New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-11-17
PROFESSOR STAYS SELF
Continued from first page.

I where his body was found . few moments later
Telephone messages were sent TO this city for
! medical assistance. and Dr.. H F Brown!ee, Of
this place, and DIT. G. D Wight, Of Bethel. re-
| sponded- They say that Mrs. Underwood's con-
diJon is not dangerous. and that there is little
/ doubt 10 her recovery. She has not been n
! formed Of her husbands death.
Professor Underwood was about forty-fve
! years old and had been at Columbia University
/ about eight years. going there from Texas. lie
/ IS said 20 have been possessed o. an unusually
/ cheerful disposition and to have been fondiy
/ devoted 70 Lis wife and daughter.
| Mrs. Underwood said after the tragedy that
| she knew OF nothing that could have unbalanced
/ her husbands reason except worry over his
| financial losses. She was not fully aware o:
/ the extent Of these losses. but had not re-
! garded them as being serious or OF a nature To
! have caused her husband more than slight
| financial embarrassment
| Those who have associated with DR.. Under
| wood al Columbia and at other places in this
| city said last night that. so far as they knew.
| there was nothing Of any moment that had
caused him any trouble recently About two
! weeks ago he caught q slight cold in common
| with several other men in the department at
| Columbia. but he was apparently recovering
/ from II when he was seen at the university last
| Monday. The character Of his work was such
| that il called him TO the university two days
| week. while the other days were spent at the
! New York Botanical Garden. Those who knew
him were OF the opinion that the recent financial
| furry could have had no effect on him. as he
| had very little money His only investment Is
| believed 10 be his farm.
| Dr. Carleton Clarence Curtis. an Instructor IN
the department OF botany at Columbia who has
worked under Dr. Underwood for several years,
was his closest friend. According 10 MI Curtis,
! Dr. Underwood was at the university last Mon
day. when he attended to his regular duties. At
that time he was apparently well and cheerful.
except for q slight cold. DIT Curtis said OF The
man last night that he lived the ideal life and.
so far as he knew. was getting the greatest
enjoyment out Of the work. Among other things
he said:
4 had known DR.. Underwood closely for a
great many years. and IN that time had come 70
have the most sincere respect and regard for
the man. I can certainly see no reason why he
should have committed the act that he did I
| do not see how any financial trouble could have
| affected him. because he had as much money as
| he has always had The salaries that are paid
| to professors at Columbia are not sufficient for
a man 10 save much money over and
above his living expenses. DIT. Underwood had
his life insured for g small sum. 4 short time
ago he took what money he had and invested Il
in a small farm at Redding, Conn. and so far
as know he had not other means nor had he had
at any time. It was at his farm that he took
his recreation. He found the out OF doors life
most enjoyable. and spent much Of his time in
the open air. fixing Up the place according 70 the
ideas that he had formed.
4 think that II there had been anything In
his life that troubling him he would have
spoken 70 about Il. $ have always been
on most friendly terms The thing comes TO
ne like q clap OF thunder out OF a clear sky. II
looks TO Il he had suddenly become I
mentally deranged for some reason or other.
and I shall be most interested IN discovering
what It was that could have led TO such rash
act"
Several other associates Of DR.. Underwood
spoke in the same manner about his act p-
Britton. the director Of the New York Botanical
Gardens verified all that Mr.. Curtis had said
and told something Of the work that DR. Under
wood had done at the gardens He said that
so far he knew there was no reason why he
should have taken his life. He said that at the
Botanical Gardens he had been most highly re-
garded. and looked upon as a man Of great
talent and authority He said ne believed
that Dr.. Underwood must have been seized with
some sudden mental distress, the reason for
which he could give.
DIT. Butler. president Of Columbia was shocked
and surprised when ne first heard OF the suicide
from a Tribune reporter. who called to see him.
He pointed out the enormous amount Of work
with the university and outside. but did not
think that this application to his work could
have affected his mind in any way for so far
As he knew, he had been doing no more work
recently than had been his custom for years.
He said that certainly there had been no in
crease in Dr.. Underwood's academic studies.
He said that the professor was a man enor-
mousIy absorbed in the pursuit Of science. and
had little time for outside interests. He said
that his connections with the university had
been largely in an academic way, as he had
found no time to serve on committees or take
part in executive work that IS often done by
professors Dr. Butler said that he had seen Dr.. /
Underwood only a short time ago al meeting
OF the faculty. and noted no change in him then
The president said that Dr.. Underwood was
pleasant man when one came 20 know him. al
though Ire entered little into the social life at
the university. Dr.. Butler told OF the eminence /
that the dead man had attained as a scientist
by his various contributions to floral data and
b. the trips OF investigation thar he had made
He was regarded. DR.. Butler said. as great
authority on botanical subjects. and he viii be /
greatly missed. both at the university and out
side
DR. Butler wished be quoted as expressing
his highest appreciation Of the work that the
man had done At Columbia, and his regret at the /
loss Of so accurate and valuable a scholar. /
Charles s. eager. director Of the laboratory /
Of the Botanical Gardens at Bronx Park an as /
sOciate OF Professor Underwood's, said: When /.
evening he was apparently in a cheerful frame /
Of mind. met him early IN front Of my home
and requested him TO take dinner with me. lie /
arr Oh sEao -