Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-05-14
FIRST EDITION.
THE KANSAS MURDERS.

THE aREATEsT HORROR OF THE DAY-oRIME UPON
cRImE-A wAYsIDE SLAUGHTER HOUSE.
A Kansas City letter to the New York Times
gives the details OF the frightful crimes unearth-
cd near Cherryvale, in Kansas. Two miles from
that place, out on the prairie there is one
story frame house, which has been kept as
way-side tavern by "a family named Bender-two
men and two women, an ill-favored set, whose
character was considered bad. One of the wo-
men called herself Kate Bender, red-faced
homely person, who professed to have a power
to cure all diseases, although her general repu-
tation was that she had more of the devil in her
composition than any saving qualities. 1t was
generally believed that she terrorized over all
the other portion of the family, and few ever
cared to be associated with her. The following
circular shows that she pretended to cure what
have heretoforebee considered as incurable dis
eases:
IL of disease; can cure Blindness Fits Deafness
aud all such disease, also Deaf and Dumbness
Residence, fourteen miles east IndePendence, on
and half miles southeast OF Morehead station.
June Is, 1879. kATE BENDER,
Recently, number of persons have strangely
disappeared in the vicinity, among them a
Doctor York, brother of the State Senator York
who figured in the Pomeroy affair, and great
inquiry being aroured. the Blenders disappeared
from their house. After some days, persons
passing DY IL discovered tnlB, anu the promises
were carefully searched. The letter says
On arriving at the plste, the out+izDuse or sta
BILE was first examined, and next the larger
room Of the cabin. Everything was exactly as
tho Benders had left them, and there was moth
ing to indicate murder or foul play. Even in
the room there was nothing suspicious at
the first glance but on removing one OF the
two beds, slight depression on the floor led to
the discovery Of trap-door upon hinges. Rails
ing this trap, q we'll, about six feet deep and five
feet vida Wua unCOyarpd . ami daaCandnO
into it, the ground was found to be saturated
with thick, f9ted blood which stuck 10 the fin
gers Of those who had been cropping about at
the bottom of the we'll. The horror excited by
this discovery may we'll be imagined and the
clue to many of the mysterious disappaarances
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 doubt that murder had
been committed, and that the bleeding bodies
had been thurst into this well; but what had
Afterward been done with them was as yet
mystery. 1t was then suggested that the gar
boring the ground with rods For an hour
tine search was fruitesa but at the end of that
time the point touched something. Shovels
were called for, and the ground opened, when
the body of man. face downward was found.
There was no coffin and torn and discolored
shirt was all that covered the body. With
care the remains were disinterred,
for portion Of the flesh had fallen from
the lower u1n0a but when the body was lalQ on
its back, to the horror of all presentit found
to be that Of DR.. York Although very much
swollen, the face was perfect enough for iden-
tification, and wound at the back OF the head
plainly indicated the cause of death. The skull
had been driven into the brain with q blow from
some weapon like hammer, and in 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 coffin in which to deposit the remains, which
ha FaAlily identified thOHA 0f hia miaainU
BROTHER an Injury to the knee proving the mat
ter beyond doubt.
This discovery instead of satisfying the
searchers, only whetted their anxiety and the
rod again put In requisition. In a short
time six more graves were discovered, five con-
tanning single corpses, and one an old man and
q little girl. Some of the bodies were beyond
recognition, but others had enough humanity
left to admit of identification. 1t was. evident
that all had boon the victims of the murderers'
violence, and there WAS no doubt but that the
Bender family had committed the butchery,
doubtless for the sake of the plunder. Darkness
fell on the scene, but the search continued and
before midnight three other graves discov-
cred. At the present writing these last have
not been opened, but OF the eight bodies which
have been disinterred, six have beenrecognized.
The search of the grounds will be conducted
with great perseverance, until it has been satis-
factorily ascertained that nothing further can be
found. People are collecting from different
parts of the country in order to ascertain il any
OF tnelr missing trlenub are among tue ueau.
Three men from Howard County have been
missed, and one has ebeen found among the
murdered victims. The disappearance Of a stone
mason named Jones, who left Usage Mission to
go to Independence, is now supposed to be ac-
counted for, and the stories of ether similar
disappearances are being revived for the purpose
of, tracing clues which may lead to the identif-
cation Of the bodies. There is but little doubt
but that these outlaws have been carrying on
their work Of robbery and murder for long
time. and hAAVV rAWArdH being offered
for. the capture OF the murderers.