SCIENTISTS CRIME.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 100, 21 January 1908, Page 10

SCIENTISTS CRIME.

~—; —* : — ' ■ j . Mr.; Lueian Marcus TJnderwood, an emi-' nent botanist, '.a man respected by all his follow professors at .Columbia University, not only for his scientific achievements biit for' his sane and'healtliy views- on life, committed suicide after attempting to murder Ilia wife; and daughter oil his farm at Redding, Connecticut.-.' " ' • ■ ' • 1 ■ Tlio tragedy has created the most profound' sensation. in academic cirfcles, where Mr. 1 Underwood was'most popular, and.where no one, even his mbs( intimate friend, is able to offer any solution of the psychological, riddle afforded by tho sudden mania of tile levelheaded savaht. 'The professor hid been engaged for some time m botanical studies in tho Bronx Park, and after delivering his usual , lecture, at Columbia University on Thursday, took a night train to Redding, where, following the example of Mark Twain and many other notabilities of scienco and; literature, he had -recently established a charming country home. During lunch recently Mrs. Underwood observed hGr husband, with a look of porten'tous gravity, suddenly roach out for a long carving knifo. Without a word'of warning he started', from his'chair, whirling tho knife madly above his head,, and rushed at his wifo. "Lueian,.Lueian," she cried in alarm, "what are yon doing?" . ' His oyes rolling in maniacal fury, the professor seized his. wife by one.', arm and..held; her as in a vieo wbilo'lie drew the blade across her throat. Then, as Mrs. -Underwood fell to. the ground, the. insane inail ran towards his affrighted daughter, ahd 'barring the door, attempted." to plungo-Vthe weapon into her heart. ■ ' But. meantime Mrs. Underwood, mothorlovo rousing her to hqroic energy, rose'from tho floor and fell oil tho madman's arm. just in time to prevent the fatal downward' stroke': Her daughter wrested hersolf. free, and''the professor, gazing at his woundwl wife in a dazed fashion, plunged the knife twico into his own neck. ; The blade fell clattering to the-floor, and a second later the madman collapsed as-'his wife, terribly, injured, escaped-out of. Eight of the corpse to the hall beyond -where -she fell unconscious. Miss Underwood, shrieking for help;, ran to il neighbour's house. "Doctors wero summoned. They found .tlio professor dead and Mrs. Underwood still breathing. Her wounds were bound up and sh'o was conveyed, to the hospital, where she lies in -a precarious condition. - '.•••■ . Even if tho modernising of the Port of London be delayed,-wo should bo wise:not to-infer, 'with tho Protectionist, that-: the commercial power of England is on tho ivanfe. —"Tageblatt," .Berlin. .......

Now that anybody can. manufacturelthe rubber-cored'ball and no royalties liave ti>'be paid, the golfer will be certain to get just thd article that ha finds best suited to himself at a merely commercial profit.—"Wostmiuis; ter Gazette." '