Wilbur Underhill
| Wilbur Underhill, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Wilber Underhill, Jr. March 16, 1901 Joplin, Missouri, United States |
| Died | January 6, 1934 (aged 32) Shawnee, Oklahoma |
| Cause of death | Killed by police |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | "Mad Dog", "Tri-State Terror", "The Southwest Executioner" |
| Criminal penalty | 4 years imprisonment 5 years imprisonment Life imprisonment Life imprisonment |
| Criminal status | Released in 1922 Paroled in 1926 Escaped in 1931 Escaped in 1933 |
| Conviction(s) | Bulgary (1918) Armed robbery (1923) Rape (1927) Murder (1931) |
Wilbur Underhill, Jr. (March 16, 1901 – January 6, 1934), often called "Mad Dog" or the "Tri-State Terror", was an American criminal, burglar, bank robber and Depression-era outlaw. He was one of the most wanted bandits in Oklahoma during the 1920s and 1930s and co-led a gang with Harvey Bailey that included many fellow Cookson Hills outlaws including Jim Clark, Ed Davis and Robert "Big Bob" Brady.
Wilbur Underhill, Jr. was born Joplin, Missouri on March 16, 1901,one of seven children. His three older brothers Earl, George and Ernest all became career criminals, though none gained the notoriety of Wilbur, while his three sisters led law-abiding lives. When Underhill was 12 years old, his brother George killed a local tamale vendor and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Underhill began to show a wild streak soon afterwards though his mother claimed it was the result of a childhood accident that "[didn't leave] him quite right". He also changed the spelling of his given name from Wilber to Wilbur believing it sounded more manly.
Underhill committed his first criminal offense by stealing silverware from a neighbor's home. When questioned by police, he attempted to convince them that a stranger had given it to him. In 1918, he was convicted of burglary and spent four years in prison. A year after his release, Underhill became locally known as the "Lovers Lane Bandit". When his identity became known, after being caught by a police decoy, he was sent to the Missouri State Penitentiary for five years.
Underhill was released on parole in late-1926, and on Christmas Day he and Ike "Skeet" Akins robbed a drug store on Okmulgee, Oklahoma. In the course of the robbery, 19-year-old customer George Fee was killed. They were eventually arrested on January 7, 1927, and charged with murder and armed robbery. Underhill and Akins were still awaiting trial when they decided to escape from the Okmulgee jailhouse on January 30 with fellow inmates Red Gann and Duff Kennedy using smuggled hacksaws. While Underhill successfully eluded authorities, his partner was captured at Lamar, Missouri on February 9. Three days later, while being brought back to Okmulgee, Akins attempted another escape attempt and was killed by Sheriff John Russell.
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