The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-09-25
A HORRIBLE RECORD.
The Story Of the Underwosd Vendetta in
Carter County.

The Story Of the Uaderwosd Vendetta in
Carter County.
MaysviIle Eagle.
L. Is known that duriuR the war the Un-
derwood family had pretty much their
own way In the neighborhood OF Olive Hill,
in Carter county. But shortly after Its
conciusi"n the climate ceased to be healthy
for Alfred Underwood, the leader Of the
party. and he followed Greeley's advice to
go West. II has been several times re-
ported that he was dead, had been killed,
but it Is pretty eertai. that be is alive, and
still a dangerous shot with a rifle. Not
long after the war Jesse Understood be-
came involved in squabbl- In . bar room
In Bath county, while circus was going
Oh, which terminated I'm his killing yoAng
Trumto. He has ALWAYS said that he shot
at another man, and had rot the slightest
intention of shooting Trumbo, to whom he
bore no III will. He escaped, and for some
time babe defiance TO the authorities in
Carter county. Finally he managed 10
slip out OF the State. and located Ia Iowa,
where he continued for some years. In
the winter OF 1877 John K. Taber and John
Martin were arrested by Marshal Hefiin
h-t Seen Maysville and Cincinnati, charged
with horse stealing. Taber had inherited
some property from his father, and at one
time had been prosperous merchant in
Hillsboro. But a passion for gambling
soon caused disappearance Of his means,
and il Is charged that on several occasions
he stepped beyond the line of the law. In
1870 he settled in Morehead, and In 1874
became famous by being charged with
having mutilated the records of which he
WAS custodian. as clerk OF the circuit court
He was defeated In 1874, became involved
In a difficulty With James Carey, which
compelled him to leave Morehead. and 1t
was while he was wandering around that
the alleged crime OF horse stealing was
committed. At this time John Martin was
under indictment for killing man named
Blair, the brother Of Martins brothers
wife, for which he WAS afterwards acquit-
ted. Taber and Martin were admitted TO
bail, and pending their trial, went To Car
ter county, rented few acres OF land
from one Of the Underwoods and com.
meneed hard work 10 raise crop. Some
horses were missing that belonged TO a
man named Stamper, living some miles
from the Underwoods, and Taber and
Martin were charged with taking them.
The S,anoer Marty potifi,d T.hsr and
Martin to leave and warned the Tnder-
woods no, tn harhor them Taber left al
once and IL IA stated is nov In the West
The wife OF Martin was sick. so that n.
could not vet leave. His family wer. the
cuas,s ~ ono of'tha ITodarvoods rho was
: sacopa time motif. a 10 sand Jnh. Mario
aw,y the S,annar marty nromisinD 10
nroyiie for his wife until she eouId be re.
movad His host had now b.,come alarmed
and told Martin he could no longer
antart lin him Gaorua Javis Updarwood
then invited Martin 10 come 10 his hausa
which Martin did No, Iony After n siri
lar novice was served upnn George Iawis
Undarvood which ne iisYe0arded And
shortly h. was sbo, from an ambush bv a
concealed murderer. and making a hol. In
bis side tbrounb which all his food has
since nassed until his death a few weeks
AGO Then commenced the Garter War =
Elvin ITnderwood and John Martin took
To the bush and two of the Starnner
Marty we're killed. On. of the Under
wood brother. and one of their partisans
were also fired at from the bushes and
killed During ALI this hlo..I Letting Jesse
T-nderwnod WAS in Iowa but ON learning
the condition of affairs he returned home
To share the fate of his kindred. After
matters had become oui.ted n. determines
to return IN Iowa and was nassinp
through I,exis county ON hi, wav ont al
tha S,afs when no WAS nnrsuad nv Hiram
Warder tn, Sha,ifT with a marty To arres,
him AfIrr having been himself sho.
lessee returned the fire with a yoIley that
kilIed nonr younv Ruuvl.s He was tried
for ,bts hv an ex.mininv court In Leafs
and aco,S.ted on tho ground that the pur.
suefs had no warrant and the killing was
don. in self defense. II. was then taken To
Bath county To be tried for killing Young
Trumbo wears before. After an inearce-
ration OF some months in the OxtDusyijIe
iail h. made his ese ,pe. II has often been
r.ported that he had left the State. but he
has ever since been soiolrninp among the
hills OF Carter and Rowan. In Jure Last.
Elyin Underwood was killed bv a shot
fired by a concealed assasein. On Sun
day. August "a. George Lewis Under.
wood was brought 10 the little cemetery
about half a mile from Morehead to be-
laid TO rest. having never left his bed Of
pain sine. the cruel shot struck him down
In his manhood. All the clan came to see
him laid away. and lease Underwood .x-
nressed a desire TO come into the town
On being assured that ne would no. he
he ent. red Morehead and had
an interview with Henry l.. Stone. He
Carey, where the writer was sitting, and