The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-07-22
A Stranger Robbed, Killed and Disjointed
In Chester County.

A special correspondent at Pennington
vile furnishes the following account of the
late murder near that place
Friday evening farmer residing near
here was walking through the woods close
to his home, when his attention was at
tracted to mans boot sticking out Of the
ground. He gave 1t kick, and finding it
solid, caught hold with both hands. Civ
ing strog pull, he was perfectly Mortified
to find that he had unearthed not only
boot, but the leg of man Hastily call
ing for assistance he proceeded to investi-
gate the matter further. The efforts of
himself and the other men, who had now
arrived, were rewarded by finding the body
of a man, with both legs and arms cut off,
his throat severed from ear to ear, and
three stabs through his body the entire
sickening mass being wrapped up in two
horse blankets9 Some explanation is thus
given:
A coroner summoned jury, when the
following facts were described Samuel W.
Rhodes testified that his brother-in-law,
VIM. Udderzook, of Baltimore city, had
had written to him last fall or winter that
IF he wanted to make thousand dollars to
come on to Baltimore, telling him how to
come, how to pay, so as to avoid being
known that he was away from home, and
that he could return home the next day
that much richer and no one know any
thing about it. His plan was murder and
robbery, as he said, and wanted Rhodes to
go into the plot with him. Rhodes made
no reply to his letter and thought no more
of the matter until the first Of July when
Undertook put in his personal appearance
at his mothers, at Jennerville, and from
there came on to the residence of Mr.
Rhodes, but he not being at home, he with
his sister, Mr.. Rhodes wife, went after
him at Mr.. Baldwins where he was har-
vesting, and informed him that he had his
friend with him at Jennerville, and that he
wanted him to join him in robbing him,
that they could procure something at the
drug store to render him unconscious
when the money could be obtained.
He desired Rhodes to loan him his horse
and wagon to bring this friend of his up to
his (Rhodes) house, for few day, SO that
this deed could be done there, to all of
which Mr.. Rhodes peremptoriy declined,
and remarked he had better abandon such
ideas and go home. He remarked that he
was going to do it anyhow and left him,
coming TO Penningtonville. Hiring horse
and buggy of Mr.. o. A. Baldwin he left,
saying he was going to Jennerville for his
friend to bring him up to his sisters for
few days. He went to Jennerville, got his
friend, and they were seen to leave the
village about @ o'clock in the evening, and
that was the last seen of the man alive.
The horse and buggy were returned to Mr..
Baldwin that night about midnight with
the loss of blankets, oil cloth, etc. Moth
ing was thought about the loss of these
articles, as it was presumed the man was
or had been under the influence of liquor.
The price of the blankets was demanded
and was paid BY Udderzook, and thus
the matter ended. Mr.. Rhodes disclosed
his suspicious to several of his friends, and
among the number was G. p. Moore, who
ON hunting through the woods on the even
ing of Friday, July 18th, accidentally dis
covered the dead body of man with the
arms and limbs both cut off, the throat cut
and four or five stabs in the chest and
body, any one of which would have caused
death.
When these facts were made known, the
buggy was carefully examined, and blood
was found on it in several places, the dash
was bent and the leather of it torn, besides
the bows being broken, showing that the
act of killing was done in the buggy. In
the buggy was found handsome ring,
which has been identified as the one the
murdered man wore. The body having
lain from July to July II, was too much
decomposed for Identification from the
features, but the general appearance, size,
color of hair and whiskers leave no doubt
that this was the friend Udderzook left
Jennerville with ON the evening of July 1,
with an evil intention to kill and rob- which
he certainly did.
Other evidence showed that he returned
with the horse and wagon to Pennington
vile about o'clock ON the night of July /,
minus the stranger, whom he said he had
taken to Parkesburg and there put him on
a train going East. On examining the
wagon after Undertook had left Penning-
tonville, shortly after returning it to the
livery stable, one OF the ribs and the dash
board were found to be broken, besides
some blood on the floor of the vehicle. A