Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-05-27

CHIMES OF THE BENDER FAMILY.


In the annals of wholesale human butchery
the names of the Bender family Of Cherryvale,
Kansas, will hereafter be associated with those
OF Probst and Troppmann. The series Of hor-
rible murders of which this family has been
guilty even exceeds in extent and attrocity
the crimes which those bloody men expiated
with their lives, for their devilish work has
continued undiscovered through an unknown
period, and to murder they added sickening
mutilation. The house occupied by the
Blenders, in and around which the evidence of
these fearful murders has been discovered.
is situated on the Usage Mission road, about
two miles from Cherryvale, in Labette county,
Kansas, short distance from the south line
OF the State. The house is ON an open prairie,
and was kept as way-side tavern; it is
IA by 20 feet, and contains two apartments.
In the rear is garden of about two acres.
during the past year number OF persons
have disappeared in a remarkable manner.
and all traces Of them have been lost. In
many cases thorough search for the missing
ones was made, but all exertions and inquiries
Of friends were fruitless.
The first disappearance that attracted at
tention was that of an old man and his grand
daughter, who left Cherryvale about three
months ago in a two-horse wagon, to 60 to
Fort Scott, never reaching that place. ALI in
quiries failed to elicit clew to the cause Of
their disappearance, until, about the beginning
of March, DIR. William H. York, brother Of
State Senator York, who exposed the bribery
Of Senator Pomeroy, recognized the team
and wagon at Fort Scott. DIR. York as
certained that the wagon had been purchased
at the fort for some person who came from
Cherryvale, and he resolved to ferret out the
mystery. For this purpose he left the fort on
h Il -, H. g
vale; but he, in a like manner disappeared,
and all after-search for him by his brother
and host Of friends was fruitless, notwith.
standing the fact that large reward was Of
fered for any intelligence of his fate. The
search, however, for DR.. York led to the fnd
ing of the bodies Of the cid man and child in
the ravine near Drum creek, with their throats
cut from ear to ear. Further search at this
time resulted in the discovery of a wagon
wedged in between two trees, the horses hAv-
ing been unable to liberate it, and from the
half starved condition of these animals il ia
supposed that they must have been thus held
for several days. The marks of bullets and
blood upon the wagon indicated that conflict
had taken place and it was surmised tina,
while the owners of the wagon were being
murdered the horses doubtless became alarmed
and made their escape, finally getting fastened
in the manner described. Who these persons
were, has not yet been found out.
While making the search for DIR. York, the
house of the Blenders, family who bore a
pretty bad reputation, was visited by several
parties but to all answer WAS returned that
no one had seen the missing man. The per-
sistencc with which these inquiries were made,
and the constant advertising through the pa
pers of Kansas of the strange disappearance
of DIR. York, doubtless caused some alarm in
the minds of the Bender family, although no
one had any definite information which traced
the disappearance to their agency. About \
fortnight ago, man riding from the prairie
noticed that no smoke was to be seen issuing
from the chimney of Benders house; that the
doors and windows were closed, and not
sign of life was visible. This did not particu-
larly excite his curiosity until he noticed
a calf which had apparently died of starva.
ton. This excited his suspicion, and he gal
loped over to Cherryvale with the news. The
town soon became excited, and it was then
remembered that William Bender had abou,
April "a sold a watch some clothing, two
mules, and some other property. All then
became impressed with the idea that the Bend
er family had, from some good cause, taken
a hasty leave of their residence, and party
went out from Chcrryvale TO make some in.
quiries.
On arriving at the place, the clubhouse or
stable was first examined, and next the larger
room of the cabin. Everything was exactly a.
the Benders had left them, and there was no.
thing to indicate murder or foul play. Even
in the rear room there was nothing suspicious
at the first glance; but, on removing one of
the two beds, a slight depression in the floor
led to the discovery of trap door upon hing
es. Raising this trap, we'll, about six feet
deep and five feet wide, was uncovered; and,
descending into it, the ground was found TO
be saturated with thick, fetid blood, which
stuck to the fingers of those who had been
cropping about at the bottom of the well. The
horror excited at this discovery may well be
imagined, and the clue to many of the mys-
terious disappearances was thought 10 be
near. The soft ground at the bottom of the
well was bored with rods, but nothing reward
ed the search of the now excited party. There
was no doubt that murder had been commit
ted, and that the bleeding bodies had been
thrust into this we'll; but what had afterwsrd
been done with then was as yet mystery.
1t was then suggested that the garden should
be examined, and all set to work boring the
ground with rods. For an hour the search
was frutless; but at the end of that time the
point of rod touched something. Shovels
were called for, and the ground opened when
the body of man face downward, was found.
There was no coffin, and torn and dscolored
SnlFt was Ill tudt COfeIeu tHt Uouy. VHH
care the remains were disinterred for Q p0r.
ton Of the flesh had fallen from the lover
limbs but when the body was laid on its back
to the horror of all present, it was discovered
to be that of DR.. York. Although very much
swollen, the face was perfect enough for iden.
titication, and a wound at the back of the head
plainly indicated the cause Of death. The
skull was driven into the brain with = blow
from some weapon like hammer, and in the
house were found two shoemaker's hammers.
The news of the discovery was speedily con-
veyed TO Senator York, who soon visited the
scene with coffin in which to deposit the
remains which he readily identified as those
of his missing brother. an injury to the knee
proving the matter beyond doubt.
This discovery, instead of satisfying the
searchers, only whetted their anxiety, and the
rod was again put in requisition. In short
time six more graves were discovered, Eve
single corpses, and one an old man
and little girl. Some Of the bodies we're be-
yond recognition, but others had enough Of
humanity left to admit Of identification. II
was evident that all had been the victims OF
the murderers' violence, and there was no
donbt hut that the Render fam milv had eomp,;t