Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-05-30
NUMBER Is.

doubtless caused alarm in the minds of the
bender family, although no one at this time
had any definite Information which traced
the dlsappearances TO their agency. About
a week ago, man riding from the prairie
noticed that no smoke was to be- seen is..uing
from the chimney of Bender's house thai
the doors and windows were closed and NOT
a sign of life visible This did not particu-
larly excite his curiosity until he noticed in
the lot a calf which had apparently died of
starvation. This excited his suspicion. and he
sgalloped over to Cherryvale with the news
The town soon became excited. and it was
then remembered that William Bender had =.
| about April 81 sold 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 n party went out
IRON Cherryvale to make some inquiries.
On arriving at the place, the Out-hcuse or
stable was first examined. and next the
larger room of The cabin. Everything was
exactly as the BenderS bad left them, and
there was nothing TO Indicate murder or foul
| play Even in the rear room there was
nothing suspicious at the first glance hut.
on removing one of the two beds, slight
depression in the floor led to the discovery
OF trap door upon hinges. Raising this
trap, well, about six feet deep and FIVE
feet wide, was uncovered and upon de
scending into 1t, the ground was found to be
saturated with thick, ioetid blood, which
stuck to the fingers Of those who had been
cropping about at the bottom Of the we'll
The horror excited by this discovery may
well be imagined, and the clue 10 many of
the mysterious disappearances was thought
tn he Tho .|.ff frr.a4rs1 1,4 D..
OF the well was bored with rods. bat nothing
rewarded the search of the now excited par-
ty. There was no doubt that murder mad
been committed, and that the bleeding
bodies had been thrust into this well but
what had attcrward been done with them
was Yet mystery. 10 was then suggested
that the garden should be examined, and all
set to work boring the ground with rods
For an hour the search was .ruitles-, but at
the end OF that time the point of a rod
| touched something. Sh0Vcl- were called
Tor, and the ground opened, when the body
OF man, lace downward was found. There
was no collin, and torn and di>colored
shirt was all that covered the body. With
care the remains We're disinterred. for a uor-
tion Of the flesh had fallen from the lower
limbs; bat when the body was laid on its
back. To the horror OF all present. it was
found to be that of DR.. York. Although
very much swollen, the face was perfect
enough for identification, and a wound in
the back of the head plainly Indicated the
cause of death.
This discovery. instead of satisfying the
searcherS, only whetted their anxiety. and
the rod was again put in rcqui>ition. In a
short time six more graves were discovered.
five containing single cJrpseS, and one an
old man and little girl Some of the
bodies were beyond recognition. but others
had enough OF humanity left % admit of
Identification. Ii was evident that all had
been the victims of the murderers' violence.
and there was no doubt bat that the Bender
family had committed the butcherv. doubt
less for the sake Of pluuder. Darkness fell
on the scene. but the search continued
and before midnight three other graves
We're discovered. At the present writing
these last have not been opened, but of the
eight bodies which have been dsinterred.
six have been recognized, a. follows Dr.
York, II. LOngch0s and child identified by
his father-in-law W F. Mccarthy. a sol
der of Company D, One Hundred and
Twenty-third Illinois Volunteers; D. Brown.
identified by silver ring on mis- finger. and
John Geary of Howard county. recognized
'by his wife. The throats of all had been
cut, except that Of the little girl.
The search of the grounds will be con-
Quoted with great perseverance, until it has
been satisfactorily ascertained that nothing
further can be found. People are collecting
from different parts Of the country in order
to ind If any of their missing friends are
among the dead Three men from Howard
county have been missed, and one has been
| found among the murdered victims The
| disappearance Ofa stone mason named Jones
who left Usage Mission to 20 to Independ-
ence. Is now supposed to be accounted for,
and the stories of other similar Disappear
anccs are being revived for the purpose of
tracing clues which may lead to the identi-
| icatiOn of the bodies. There i but little
doubt but that these outlaws have been car
rying on their work of robbery and murder
for long time, and heavy rewards are now
being offered for the capture of these mur-
dererS