The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-06-27
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A PARALLEL TO THE BENDER
HORROR.

From the Charleston rs. c. News and
/ Courier. T4 sott'as@
The recent revelations 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 ofCharles-
ton similar series of murders that
occurred near this city more than
half a century ago In that day
travellers did not enjoy the facilities
| of railroad transportation, and in
consequence there were many little
| wayside inns scattered along the
nablic highways, some adjacent to
the cities, and others more remote.
Such an inn was kept q few miles
from Charleston. Being near the
city, it was quite common for trav-
elcrs, going or returning, to stop for
refreshments. 1t was kept by two
people, man and bis wife, who
were accounted to be honest, and
withal, very prosperous persons.
Theiu hostelry was convenient to
the travelling public, and therefore
popular. Occasionally a traveller
would suddenly disappear IN a very
mysterious and unaccountable man
ner but no suspicious attached to
the hospitable inn-keeper and his
wife. Matters went on thus for
some time, the mysterious disap-
pearance meanwhile becoming more
and more frequent. Fathers, sons
and brothers, going TO and from
Charleston would suddenly be mis-
sing. and no possible clue to their
whereabouts could be obtained.
Pnhila QXnitnnanf hn
posed, was wrought up to the high
est pitch, until finally there came Il
sudden and horrible solution to the
mystery.
One night, So tradition saith, a
belated traveller on his way to
Charleston, stopped at the inn. Sit
ting at the fire in the bar, slipping
his toddy, it suddenly occurred to
hostess were some what peculiar,
The fate of other travellers in that
section probaly made his sense of
danger more acute, and he resolved
TO be sharply on the alert. He
was shown to his room by his oblig-
ing host, and when the steps of the |
latter died away OH the stair. he
made a careful inspection of the |
surroundings. He discovered among
other things that the bed in which |
he was expected to sleep was inge-
niously fitted in slides, so that il |
could he lowered with case to the |
ground floor beneath. Other cir |
cumstances convincing him that he |
was in a trap of some kind, he blew |
out his light and patiently awaited%
Developments. A little after mid
night he heard stealthy steps on the |
stairs, and he Immediately put him
selfin a position to defend himself |
The steps drew nearer, and finally |
the door, which was guililess of
either lock or latch, was cautiously
opened, and the hospitable host
stepped in. The traveller felIed him
with chair and made his escape |
to the city, closely pursued by both
man and wife, who followed him to
the city limits. Information was at |
once conveyed to the authorities,
and guard was sent out to the inn |
and the wretches arrested The in
vestigation that followed revealed |
a pit below the room in which the |
traveller was to have rested. In this |
there were found the remain Of all |
who had SC mysteriously di- Ippcar-
ed. The spectacle was most 9.I.tst-
ly one, and the revelation at such
atrocity created, at that primitive
day, deeper thrill of horror all |
through the country than the Ben
der butcheries, and justice was
swift in overtaking the murderer
and his accomplices.