Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1901-01-10
Arrested for a Brutal Crime.

place and who spends more or less of
his time here. was arrested last Sun
day evening in Shepherdstown upon
the charge of being a participant in a
most revolving crime near Cumberland,
Nd. The ofense is said to have &C.
Cured on the night of December 18th.
Undertook and two companions, Dick
Obert and James Westbrook, are said
to have gone to the home of Holland
K. Miller, about six miles east Of Cum
berland and across the river from the
extensive works where the B. & o.
Railroad is having the cutoff line con-
structed, near Patterson's Greek, and
terrorized the family in the most dread
full way. Miller and his son were not
at home, the only persons in the house
being Mrs. Miller and her two daugh-
ters, Minnie, aged l6 years, and Vir-
GINA, aged Is years.
1t is alleged that the men abused
the inmates in the most iuhuman man
ner. Both Of the girls were Ill, having
been sick from typhoid fever. Obert
and Westbrook left after time, but
Underdonk remained all night and it
is said outrageously assaulted Virginia
Miller. The treatment that the sick
girl received was SO terrible as to cause
her death, and her sister was so shocked
and frightened as to cause her recov-
cry to be matter of doubt
News of the crime aroused the whole
of that section Of country, and on
Saturday Obert and Westbrook were
arrested in Cumberland and jailed.
Underdonk came to Shepherdstown,
arriving here Sunday. Town Ser
geant Maddox learned that he was in
town, and wired to the chief OF police
Of Cumberland, who replied that he
should be arrested. Sergeant Maddox
had been shadowing Underdonk, but
by the time instructions came he
learned that his man intended to Jump
freight train for the South. The
sergeant had notified Sheriff J. Davis
Billmyer, and the two officers went to
the station to try to catch Underdonk.
The whistle of an approaching train
was heard, and they hurried to reach
the railroad before he could escape.
The train was a short one, composed
of two engines and caboose, and 1t
whizzed by so swiftly that Underdonk
was afraid to jump it. AS he stood
by the track the officers located him,
and before he knew what was up Ser
geant Maddox had revolver under
his nose. Hands up" demanded
the sergeant, and up they went. In
another instant Sheriff Billmyer had
the handouts on, and the desperate
man-for he is desperate-was in the
tolls of the law.
He was taken before Magistrate
Rentch, and agreed to go to Cumber-
land without a requisition, provided
he was taken at once. He didn't seem
to want to be put in the Shepherds
town jail, and the officers were only
too glad to accommodate him. Our To-
cal officers are to be commended for
their efficient work in this case. The
telegram to make the arrest was re-
ceived by Sergeant Maddox in the
evening at 6.55 o'clock. Twenty
minutes later Underdonk was in irons.
Sergeant Maddox and Sheriff Bill
myer took Underdonk to Cumberland.
They drove from Shepherdstown to
Shenandoah Junction, where they took
the B. & O. train at 10 o'clock. As
they passed Patterson's Creek their
prisoner pointed out to them the house
where his victims lived. He did not
deny the affair, but made light Of it
and intimated that he would get off
easy. At Cumberland a squad of po-
licemen met our officers, and Under
donk was taken before a Magistrate,
who committed him to jail without
bail.
1t is believed that Underdonk is in
a very serious difficulty. His record
is a bad one, and if the details Of his
crime are asalleged and are proven up
on him he will probably get the full ex-
tent of the law. He was arrested in
Shepherdstown last summer for at
tempted assault, but managed to e8-
cape indictment.
Mysterious Fire in Maryland.
A good deal of excitement has been
caused in the neighborhood of Sharps-