New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-06-22

a correspondent writing from Herkimer, Ney
York the native place of Underwood, gives brie
sketch Of the past history Of this now notorfou
person, from which we make the following extact
The reader will reeolleot this is copied Uerbatin
from aNorthern paper and Is an accurate estimate
of Underwoods standing where he was born
The unworthy and disgracefal charge of Judge
Underwood to the grand jury Of the United States
District Court at Richmond, which appears in the
New ork papers OF to-day, induces me to inform
you and your readers who this Underwood is and
what his past history has been, Here where he
is known, it is not necessary but the pubc shauld
nave some information as to what kind of a man
he 49, and in what estimation he was held.
Underwood was born IN this county tHerkimer
county, New Yorkl, aud remained resident here
until about the year 1850. After being admitted
to the bar he opened an Office in this village, The
precise time is not now recollected but it must
have been about the year 1888. At that time he
was member OF the Wing party. From his de-
teat for Office in the Wing party, he became n
famous abolitiOnist, and down to the time he left
the county he was an Abbey Killer Foster abo-
Itonlst. He opened q law office hut he never
was able as lawyer to command the respect
OF his telloW-citizens. He was without CLIENTS
and mainly because he was lazy dFone and be.
cause there was no general feeling in the eommu-
NIFTY that his integrity could not be relied mon
80 low mad ne sunk in that respect in the estima-
uon OF MS toWnsmen that his name was a
reproaeh, and his presence was Considered no
compliment, and his character was no protection
70 him from open insults In the Streets At one
time some misehieEous boys in this village did to
MIN what they never would have thought of doing
70 any man OF respectable standing in the village
Ihey drove donkey into his office and left him
there all night
falling as lawyer, and having plenty of leisure,
ne made himself conspicuous in the abolition
movement, and occasionally delivered abolition
ana temperance lectures, until at last driven Ia
w Iecesslly u doing something for living, he
Pu.Shasea some standing wood aud commenced
Betang cut weed and ties for the railroad com
pany. N''-'
While N practice here, among other stories eur.
Ienuy told oil him as characteristic Of the man
was one TO this eheetE: An ignorant old man
wanted to buy or complete his title to lot az land
In TINS town. the fee Of which was owned nv an
estate, the agent Of which resided in Albany Ne
gave Underwood the money to take to Albany to
make the purchase or get the deed for lin
Underwood came back with the contract ~ 4itIa
10 his own.name and represented to the oid man
that he could not on account Of some dffienty sci
the land for him but he found that he could p1r
chase 1t for himself, and did so in its own name
but he would sell the land for an advanced nrice
which the old man was compelled to give in order
80 get the land.
Finally, starved out, he broke up, and went with
his family to Virginia, Fauquer county believe
to live upon some lands which belonged TO his
wife. SO far as he was personally concerned no
one having respect for himself cared for him or
regretted his leaving. It was considered happy
NAe@ !. 8hus HhGAl Hs HHu gone Llefe was q gem
era feeling IN this comfy that it had got rid Of a
nuisance. He held the office of trustee of a
school district in this village and as such was in
trusted with some Of the funds of the district, and
ne applied them to his own USE
When called upon by his successor in office to
account Tor the money, he could not do it, and
aIssI repeated demands upon him for the money
nu lalhns 20 get ", hissuccessor sued him before
Z Jussiee and recovered judgment, which, after
Sohslnsl4oe delay WAS collected on execution |
" u, ahother occasion he collected money for a |
9lient, anu on nelng written to by him to know if
w eollecuoh was made, he replied that the |
a93n;ey was 4os collected and his client was led to
psleNe oy Underwood that he had failed to collect
Wy a noley; ana sometime after he had left the |
So,wshay ms client called upon other attorneys to
S Ss the amount when on investigation ii was
found that this worthy, whom the war has hron1b4
TO the surface, judge had collected IL nooSa,
several years before and had gone Ia Virgipis NJ
OF eourse was called upon to pay over and he IA
90 by Instruments pleading that he had forgottaa
the collection, which no enc knowing him ba1syod
for one moment A NOiieFea
nave said he went to Yirginiason lands bevop,
ing 70 his wife. She is lady with whom, IL "
SAID became acquainted while teaching sebooni =; ~
Virginia and to whom he was married abopt ls2n
she e Virginian, and is honorably conneetsS
peing double cousin of the late great Confede !
fase General StoneWall Jackson Underwood
connnoea 10 reside on his wife's lands until 1916 I
sshen ne turned up as delegate from Virginia in |
IAe Ea9onal Republican Convention which nomi. |
aetea Fremont for President he of course had
" constituents. He was a seifstyled delegate |
laklng MS fseat IN that convention, and very
lAaaraily sash course on his part excited some
hfprlse and Indignation among his Virginia neigh