Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-05-20

concerned in the Cherryvale murders. a let
ter from Kansas City, dated May s. gives the
following horrible d, tails of the crimes charged
against the prisoners. The discoveries have,
OF course, caused the most Intense excitement
in the State. The letter says: 4.
The accidental discovery of a vacated house
in the vicinity of Cherryvale, Kapsas, has led
to search, which has finally resulted in the
disclosure of series of the most horrible
crimes on record, it being clearly evinced
that wholesale system of robbery and mur>s
der has been going on within short distance
of that town forsome time-a system OF Blood
shed and plumber almost unequalled except in
the extravaganza stories of sensational novels.
tits well known in this vicinity that during
the past year number of persons have dis
appeared in a very remarkable manner, aud
all traces of many of them have been lost, in
theivicinity of herryvale. The cause of their
disappearance could not be definitely ascer-!
tanned, and the inquiries of friends were
always fruitless. In many cases the search
for the missing ones has been moAt thorough,
especially in the case of DIR. York, q WE'LL
known citizen "a and this is supposed now to be
the cause of the flight of those suspected of
the murders. 1t was the sudden vacation Of
property which led to the search that has re-
suited in this terrible discovery.
For some time past family, consisting of
two men aud two women, of the name or
Bender, occupied a onc-story frame house, of
rather cabin, Ia feet by 20-on the south side
of the Usage Mission rnad, about two miles or
less from the town of Cherryvale, in I.abette
county, arshort distance from the south line of
the State, and on the direct line of the Leav-
enworth, Lawrence and Galveston railroad.
The house is on the open PRAIRIE and not at
cd h1yf ,har no l.
this house as kind Of wayside tavern, and
closer to the road is building that was used
as stable. The main building was divided
into two rooms, the front and larger room
being used for the purpose of serving the
meals, and the rear room as slheping 'apart-.
ment, in which there were two beds aud some
few articles of additional furniture. Attached
to the house in the rear is garden, and the
land on which the pronerty is located is about
two acres in extent. The Blenders were not
visited By the neighbors to any great extent.
as they did not bear good reputation esne>.
eialiy one of the women, supposed to lie jos
hanna Bender, but better known by the name
of Katie Bender, who is described as a reds
faced, unprepossessingy young woman.
The other woman is described as being
about forty>two years old, with iron. gray hair,
ragged at the ends and thin over the temples,
hard and sinster>looking. steel gray eyes. tall
angular form, and repulsive features. The
two men were brothers, and bore the names
of William and Thomas Bender. Katie was
reputed to be the wife of Thomas, while the
other woman was supposed TO bear The same
relationship to William, the elder brother
Both brothers said to be bad characters,
and the neighbors kept them at distance.
The first disappearance that attracted pub
hot of oil
granddaughter, who left Cherryvale, about
three months ago, in n two-h horse wagon. to
go to Fort Scott, but who never reached that
place. All inquiries failed to elicit clue to
the cause of their disappearance, until about
the beginning of March, Dr. VIM. IT. York,
brother of Senator Z ork, of this State recog-
nlZed the team and wagon at Fort Scott. Dr.
York ascertained that the wagon. Sc, had
been purchased at tho 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 Cherryvnle; but he, in like
manner, disappeared, and all after>search for
him BY his brother and host of friends was
irultless, notwithstanding the fact that large
reward was offered for any intelligence of his
fate. The search, however, for DR.. York led
to the finding Of the bodies of Che old man
with their throats cut from ear to ear. Further
search at this time resulted in tho discovery
of a wagon wedgcd in between two trees, the
horses having been unable to liberate it, and
from the halt-starved Condition of these ANS
mas, it is supposed they must have been thus
held for several days. The marks of hnllets
and blood upon the wagon indicated that a
conflict had taken place and it was surniised
that 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 per-
sons were has not yet been found out
While making the search for Dr. York, the
house of the Blenders was visited by several
parties, but to all the answer was returned
that No one had seen the missing man. Tho
persistence with which these inquiries were
made, and the constant advertising through
the papers of this State of the strange disap-
pearance of DR.. York, doubtless caused some
alarm in the minds of the Bender family al
though no one Mt this time had any definite
information which traced the disappcarances
to their agency. About a week ago a man
riding from the prairie noticed that no smoke
was to be seen issuing from thu chimney of
lenders house, that the doors ana windows
we're closed, and not sign of lifo was visible.
This did not particularly excite his Curiosity
until he noticed in the lot a calf which had
apparently died of starvation. This excited
his suspicion, and he gaIloped over to Cherry
vale with the news. Tho town soon bccamo
excited, and it then remembered that
William Bender had, about April "a, sold a
watch, some clothing, two mules, and some
other property. All became impressed with
the idea that the Bender family had from
some good cause, taken hasty leave Of their
residence. This looked suspicious, and a
party went cut from Cherryva!e 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