John Underwood
Cochise Co. Az
Arizona Republican Newspaper
Feb 3, 1910

That a man would sacrifice his life for a juniper tree, worth in 
Arizona about one dollar and fifty cents sounds like a vital 
paradox on the old rhyme of "woodman, spare that tree."  But 
one man there was in the hills just east of Douglas who was such 
a staunch supporter of the conservation theories of the recently 
deposed Gifford Pinchot that he actually lost his life for a 
mountain juniper.

His name was John Underwood and his slayer, Harold H. Stallard, 
is now in the county jail here awaiting a preliminary hearing 
before he starts on his trip to the jail at Tombstone.

The story is tragic in detail.  Stallard and his father, J.L. 
Stallard, drove to the mountain in a wagon and felled the tree, 
merely a stunted bush, in fact.  The tree was loaded into the 
wagon and the two started home. On the way they met Underwood, 
riding a horse.  With greetings the three men met.  Then 
Underwood's eye noted the tree.  Curses followed the detection.  
The Stallards explained that the juniper had not been cut from 
Underwood's land.

"That don't make a damned bit of difference," he hotly replied, 
"you've violated the law."

Young Stallard had a gun resting across his knees, pointed directly 
at Underwood, but the latter did not pay much attention to the 
weapon.  Stallard argued to the effect that if the law had been 
violated, Underwood's redress was in the law.  Stallard at the 
coroner's inquest claims that then Underwood put his hand to his 
hip, and advanced closer to the wagon.  There was a flash from the 
gun on Stallard's knee.  Underwood swayed in his saddle, the horse 
leaped back, bearing the falling rider, who toppled, was dragged a 
few feet and then dropped clear of the stirrups.  He arose, lifted 
his hands and fell upon his back, dead.

Underwood and the Stallards were neighbors for years.  The dead 
man came from Hamilton Texas. His widow was present at the inquest.  
The jury rendered a verdict in accordance with the foregoing facts.

Now the second life is in jeopardy--all for a juniper tree worth 
$1.50.

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