After taking graduate level courses in Greek and Latin, Butt traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, to meet with Castleman. While in that city, he met Henry Watterson, founder of the "Louisville Courier-Journal". Watterson hired him as a reporter, and Butt remained in Louisville for three years. Butt left the "Courier-Journal" and worked for the "Macon Telegraph" for a year before moving to Washington, D.C. He covered national affairs for several Southern newspapers, including the "Atlanta Constitution", "Augusta Chronicle", "Nashville Banner", and "Savannah Morning News".