pay the amount over to my client, and send to the paymaster for the amount at pay-day. The only loss to anybody was the diminution of my bank account for fifteen or twenty days for such sums, but I would much rather endure that than be bothered with the bringing of suits.

One morning a snappy-eyed old maid from Vermont came into my office and sat herself down and said: “Are you lawyer Butler?”

“Yes, madam.”

“I have been to work in the----corporation for five years, and I wanted to go home, and so I told my overseer that I was going home, and asked for my pay. He said I must work out my notice [which was a regulation for two weeks work] or wait until payday. I said I would not do either. I know exactly what my pay is because I work by the piece. Now, I want you to sue the corporation for my pay for I want to go home to-morrow.”

“Well, my good woman,” said I, “I could not by suit get it by to-morrow, but I will see what I can do for you.” I turned to my desk, wrote a little note to the paymaster, handed it to my boy, and he went out.

She resumed the conversation saying: “Yes, you can get it if you will attach the great wheel and stop the mill.”

Now that was a proceeding that I had never heard of. I said laughingly:--