The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-05-24

nFeu tuo hoou SHO mktte08, ana many
judge that the infant had been buried
alive; The others were Z. G.. Brown,
w. F. McCrotty. n. F. Mckenzie, Peter
Boylsand some unrecoguiasd.
Although for tie past three years this
section has been infested with horse
thieves and murderers; and this known
to every one about the country, il is
probable the same state of affairs might
have continued for an indefinite period
had not the murder of Dir. York, q man
OF family, friends and reputation, led to
the exposure. Men have been missed
and bodies found of murdered men for
three years past, aud ."vigilance commit
tees" have hunted and driven some men
from the country; but it would now
seem as though the leaders olthe s'regu-
lators" were themselves the villains, and
honest men had been falsely and ioully
suspected and driven from sheir homes.
And even the band Of seventy-five armed
and honest men who, secured the coun.
try in search OF Dt. York, when II wes
learned he was missing. seem to have
had very little Judgment. or discretion.
On the 2Sth OF March last. Colonel York
and Mr.. johnson visited the Bender
house. to which place they had tracked
DR.. York, and endeavored TO coax some
information from them, hut they would
tell nothing. On the Sd OF April, this
armed band visited the house with the
sole object Of finding tho 4hurderers OF
Or. York. Jet they d;d %-So:;ss :t7
bullet holes in the housa Sn0 allowed
themselves to be fooled BY AN Assumed
stupidity which was the disgnisa Of most
hellish cunning. The old bag sat mum
and gloomy. pretending she could not
understand or speak English; old Ben
der said nothing; Kate, she of the evil
aye, denied all knowledge ,of the lost,
and the younger male villain fooled
them with 6 weii zz..aa1=:r =.cs,! He
said that, at about the time they said
Dr.. York was missed. he {Bsnder) had
been shot at In lonesome place near
Drum Creek one evening. and il must
have been by those who killed the doctor.
He described the place minuteIy and
thon took them to it, and it was fouud
as he said, and they believed his esory
and returned with him. Colonel York
repeated the story given above, OF sup
per, OF pistols and knives offered to the
lone woman, when the old bag soon
found her sense of the English language
improved. She understood ali that had
been said and few into violent passion
She denied the story OF tho supper, but
said that that was bad and wicked wo.
man, whom she would kill il ever she came
near them again; that the woman was q
wit and had bewitched Kate's coffee,
and then she ordered the whole band
away. While going and coming from
the creek, John told Colonel York that
his sister Kate could do anyting-that
she could control the devil, and chat the
devil did her bidding. When they re-.
turned to the house.. Colonel York; trisd
to induce this wonderful mistress of The
devil to reveal where the body os his
brother was. She positively and persia-
tently refused her, satanic aid at :3hia
time, giving as reason therefor that abe
could not do sd in the day time. and
while there were SO many men and SO
much noise about. 80 y
The pretended sorceress and real fiend
then told Colonel York privately that il
he would come the next night, Fridsy-
when hest she worked her ~spells-and
bring only one Daa With him, che would
take him to the grave of his murdered
brother. Had the colonel been so fool.
ish as to believe the mysterious power OF
this creature, there is no doubt she
would have proved her promises eoo3.
The whole band then left the house.
They visited the houses of Roach and
Smith and Harnass. at Ladore, and
made many threats and accomplished ed
nothing: Their intent was good, but
they lacked an experienced detective TO.
leader. SO strong was their oonvio-
ton, however, OF the guilt Of the Reaches
and the Benders that they would have
hung them then if it had not been for
the persuasion of Colonel York and q
few others, who were determined that
none but the known guilty should suffer.
or course, this visit alarmed the Ben.
ders, and they fed
No doubt is entertained that the Ben.
ders have not been alone in their damn.
able villainy. They must have had
coniederates to dispose of the stock and
clothes OF the murdered men, and suspi.
cion has readily pointed to number of
men, living throughout that section, in
diherent directions. Twelve persons in
oil have been arrested on suspicion.
Such horrid feelings as I experience
no one can imagine. feel despondent.
US though aomething awful was going to
L.