The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-06-16
VOLUME %.
Judge Und erw0OA.

A correspondent OF the New forh
World, who knew Judge UNDERWOOD WELL
gives that paper som account of him. Inc
writer states that he is native OF icrk'.
mcr county, New York; that he s'nu'e'
law when he grew up TO manhood anu At
tempted to practice it, but got no business,
because he was deficient IN taieh'' anu
peonle had no confidence in his honesty.
i" So low was hc sunk" says the writer,
/ !. :, rho estimation of his townsmcn, that
.sh;S name was reproach, his presence
:. wax considered no compliment, and ms
:. character was no protection to him from
d. o,cn insults in the streets" Pretty good
credentials for United States judge
The writer states, by way of illustration OF
the feeling towards him, that the mis-
chicvous boys "droye donkey into his
Office and left him there all night" One
naturally sympathizes with the donkey, in
this case, on account of the great indigmty
inflicted upon him.
UNDERWOOD essaycd to become politi-
clan, offered as candidate on the Wing
ticket; but, being beaten, turned Aboll-
ZIONIST of the ABBY FOLSOM and KELLEY
stamp. Failing in law, he turned his at
tention to wood-chopping, and furnished
cross-tics to the railroad in which tranSac-
tion his conduct was such as was not at
all calculated to increase respect for him
or confidence in his integrity. Money was
entrusted to him as trustee for the school
district in which he lived. This he appro-
priatcd to his own use; and his successor
only recovered it by judgment and execu-
ton. He collected money as attorney for
one of his clients, and pretended to the eli
ent that he had not collected it. Some time
after he removed to Virginia the client
found out the truth, and instituted pro-
cccdngs to recover the money, which was,
after great squeezing, got out of him.
Another interesting reminiscencc OF his
Herkimcr career was that weak old man
wanted to secure complete title to a piece
of land, the fee in which was held by a
person in Albany. The old man sent CN-
pERwooD with the money to secure the
title, but he returned with the title in his
own name, and represented that on account
of some difficulty he could not get the
land for his client but he found that he
cunld buy it for himself, and did so. He
offered il to the old man at an advanced
price, which lie was compelled to pay He
has since gone into this business on larger
scale-rideEcet, McVcigh's house in Alex
andria.
He removed, after these events, in about
1850, to Virginia, to live upon some land
owned by his wife, who was most uniortu-
natclya Virginian. He made himself eSpc-
cially obnoxious as an ultra AboltloniSt in
Fauquier. The Indignation Of the COM
muuity was very bitter against him, and he
left, according to this letter, some time
before the war, affecting TO consider his
life in danger. He attached himself to the
Black Republicans, and peddled the HELP
ER pamphlet in part for livelihood. lie
was ut the Chicago Convention which
nominated Mr.. LINCOLN for the PrcSl-
dcncy. That gentlemen being elected,
and coming 10 Washington, Mrs. IN
pERwooD prevailed on him to give her
husband an office in the Treasury De-
partment, which Office he held until, Gun
fortunately for the honor of the bench and
the cause of Justice" he was, says this
writer, appointed to that office from
which he made that disgraceful haranguc."
Meaning the charge in which UNDERWOOD
vomitcd his SANDERS Of the people Of this
city,
The writer thus concludes his letter
Last summer he (uNDERwooD) visited
"this village NIerkimcr); but not ever
"his high office could rescue him from
general contempt. lie was welcomed
"nowhcrc-received nowhere"
His short career here is black enough.
The world never bcheld such a judge, and
it is to be hoped may never see his like
again.