The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-24
The Fate OF the Benders-a Narra-
tive By One Of the Hen who Lynch
cd tLem-Sh0t 10 Death.
FROM the Chicago Times.


-Erom the C-,ieaz5 T.me=.l
The Blenders might have continued
their bloody work in peace and prosperity
f-r an indefinite length of time had they
continued planting their victims in the
garden Bnt previous to the killing Of Dr.
York they had murdered 4 man named
Jones. II February a man named ConIlin
in company with another farmer, while
riding along Drum Greek, saw the dead .
body Of man caught in some drift wood. F.
I. proved to be the body Of Jones. He
had his skull smashed in with hammer
and his throat cut from ear TO err. Tie
body had no clothing upon it save shirt. .
Some ten or dozen farmers met quietly
on the banks Of Drum Creek, and after
viewing the body Of Jones held council
At this meeting the Banders were spoken +
of suspiciouslv, and It was determined to
keep the discovery of the body quiet until
future Developments. The next day
man who was evidently tramp and had
footed it from Independence on his way to
FoEl Scott, stopped at Du.roi.'s house and
asked for something 70 eat. In conversa.
tion with this man, Dutroit learned that
late the previous evening the tramp had,
while looking around for place to pass
the night, come across . small hay stack
back Of the Benderz' house. into which he
quietly nestIy himself It must have been
midnight when he was wakened by voices.
and quietly looking out from his nest he
saw the dim outline Of three persons, evil
IDENTIFY at work digging, at short distance
from him. 1t was so darI, that he could
not distinguish them, but he could hear
them speak in Gsrman, 4 language he did
not understand. His first impulse was to
go out TO them. But something seemed to
withhold him, and after time they finish
ed whatever work they were at and with
drew into the house. The tramp departed
early in the morning and had tramped on
until he had stopped at Dutrolt's for break
fast He concluded his tale by remarking
that it looked mighty like as if they were
burying some one" Mr.. Dutroit said
nothing at the time, but when the party of
twelve met by appointment on Drum
| Creek, he related the circumstances to
them, and it was determined to give the
Bender mansion quiet investigation. 4
wagon track was discovered leading to the
! Bender place from where Jones's body had
| been thrown into the creek. The party
| struck out on the wagon trail, and at about
sunset it brought them within view of the
tavern. It was then determined to forego
proceedings until the morrow, when in the
morning the entire party would meet on
| Drum creek we'll armed, and ride over to
the Bender place.
On the morrow, at about o'clock, the
party assembled on the creek and immedi-
ately proceeded over the prairies 10 the
suspected house. But when they arrived
there they found the Bender ranch desert
! ed The Benders had noticed the squad of
horsemen riding upon the wagon-t trail the
previous evening, and during the night had
bundled up their effects and departed. The
Benders at this time had four horses, a
COW, and wagon load of household truck.
While the scouting party were canvass
ing the new state of affairs, Mr. Dutroit
and others went in search Of the spot indi-
Gated oy the tramp. They searched around
for some time in vain, as the ground had
been recently plowed over, but at last
struck spot that appeared mOister than
the rest, as though the ground beneath it
had recently been turned up. No shovel
being found, three of the party set 10 work
with shingles torn from the roof of the
house, and after digging a hole four feet
deep, one Of them, with shout, reached
down his hand and pulled up the skirt ofa
mans undergarment and beneath could be
seen an exposed portion of a human body.
| = bo CT w 1Cb
at the time the explorers did not know it
The track Of the Bender wagon could be
seen leading to the southwest. The horse
men followed it at full speed. Just before
sunset the pursuers came in sight of the
7 fugitives They had evidently urged theil
teams on with all speed possible, as they
were good forty-ilve miles from their
tavern, and their animals appeared vel
t used up. There was no COW with the out
Fit, nor had the Bender's COW been seen ol
heard of from that day TO this. As tht
! persuit came in sight Of their game theJ
: gave yell, and charged down upon them
: The moment the Benders caught sight 0
+ their pursuers, the greatest Consideration
:. appeared TO seize upon them. John Ben
der, who was walking by the side OF tn
wagon, ran forward to the lead team, z
e though to unhitch them, but was evidenl
n re called by the old man, who handed hin
!, ont an old fashioned smooth bore Xaege
= rifle With this weapon he fired a harm
Il less shot at the advancing horsemeD, an
q then drew navy revolver and reached hi
Q hand into the wagon for another Befor
: he had time TO draw it forth, however,
shot from one of the farmers laid him ou
: lifeless on the prairie, the ball entering h
r left breast and piercing the heart.
ID -
% and, striking down the cover, yelled at hi
:. horses in German and iourished a revolve
i over his head. The pursuers wished t
lie capture them alive, if possible, but did nc
ar like to approach too close to the old man
ir revolver. AS they were going down TO
. in the prairie one Of their lead horses fel
)" and Kate, springing off the wagon, went
Is the fallen animal as If to get it mp. Br
d, instead OF raising the fallen beast, she CT
j. loose It's mate, and, mounting it, was ell
deavoring to make her escape Oh its bacl
:, At this the old man seemed crazed wit
u anger and fired his revolver at her. !
- did not hit her, however, but the hor
- springing forward caught a leg III Il
y, breeching ofits fallen mate, and went dow
y with Kate under him. The old man ha
= ing emptied his revolver, the pursue
~ closed in on him and beat him down wi
W W their gun barrels, though he and his wi
~ fought like tigers to the last. After ths
o. . had tried Bender and his wife they got Il
- =, girl out from under the horse and four
'n that she had leg broken in the ia
u Dutroit said Kate acted like very dew
~ - She cursed them, cursed her father al
ne mother, and seemed red hot vial ofwrat
II II The party moved over to run" al
% camped for the night. Old Bender refus
1t to say word in English, but both he al
his wife cursed their captors in Germa
Kate Bender seemed to think their capto
knew everything, and while she would Il
answer questions, she made no concealme
Of the hellish work that had been carri
is on at the tavern, and asserted frequent
it. that they had killed over 100 persons. S
,,a said she had done most of the throat CT
- TIM, hnrcnlf. thnf Inhn ,raS q frni hnt