Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-05-17
iii n .ANsAs BUrCHERY.
oe ~ the Bemder Family.

II
p = VAR hereafter be associated with taese OF |
.oSst and Troppmann. TIE series OF horrible /
Aarders OF which this family has been gull |
even exceeds in extent and atrocity the crimes /
which these bloody men expiated with their |
lives, for their deyilish work has continued un-
discovered through an unknown period, and TO
murder they added sickening muulation. The
house occupied by the Blenders, in and around
which the evidence of these fearful murders has
been discovered, is situated on the Usage Mis-
sion road about two miles from Cherryvale, in
Labette county, Kan, a snort distance from the
south line of the state. The house is on an
open prairie, and was kept as a ay-side tave rn;
IL Is about ii by 20 feet, and contains two apart
ments. In the rear is garden of about two
acres. During the past year a number of per-
sons have disappeared in a remarkable manner,
ana all traces OF them have been lost. In many
cases thorough scar n for the missn oues
was made, but all exertions and inquiries of
friends were fruitless.
The first disappearance that attracted public
attention was that of an old man and his grand
daughter, who left Cherryvale about three
months ago in two-horse wagon to go to Fort
Scott, but never reached that place. All in
quiries failed to elicit clew b the cause of
their disappearance, until about the beginning
of March, DIR. William III. York, brother OF
wagon at Fort Scott. DIR. York ascertaiued
that the wagon had been purchased at the fort
from some person who came from Cherryvale,
and he resolved to ferret out the mystery. For
this purpose he left the fort on March 9, and
went in the direction of Cherryvale; but he, in
like manner. disappeared, and all after-search
for him by his brother and host of friends was
frultless, notwithstanding the fact that a large
reward was offered for any intelligence of his
fate. The search, however, for DIR. York led
to the finding of the bodies of the old M an and
child In the ravine near Drum creek, with their
Threats cut from ear to ear. Further search at
this time resulted in the discovery of a wagon
wedged in between two trees, the horses having
been unable to liberate it, and from the half
starved condition of these animals il is sup
posed that they must have been thus held for
several days The marks of bullets and blood
upon the wagon indicated that a conflict had
taken place; ard Ii was surmised that while the
owners OF the wagon were being murdered the
horses doubtless became alarmed, and m iie
their escape, finally getting fastened in the
manner described. Who these persons were,
has not yet been found out.
While making the search for DR.. York, the
house of the Blenders, a 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 missing man. The persist
ence with which these inquiries were made and
the constant advertising through the papers 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 a fort
night ago, nam riding from the prairie
noticed that no smoke to be seen issuing
from the chimney OF Bender's house; that the
doors and windows were closed and not a sign
of life was visible. This did not particularly
excite his curiosity until he noticed in the lot 4
calf which had apparently died of starv alton.
This excited his suspicion, and he gallOped over
to Cherryvaie with the news. The town soon
became excited, and it was then remembered
that William Bender had about April "a sold a
watch, some clothing, two mules and some
other property. All then became impressed
with the idea that the Bender family had, from
some good cause, taken a hasty leave of their
residence, and party went out from Cherry
| vale to make some inquiries.
On arriving at the place, the clubhouse or
| stable was first examined, and next the larger
room of the cabin. Everything was exactly as
| the Blenders had left them, and there was moth
| ing to indicate murder or foul play. Even in the
| rear room there was nothing suspicious at the
hrst glance; but on removing one of the two
beds, slight depression in the floor led to the
discovery of trap door upon hinges. Raising
| this trap, a well, about six feet deep and we
feet wide, was uncovered; and, upon 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 by
| this discovery may well be imagined, and the
clew to many of the mysterious disappearance
was thought to be near. The soft ground at
the bottom Of the well was bored with rods, but
nothing rewarded the search OF the now excited
party. There was doubt that murder had
| been committed, and that the bleeding bodies
had been thrust into this WE'LL but what al after
| ward been done with them was yet a 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
fruitless; 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 a man, face downward. was found.
| There was no coffin, and torn and dscolOred
! the remains were disinterred, for a portion of
the flesh had fallen from the lower limbs; but
when the body was laid on its back, to the
of DR.. York. Although very much swollen. the
| face was perfect enough for identification. and
| a wound at the back OF the head plainly indica-
| driven into the brain with blow from some
| weapon like hammer, and i'm the house were
found two shoemaker's hammers. The news of
| this discovery was speedily conveyed to Senator
| York, who soon visited the scene with a co.fin
I in which to deposit the remains, which he
readily identified as those of his missing brother
an INJURY 10 the knee proving the matter beyond
| a doubt.
The discovery, instead of satisfying the
searchers, only whetted their anxiety, and the
| rod was again put in requistiOn. In a short
time SIX more graves were discovered, five con-
tanning single cOrpses, and one an old man and
little girl. Some of the bodies were beyond
recognition, but others had enough OF humanity
left to admit of Identification. 1t was evident
that all had been the victims of the murderer's
Bender family had committed the butcherv
doubtless for the sake Of plumber. Further
search has since brought to light three other
graves, and OF the thirteen bodies which have
been disinterred, six have been recognized, as
follows: DR.. York, H. Longchos and child, iden-
titled by his father-in-law; w. F. MCCARTHY. a
soldier of Company d, 1850 Illinois volunteers
ID. Brown, identified by silver ring on his
finger, and John Geary of Howard county, re-
killed by blows on the back OF the head with
hammer, and the threats Of all had been cut
except that OF the little girl, who is thought to
have been thrown alive in the grave with her
father. The search Of the grounds will be con-
Quoted wit great perseverance. until it has been
satisfactorily asSertained that nothing further
can be found. People are collecting from diff
ferent parts Of the country in order to ascertain
II any OF their missing friends are among the
dead. Three men from Howard county have
been missed, and one has been found among
the murdered victims. The disappearance of a
stone mason named Jones, who left Usage Mis-
sion to go to Independence, is now supposed to
be accounted for. and the stories of ether SINH
lar disappearance are being revived for the
purpose Of racing clews which may lead to the
identification of the bodies,
The excitement on the discovery of the bodies
was so intense that the crowd which had
gathered on the premises, seeing among them
a man named BrOckman, who was supposed to
know something about the murders seized him
ana strung him up to beam until life was
nearly extinct, when they cut him down and
called upon to confess. Finding him obstnately
silent, they again hung him up by the neck un-
I'll nearly dead. when he was once more let do wn
and restored. He now appeared to have lost
mental sensation, and did not seem to under
stand what the furious crowd wanted, as they