The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-05-23
THE BENDERMURDERS HORRIBLE
RECITAL.

4 LIE OGNDbh M ChDEhp-d HOhhlDLE
RECTTAL.
The story of the discovery of the body
Of DR.. York and the other murdered
victims of the Bender family in Labette
county, Kan, sounds Like the tales Of
murder and robbery which, years ago,
were related round the family hearth
stone, while children hid their faces
in terror and huddled closer together
as they crept to their beds afte. the
recital.
All the surroundings are here in this
tale of reality that added interest and
fascination to those stories of child
hood. A lonely tavern on a lonely road;
strange family in charge of it; trap
door, q well beneath, and gang of
reckless murderers, men and women, to
entice the traveller, supply his supper
and bed, and while unconscious rob and
murder him.
The Bender family consisted of four
persons, all dults-Bender, his wife
and daughter, and son. They are
supposed, however, to have had accom-
plices. The daughter was Spiritual
list and professed to be healing me-
mium., See advertised herself as such
in the neighboring papers, and doubt
less number were attracted to the
spot by this means who never left it
alive.
Persons coming from distance to
visit the daughter kept the matter quiet
through fear of ridicule; and this ex-
plains the fact that, though people have
been mysteriously disappearing in their
neighborhood for some time, no sus-
picions were excited until the sudden
and altogether unaccountable loss of
DR.. York. On the 9th of March DIR.
York (brother of Senator York, who
gained SO wide a notoriety through his
connection with the Pomeroy case) left
Fort Scott for his home in Indepen-
dence, Kan. He was mounted on a
valuable horse, and had large sum of
money with him. Tho time passed for
his arrival home, but he did not come.
As his absence grew prolonged, fears
were excited for his safety. His brother
left for Fort Scott to inquire for him,
and learned that he. had departed from
there at the date above stated. Secur-
ing assistance, Col. York proceeded to
trace the missing man. He was followed
as far as Cherryvale, a small town on
the Leavenworth and Kansas railway,
about two miles from the home of the
Bender family. There all traces Of him
we're lost. Inquiries were made of the
family, but they stated that no person
answering the description had been seen
by them. Suspicion had not yet set
tied upon them, and perhaps would not
had it not been for their own conduct.
1t is supposed that they became alarmed
at the urgency with which the search
was prosecuted, for they suddenly dis
appeared. The premises were shortly
after examined, but for some time no
discoveries were made. At last trap
door was found in a gloomy room, and,
lifting this, some of the party descended
into sort of well beneath, the bottom
of which was thick with clotted blood.
Horror stricken, the men prosecuted
their search with renewed energy, and
at last in the garden in the scar of the
house discovered the body of the miss
ing DR.. York. It was divested Of
clothing and buried face downward in a
grave or hole about two feet deep. An
examination showed that the skull had
been fractured with heavy weapon,
presumed now to have heen q hammer,
two of which were found in the house.
A further search revealed more graves,
and at latest accounts eight other bodies
had been discovered, one of them that
of little girl who had been murdered
with her father. ..-,-,
The excitement consequent on the
unearthing of this wholesale slaughter
is intense, and, as usual in such cases,
injustice is liable to be done to innocent
parties. Inter Ocean.