The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-06-09
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Che 8utlaaa Daily 6lobe.
MONDAY, JUNE 0, 1873.
A Charleston Parallel TO the BENDER
ri

Butcberics.
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 of
Charleston 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 transp ortation,
and in consequence there were many little
wayside inns scattered along the public
highways, some adjacent to the cities, and
others more remote. Such an inn was kept
few miles from Charleston. Being near
the city, it was quite common for travellers,
going or returning, to stop for rest or re-
freshmcnts. 1t was kept by two people, a
man and his wife, who were accounted to
be honest and withal very prosperous per-
sons. Their hostelry was convenient to the
travelling public, and therefore popular.
Occasionally traveller would suddenly
disappear in very mysterious and unac-
countable manner; but no suspicious at
tached to the hospitable inn-keeper and his
wife. Matters went on thus for a time, the
mysterious disappearance meanwhile be-
coming more and more frequent. Fathers,
sons and brothers going to or from Charles
ton would suddenly be missing, and no pos
sible clew to their whereabouts could be
obtained. Public excitement, as may be
supposed, was wrought up to the highest
pitch, until finally there came sudden and
horrible solution to the mystery. One night
so tradition saith-a belated traveller, on
his way to Charleston, stopped at the inn.
Sitting at the fire, in the bar, slipping his
toddy, it suddenly occurred to him that the
actions of his host and hostess were some
what peculiar. The fate of other travellers
in that section probably made his sense of
danger more than usually acute, and he re-
solved to be sharply on the alert. He was
shown to his room by his obliging host, and
when the steps of the latter died away on
the stair, he made careful inspection of
the surroundings. He discovered, among
other things, that the bed upon which he
was expected to sleep was ingeniousy fitted
in slides, so that it could be lowered with
case to the groundhoor beneath. Other
circumstances convincing him that he was
in trap of some kind, he blew out his
light and patiently awaited Developments.
little afler midnight he heard stealthy
steps on the stairs, and he Immediately put
himself in position to defend himself. The
steps drew nearer and nearer, and finally
the door, which guiltless of either lock or
latch, was cautiously opened and the hos
pitable host stepped in. The traveller felled
him with chair and made his escape to the
city, closely pursued by both man and wife,
who followed him nearly 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 inves-
tigation that followed revealed pit below
the room in which the traveller was to have
rested. In this pit were found the remains
of all who had so mysteriously disappeared
The spectacle was most CHASTITY one, and
the revelation of such atrocity created, in
that primitive day, much more intense
thrill of horror all through the country than
the Bender butcheries, and justice was
swift in overtaking the murderer and his
accCmplice.- Charleston Neacs and Courier.