The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-05-25

A CHARLESTON PARALLEL TO THE BEN.
DER RUToHRRIRs.--sThe. recent xeyelsr
tions In regard to the atrocious murders
committed by the Bender family. in
Kansas, will .probably recall to the
minds OF: some Of the older citizens of
Charleston similar series OF murders
half q century ago. In that day, tfA.
velers did not enjoy the facilities of rail.
road transportation, and in consequences
there we're many little wayside inns
scattered along the public high ways,
some adjacent to the cities, aud others
more remote. Such an inn Was kept u
few miles from Charleston. Being near
the city. it was quite common for ira
velers, going or returning, TO stop for
rest and refreshments. It was kept by
two people; man and his wife, who
were accounted to be- honest and withal
very prosperous persons. Their hosiery
Was convenient to she travelling public,
and therefore popular. Occasionally. =
traveller would suddenly disappear in q
very mysterious and unacoountable
manner; bat no suspicion attached to
the hospitable inn keeper and his wife.
Matters went on thus for some time, the
mysterious disappearance eanwhile be-
coming mora and more frequent. Fa.
theirs. sons aud brothers going to or
from Charleston would suddenly be miss
ing, and no possible clue to their where
abouts could DO obtained. Public excite
ment. % may, be supposed, was wrought
up to the highest pitch. until finally
there came sudden and horrible sol1-
ton to the mystery.
One night-so tradition saith-a be.
lated traveller, on his way to Charleston,
stopped at:the inn Sitting at the inn,
in the bar, slipping his toddy, it sud-
denly occurred to him that the actions of
his host and hostess were somewhat Pc
culiar. The fate Of other travellers in
that section probably made his sense of
danger moro than usually acute, and he
resolved to be sharply on the alert. He
Was shown TO- his room by his obliging
host, and when the steps Of the latter
died away on the stair, he made careful
inspection OF the surroundings. He dis
covered. among other things, that the
bed upon which he was expected to
sleep Was ingeniously fitted in slides, so
that it could be lowered with ease to the
ground-door beneath. Other cironm-
stances convincing him that he was in a
trap OF some kind, he blow out his light
o10 foe40AtAy 0"0lGSA ooSSlOp0outo. a
little after midnight. he heard stealthy
steps on the stairs, and he Immediately
put himself in position to defend him.
self. The steps drew nearer and nearer,
and finally the door, which was gniltless
OF either lock or latch. was cautiously
opened, and the hospitable host stepped
in. The traveller felled him with chair,
and made his escape to the city, CLOSELY
pursued byboth man and wife, who fol-
lowed him nearly to the city limits. In
formation was at once conveyed to the
authorities. and guard was sent out to
the inn and the wretches arrested. The
investigation that followed revealed pit
belo~ ~ the room in which tie traveller was
10 have rested. In this pit were found
the remains Of all who had so ,myate.
riously disappeared. The spectacle was
aSinost ghRstly one, and tho revelation of
such atrooity created, in that primitive
day, a much more intense thrill of hor-
ror through the country than the Bende.
butoheries, and justice was swift in over
taking the murderer and his aooomplice