Maryland free press., 1866-06-28
The JeffreysOfAmer

correspondent of the New York
World, who Knew Judge UNDERWOOD well,
lives that paper some account of him.
fbe writer states that he is a native of
IIerkimcr' county, New York; that he
,tudied law when he grew up to manhood,
md attempted Ito practice it. .but,got no,
business, because be was deficient in talent,
nd neoplc had no confidence in his hon.
.stv, $50 low was he SUNK" says the
.,vr;tet. Aesinn the estimation of his townsmefi,
tbat his name was renreach, hispresenee
,.oa considered no compliment, and his char
.cter was no protection to him from open in
sults in the streets."'' Prettygood credentials
for United Statesjudgel The writer states,
bv way Of illustration of the feelings
towards aim, that the mischievous boys
"drore a donkey into his Office and left
him there, all night" One naturally
symaathizes with the donkey, in this case.
on account Of the great indignity inflicted
upon him!
UNDpRwooD essayed to become ipoliti7;:
clan, offered as q candidate on the Wing
ticket; but, being beaten, turned Abolition
ist Of. the ABBY FoLsoM and KELLEY stamp.
Failing in law, he turned his attention to
wood -chopping, and furnished cross-ties to
the railroad; in which transaction his con-
duct 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-distriet in
which he lived. This he appropriated to
This own use; and his successor only recov-
cred it by Judgment and execution. He
collected money as attorney for one of his
clients, and pretendedto the client that he
had. net collected it. Some time after he
removed to Virginia the client found out
the truth, and instituted proceedings to
recover the money, which was, after great
iqucezing got .out,of him.
Another interesting reminiscence of his
Herkimer career was that week old man
wanted to secure complete title to piece
of land, the fee in which was held by
person in Albany; The old man sent UN-
DERwooD with the money to secure the ti-
tic, 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 found that he could buy
it for himself, and did SO. He offered it
to the old man at an advanced price, which
he was compelled to pay! He has since
gone into this business on larger scale
ridelicet, McVeigh's house'in Alexandra.
removed, after these events, in about
1850, to Virginia, to live upon some land
owned by his wife, who was most unfortu-
nately Virginian.! He made himself es-
pecially obnoxious as an ultra Abolitionist
in Fau1uicr. The Indignation of the COM
munity was very bitter against him, and
he left, according to this letter, some time
bcfor the war, affecting to consider his life
in danger. He. attached himselfto the
Elack Republicans, and peddlcd the HELP
In pamphlet in part for livlihood. He
was at the Chicago Convention which NOM
mated Mr.: LrscotN for the Presidency.
That gentleman being elected, aud coming
to Washington, Mrs. UNDERWOOD prevailed
on him to give her husband an Office in the
Treasury Departments; which office he held
until, unfortunately for the honor of the
bench fanl cause of justice" he was, says
the writer, appointed to that Office from
which he made that disgraceful harangue."
Meaning the charge in which UNDERWOOD
yomited his ISLANDERS of the people of this
city. ..,. '.
The writer thus concludes his letter.
last summer he (UNDERwoop) visited this
village (IIerkimcr;) but not even his high
Office could rescue him from general con-
tempt. He was welcome nowhere-re-
ceived nowhere" -.s..'
His short. career here is black enough.
The world never bcheld such Judge, and
it is to be hoped may never see his like
again. Dis. '