Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-05-18

Some four years ago a very Golgotha was
unearthed in Kansas prairie. In that
thinly Inhabited region there are no hotels,
and the solitary horseman pulled lis rein
as night came on and stopped at the first
farm house be could reach. Many persons
we're "lost" on the trail from Fort Scott to
Independence, but emigrants 20 on toward
the setting sun without being expected to
come back, and strangers who disappear
behind the last dip in the horizon are no
more thought Of People mourned some
where, but there was no trace Of them, and
no organi zed search TO find the place of
their disappearance. Finally, one Dr.
York, a well known physician of indie
pendence, and brother of the State Senator,
associated with the defeat of Senator Pom
eroy, rode ont alone from Fort Scott toward
his home and was "loSt.' His brother,
man of great energy and familiar with from
tier life, organic party and started on
the trail of the missing man. Enquiries
we're N ade along the route, and at a lonely
white house III dip of the prairie the in
mates, German family named Bender,
appeared somewhat disconnected, although
they protested that they had seen no such
man. The party went on, but the traces
ended at the house just before the Blenders,
and they returned there. Bat night had
interviewed; the house was empty and the
family gone, the trail of their departure be-
ing d designated by peculiar mark on a
wheel of the wagon in the soft earth of the
prairie. The house was searched and a
stick which was thrust into the soft earth
of the cellar revealed newly dug grave.
Bodies were dug out of the cellar; the gar
den was prodded and more were found
there, and the whole truth Of the dreadful
place was revealed. The ready Western
pop ulace armed and mounted and started
in pursuit, to which the wagon wheel
gave a perfect trail leading toward the In
dian Territory. They returned without
the murderers, who consisted OF an old
man aud woman and a son and daughter,
just of age. Since that time the Blenders
have been the tnuS Jutui of the Western
country, as Charlie Ross of the East. Par
ties have been arrested in Texas, in the
pine woods OF Oregon, in Mexico and Mis-
souri,, and transported hither and thiIber TO
be identified" which always resulted in
showing that they were not the Blenders.
This time, after journcyings which must
have discouraged the Wandering Jew, they
have been arrested in Arkansas, but We
arc raid they will prove as illusory as the
others. A small party of rapid horsemen
outstripped the others in the pursuit of the
Blenders sfer the murders were discover
ed, and after crossing the line into the In
dian Territory returned with the news that
the trail was lost. From the fact that it
was almost impossible TO lose such trail,
and that the intensity OF feeling among the
| party would have led them to New Mexico
before abandoning the pursuit, and sever
al other things, there has grown up the be-
| lief in the immediate vicinity of the home
of the Blenders, that they were "lost' in
| the usual Western eUphemism for being
| lynched, and that The buZzards had feast
at about that time on the green prairie of
the VerdigrIs. The fact that there were
women in the family might have led the
| lynchers to the usual course Of silence
about their exploit. At any rate such is
the suspicion in southern Kansas. 1t is
not our belief that the Bender family will
ever be found alivc.-PrOpidence Journal