Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1873-05-21
The Kansas BuieherJ.
caIrTI on THT RTNnFE TANIIT,


associated with those Of PrObsi aad TrOpp'
mann. The series Of horrible murder
Of which this family has been guilty ever
exceeds in extent and AtrOsity the crimes
which those bloody men eEPiStsd with
their lives, for their devilish work has
continued undiscovered through an un'
Known period. and to murder they added
sekeuing uutilstisn The house Oecupi'
cd By the Blenders. in and around which
the evidence Of these fearful murders has
been discovcred. is situated on the Usage
Mission road, about two miles from Cher
ryvale, in Labehe county, Kan, a short
distance from the State line. The house
is on an open prairie, aud was kept as a
vay-side tavern; it is about l4x20 feet,
and contains two apartments. 10 the
rear is a garden Of about two acr's. Dur
ipg the past year a number Of persons
have disappeared in remarkable manner
aud all traces Of them have been lost. In
many cases a thorough search for the mis-
sing ones was made. but all exertious and
inquiries of friends we're fruitless.
The hrst appearance that attracted ru''
lie attention was that Of an old man aud
his daughter, who left Cehrryvals abor'
three months ago, in two-hor:c wagon,
to 20 to Fort Scott, bot never reached
that place. All inquiries failed to elicit
a clue to the cause of their disappearance,
until. about the beginning Of March. DR..
William Fl. York, brother Of State Sena.
tor York, recognized the team and wagon
at Fort Scott. DR.. York ascertained
that the wagon bad been purchased at the
Fort from some person who came from
Cherryvale, and he resolved to ferret out
the mystery. For this purpose be left the
Fort on March 9th, and went 10 the di-
rsction of Cherryvale; but he in like
manner, disappeared, and all after-search
for him by his brother and a host Of
friends was fruitless. Notwithstanding the
faat that .arge reward was offered for
any intelligence Of his fate. The search,
however, for DR.. York led to the finding
of the bodies of the old man and child in
the ravine near Drum Greek, with their
threats cut from car to car; further search
at this time resulted in the discovery of
a wagon wedged in between two trees, the
horses having been unable 10 liberatc it,
and from the half.starved condition Of
these animals it is supposed that they
must have been thus held far several
days. The marks of bullets and blood
upon the wagon indicated that conflict
had taken place; and it is surmised that
while tho owners Of the wagon were be-
ing murdered, the horses, doubtless, be-
came alarmed, and made their escape, f.
nally getting fastened in the manner de-
scribed. Who those persons were has not
yet been found out.
While making the search for Dr.. York,
the house Of Blenders, family who bore
a pretty bad reputation, was visited by
several parties; but to all the answer
was returned that no one had seen the
the missing man. The persistence with
which these inquiries were made, and the
constant advertising through the papers of
Kansas of the strange disappearance of
DR.. York, doubtless caused some alarm in
the minds Of the Bender family, although
no one had any definite information which
traced the disappearance 10 their agency.
About fortnight ago, man riding from
the prairie noticed that no smoke was, to
be issuing from the chimney Of Bender's
house; that the doors and windows were
closed, and not sign Of life was visible.
This did not particularly excite his Curl
osity until he noticed in the lot calf
which lad apparently died Of starvation.
This excited his suspicion, and he gallored
over 10 Cherry va,e with the news. The
town soon became excited, and it was then
remembered that William Bender had
about April "a sold watch, some cloth.
ing, to mules, and some other property.
All then became impressed with the idea
that the Bender family had, from some
good cause, taken hasty leave Of thoir
residence. and party went out from
Cherry vale to make some inquiries.
On arriving at the place, the clubhouse
was 6rst examined. and next the larger
room of the cabin. Everything was exact.
ly as the Blenders had left them, and
there was nothing to indicate murder Oh
foul play. Even in the rear room there
was nothing suspicious at the first glonce
but, on removing one of the two beds, {
slight depression 10 the floor led TO III,
discovery of trap-door upon hinges
Raising this trap, well, about six fee
deep and Eve feet wide, was uncovered
and, upon descending into it, the groun'
was found to be saturated with thick
iotid blood, which stuck to the fingers {
those who had been cropping about at tn