Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-06-16

nealJny DaDy, ana with proper. lnleIIl-
gent care it would have lived"
Official Neglect?
Speaking of the action OF the officers in
! this case the Seattle Times says
If Paul Underwood, the alleged muir
derer OF his two-w eeks'-old girl baby, is
allowed to elude the clutches of the law.
as now seems possible, charge OF the
most serious nature will be laid against
the authorities who are responsible for
his escape.
The crime for which Underwood stands
accused is the most revolving in the an
nails of the state. That public sentiment
is aroused to an extent never paralleled
in criminal case is evidenced daily by
the fact that interest in the pursuit OF the
murderer continues undated, and con-
domination for the officers who willfully,
apparently, permitted him to get out OF
their reach, is expressed on every hand.
| Underwood's crime was not only hor-
rible in its cold blooded intent, but was
revolving because it was unnatural. If
the evidence against Underwood, found
in the circumstances surrounding the
crime and in the conflicting statements of
the man and his young wife can be be-
lieved, he foully planned in cold blood to
snuff out the life of his offspring as man
would drown litter of kittens. His
motive was pure criminal selfishness.
The girl was born six months after his
marriage to Nellie Weatherwax, land
Underwood's only possible incentive, if
he dropped the child into Salmon Bay,
as ia believed, : svas to rid himeolf of the
living testimony of his own sin.
Public Indignation at the tacit con-
nivance in Underwood's escape of the
authorities at Aberdeen exists all over
Western Washington, and nowhere more
than at Aberdeen, where Underwood
walked the streets unmolested for sew
eral hours after the authorities had been
wired by Sheriff Cudihee to arrest him.
The body of the murdered babe was
found early Sunday morning, June l, in
an estuary of Salmon Bay, near Ballard,
tied in sack and weighted beneath the
waters by ten-pound rock. Monday
afternoon an autopsy and investigation
by Coroner Hoye at Ballard revealed
the most convincing kind OF evidence
that Underwood planned to murder the
child and then deliberately carried out
his villainous purpose. There was also
evidence tending to show that the girl
wife was aware Of the crime and con-
sented to it, perhaps under duress and
fear of her husband.
Tuesday morning, June 8, Sheriff Huff,
OF Montesano, which is within a few
miles of Aberdeen, received wire from
Sheriff Cudihee informing him of the
crime and stating that U Underwood and his
wife were wanted here to answer for MUIR
der. Sheriff Cudihee requested Sheriff
Huff to arrest the couple at once.
At this point begins the story of the
negligence of the Chehalis county author
tiles and the police of Aberdeen. Huff,
instead of going directly to Aberdeen,
where he learned Underwood was, tele.
phoned to a constable or city marshal.
The town authorities at Aberdeen saw
Underwood on the streets, but either
refused willfully or neglected to arrest
Underwood. Sheriff Huff did not stir in
the meantime, although during the day
he received second and more positive
request for Underwood's arrest. Later,
copy of the warrant was telegraphed the
sheriff of Chehalis county and he finally
made a move to arrest Underwood.
This was late in the afternoon OF Tues
day, June 8. By the time the tardy
officers at Aberdeen had gotten ready to
carry out their sworn duties under the
law Underwood had vanished.
1t seems incredible that there should
have been the slightest delay in making
Underwood's arrest. Dispatches to The
Times of Tuesday, June 3, showed that
Underwood's friends were numerous in
Aberdeen and that they and the officers
refused to believe that Underwood was
wanted for murder. While the officers
were trying to make up their minds that
mistake had been made here, the al
legged murderer escaped into the brush
and by the aid Of friendly hands has. up
to this time, eluded the vigilance of the
posses who were placed on his trail.
The finger of blame is pointed directly