The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-09-01
PLANTED.

an Die Story of the Fate of the Bender
Family Told In a Netv Fashion.
You wouldn't have believed that such
rough-looking old chap could read at
all, but after the train left St. 10
he pulled q st. Louis paper from his
pocket, settled back in his seat, and for
half an hour he was busy with the news
All of a sudden he threw the paper down
uttering a wicked oath, and, reaching for
ward, he touched a fellow passenger on
the shoulS9eer and blurted out:
"They are fools, sir, cussed foolsl"
"Who?' asked the astonished traveller.
"Why, them newspaper men! Blast
their eyes! Can't they take hint without
a kick?"
"What do you mean?'
He picked up the paper and pointed
out a paragraph, which read that old
Bender, the Kansas murderer, had been
seen in Maryland, and then growled out
"I'll give $4,000 to any man who ever
gets eyes on old Bender, or any O. the
rest O. that family"
"NVhat do you know about the
Benders?" asked the traveller, greatly
interested all at once.
The old man cfEsa, led, as if greatly
pleased, but after a moment hisfaaESsas
grew serious and stern. Leaning over to-
get closer to the traveller, he whispered:
~ knew every one O the devils, from
the old man down! God never made a
wuss lot! I lived up in Kansas within
twenty miles o their private burying
ground!'
You did?o -
"Idid, and I've eaten more one dinner
in the room where they used to shoot
their victims from behind a curtain
Sometimes when I sit to thinking of the
sitting at the table in that little room,
and old Bender behind the curtain, not
twelve feet away, ready to put a bullet
through my head, why, sir, she cold
chills 90 over me till it's like having a
snake OF the ager!
sBut he spared you2"
$50 he did, and / could never guess
Why, 'cept that there are five brothers of
ds; and he might have argued that the
other boys would make a sharp hunt if /
was missing. Travellers who didn't wear
any better clothes nor I do. and who
didn't seem to carry any more money,
halted at the Devils hotel for dinner, and
were murdeaad, robbed, and put under
ground in lesa'n an hour!"
"Was there nothing suspicious about
the house u lf-nothing in the looks or
actions Of the family to put the traveller
on bis guardf" asked the passenger.
sYes, there was, and then agin' there
wasn't. 1T was q lone house, with no
n%eighbors to spy and meddle; but 1t was
a handy place TOR one TO stop andget din
ner. ! reckon that q hungry man, riding
2 tired horse, don't be suspecting as much
as q detective would. Old Bender wasn't
purity, but he'd pass muster as we'll . }
thousand others out this way"
The only mean thing about him was the
way he got around, He didn't pick nm
his feet like a man, but sort O. slid here
and there like a cat. He didn't look ve
in the lace if no could git rid of it, but
looked over beyond ye. Still, I've seen
honest men do the same way
And the others?'
well, less see. There waa the old man.
then there was an old she-dey1l around
there who was allus knitting stockings
and singing religious songs. She was
NIFTY years old or more, and was probably
his wife. Then there wasa woman about
thirty years old called Kate. she wasn't
COED looking nor bad looking, and NOBODY
Could have told what a bloody leart
she had. The papers said she was Berder,s
daughter, but I don't believe it. The
papers hadn't as many ways Of finding ont
as ! had. Some o. them never men.
toned the old woman at all, and yet she
was right there all the time. Then there
was 2 Of two chaps hanging around
there most o. time. One O. them passed
for Hates husband, but | don't believe
they were ever married. I think the na;r
ad laid IL with the old to open the
tavern, help do the running Of it and the
numbering, and take half the profits.
They we're q reg'lar gang o horsethievea,
robbers. and nanrderers, and nobody will
ever know what relation they were Ia
each other