The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-05-14
RECORD OF CRIME.
Thugs I'm Kansas-Dr. YOrk's BODY
and Eight others Discovered.
Cnrraspnpdepce "a NJ fhe World.

A
LRAvzNwoRrH, KAN, May. 9-The
horrors OF Thuggee have come to Kan
sas in and about Cherryvale, where has
just been brought to light one OF the
strangest, or rather series OF the most
singular and dreadful crimes which
have ever disgraced a civilized COM
munity. The motive which led the
perpetrators to commit them are yet
unknown, but it seems impossible that
the guilty persons shall long evade the
law. They must and will be discover
ed, for the whole moral sense OF the
community is aroused, indignation is at
It's acme, and every nerve is strained
to bring the Benders to just retribution.
1t will be remembered that in the
latter par, OF March DR.. William A.
York, q brother Of Senator A. NJ. York,
mysteriously disappeared. It was
known that on March 9 he had set out
on horseback for Fort Scott, intending
to return home, but after that date he
was never seen alive by his friends.
Search was made everywhere where he
possibly could have gone; streams and
ponds were dragged, woods searched,
and every endeavor was made to dis
cover what had become OF him. He
was traced rom Fort Scott to the neigh
borhood Of Cherryvale, but there all
trace was lost until last Tuesday, when
two OF the farmers in the vicinity who
had turned out to aid in the search
discovered the body OF q murdered man
buried in the garden OF the Benders
who, q short time since, occupied g
house about six mile above Cherryvale.
This BODY was soon Identified by Sena
tor York as being that of his brother.
The murdered man was found lying in
the grave face downwards, and denud-
ed OF everything but his shirt. He had
been hit on the head with q hammer
or some other blunt instrument, and it
is probable also that be mad been
dragged or pulled along the ground wit b
halter which was found with the
body.
The Bender family was made up OF
two men and two women, one OF the
latter being medium" and e1ertiug
great influence over the former. She
wa4, according to the description given
bv neighbors, morose, fanatical, and
violent woman, who lorded it with the
high hand over the others, and made
them do her bidding in all things. The
Hndoo Thugs are said to have had
women among their leaders, and this
Mrs. Bender, would have been one well
suited for such q position. She was,
as the neigh bors called her, "she-
devil" At varying intervals people in
that neighborhood had mysteriously
disapI cared, and every endeavor to
discover anything as to their where
abouts lad been in vain. No sooner
had the body of DR.. York been found
than it was determined TO search the
prcmises thoroughly to bring to light
what other deeds of darkness had been
dooe there The Benders had left
their house shortly after the disappear
ance OF DR.. York had excited public
attention and it was known that most
strenuous endeavors were being made
to discover what had become Of him.
They had fled in terror, not even maxi
ing provisions for or taking with them
their cattle, which were lett to starve
on the place. They let behind them
terrible evidences OF unheard-ot afro
city.
In searching the place the men en-
tered the house, but 10 traces OF any,
thing leading to suspicion of what was
soon to be found were come upon, until
one Of the party suggested that the
floor be taken up. TO act upon the
suggestion was but the work Of q mo-
meDt The loose earth beneath was
removed, when q horrible sight blasted
the eyes OF the men. A sickeniug odor
came UP 10 them, and then, with avert
ed faces, they dug and found the re-
mains Of eight persons, some OF them
in the last stages of decay. The news
spread like wiIdfire; the people were all
up in arms. and had the Benders then
been round, there is no doubt that they
would have had short shri't and long
rope. Conject is al loss to assign
any reason, cave that Of sheer brutality,
for all these murders, although doubt
less in some cases it was the desire OF
money. Yet this will by no means &C.
count for the killing OF child eighteen
months old, whose body WAS identified
by its father, Mr.. II. Lonehor. The
other bodies as yet recognized were
those of B. F. Mckenzie, identified by
his broth er-ln-law; w. F Crathy, Of
the One Hundred aud Twenty-third
Ii.uois Cavalry; and John Geary, iden-
tilted by his wife. All had been killed
by blow on the back OF the head, and
all had their throats cut except the little
girl. Preparations are being made to
plough the ground tomorrow in search
OF other bodies.
ARREST OF THE ROACH FAMILY.
KANSAS CRY, No. May 1.-THE ex-
citement al Cherry Vale over the disc
covery OF the dead bodies in the Bender
building is still at lever heat A force
of about 100 men is Oh the ground,
which is being plo1ghed over again,
but no more graves have yet been dis
covered The Roach family OF Ladore,
seven miles from the place OF the
slaughter, consisting OF an old man
and his wife and son and the latter 8
wife, have been arrested, together with
A. Stephenson, John Harness and wife,
Thomas Tyke and wife and daughter.
A. NJ. King, travelling district preach
er, hiss been arrested at Psrsops aud 8
notorious murderer, once pardoned out
of the penitentitary, named Major
Mumiord, and q woman who was with
him, we're arrested at Fort Scott. The
detectives are still out