Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1873-05-24
THE BENDER MURDERS-A HORRIBLE
REHITIL

RECITAL.
The story of the discovery of the body
of DR.. York and the other murdered
victims of the Bender family in Labette
county, Kan, sounds like the tales of
murder and robbery which, years ago,
were related round the family hearth
stone, while children hid their faces
in terror and huddled closer together
as they crept to their beds afte.' the
recital.
All the surroundings are here in this
tale of reality that added interest and
fascination to those stories of child
hood. A lonely tavern on lonely road;
strange family in charge of it; trap
door, well beneath, and gang of
reckless murdercrs, men and women, to
entice the traveller, supply his supper
and bed, and while unconscious rob and
murder him.
The Bender family consisted of four
persons, all adults Bender, his wife
and daughter, and son. They are
supposed, however, to have had accom-
plices. The daughter was n Spiritual
ist and professed to be n healing me-
MUM See advertised herself as such
in the neighboring papers, and doubt
less number were attracted to the
spot by this means who never left it
alive.
Persons coming from n distance to
visit the daughter kept the matter quiet
through fear of ridicule; and this ex-
plains the fact that, though people have
been mysteriously disappearing in theil
neighborhood for some time, no sus.
picions were excited until the sudden
and altogether unaccountable loss OF
Dr. York. On the 9th of March DR.
York (brother of Senator York, who
gained 50 wide Il notoriety through his
connection with the Pomeroy case) left
Fort Scott for his home in Indepen
dence, Kan. He was mounted on /
valuable horse, and had large sum Of
money with him. The time passed fol
his arrival home, but he did not come
AS his absence grew prolonged, fears
were excited for his safety. His brother
left for Fort Scott to inquire for him
and learned that he had departed from
there at the date above stated. Sccur
ing assistance, Col. York proceeded t,
trace the missing man. He was FOLLOWED
as far as Cherryvale, a small town OF
the Lcavenworth and Kansas railway
about two miles from the home of tn,
Bender family. There all traces of hin
were lost. Inquiries were made of tn
family, but they stated that no persol
answering the description had been seel
by them. Suspicion had not yet set
tied upon them, and perhaps would no
had it not been for their own conduct
1t is supposed that they became alarmed
at the urgency with which the scare
was prosecuted, for they suddenly dis
appeared. Tho premises were shortl
after examined, but for some time IL
discoveries were made. At last trap
door was found in gloomy room, and
lifting this, some of the party descende
into Il sort of well beneath, the bottor
of which was thick with clotted blood
Horror stricken, the men prosecute
their search with renewed energy, an
at last in the garden in the scar of tn
house discovered the body of the miss
ing DIR. York. 1t was Invested O
clothing and buried face downward in
grave or hole about two feet deep. Al
examination showed that the skull ha
been fractured with heavy weapon
presumed now to have hecn hammer
two of which were found in the house
A further search revealed more graves
and at latest accounts eight other bodie
had been discovered, one of them tina
of little girl who had been murders
with her father.
The excitement consequent on tn
uncarthing of this wholesale slaughte
is intense, and, as usual in such cases
injustice is liable to be done to innocen
parties. - Inter- ocean.