The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-08-19
THE ARREST.

stopped at house, and soon after thei
arrivals made inquiries as to whethel
any thing had yet been discovered of the
Bender family, who formerly lived il
Kansas. Their talk and actions excited
suspicion, which was further strength
ened by their answers to questions askec
them. They appeared excited, and tolo
conflicting stories as to who they were
and where they came from; said they
had lived five or six years among the In
dians; that they Lad been up in the
Niebrara country, and that they were
not the Benders. Sheriff Gregg was
called. He started on their track. Al
Schuyler he caught up with them. He
passed them two or three times, ano
finally turned around and met them with
q drawn revolver. He said to the NO
man, "Hello, Kate" and she was consid
erably startled, and replied II am moi
Kate Bender. The old man didn't ofel
any resistance, and the officer had no diff
ficulty in landing him and his wife in
the Fremont Jail. In Jail the couple
had conversation, which was overheard
The old man, who is apparently over &C
years Of age, said to her: II knew if we
came to Kansas that they would hang US
before we would be there two hours. We
would not stand a ghost of show. If !
have to die, I want to die with you and
be buried with you. am going crazy
I know have to die. I want that razor
in here before I start fog Kansas u
"They would not let you have it. They
are afraid of losing their reward" she
said. He continued: II know you'll
give me away, but you cannot save your.
self. Oh! my first wife. She was a
good woman. You don't care for sme.
You mustn't think you can escape by Civ
ing me away. Don't you cry" The
couple we're finally separated and
charged with being the original Blenders.
They denied it. The old man said his
name was McGregor; that he was taken
sick and stopped at the house of the
Blenders for seven weeks, and that his
wife was with him. He said he knew OF
various murders being committed, and
that he did not dare to say anything for
fear of his life. The old woman told a
terrible story. She said the money OF
the persons murdered was always divided
among the Benders. ~ think my hus-
band never got any of it. The garden
was full of graves and the cellar full of
dead bodies. DR.. York's brother was
murdered while I was there. He was q
single man, think about IS years old.
The dining room Of the house was the
room which the sliding trap was under.
A person would sit down at the table to
eat, and the slides were moved and the
person would fall into deep cellar. l
don't know how deep the cellar was.
They would kill anybody then who would
come to the house, rich or poor, for fear
they might inform on them. They
killed some persons that had no money
at ALL"
NO DOUBT OF THE PRISONERS IDEN.
TITY.
For o day or two it was doubtful
whether the man was really old Bender.
There does not seem to be any doubt of
it now. A man who lived near him at
Cherryvale called at the Jail. His name
is Hoofan, and he identified the prisoner
as old John Bender.
"Did you ever see this face before 2"
Hooaan asked. eyes," replied the old
man, II know you, but I can't place
you.'' "Don't you know the man who
used to herd near your place in Kansas?"
Mr.. Hoofan inquired. The old man be-
came excited. "My God, yes" he an.
swered; chow did you come here?'
And so the old man was led on to tell
of the crimes which had been committed.
On being told that he would have to 60
to Kansas, he swore that he would not
90. He said that he would not 60 any.
where else, and would kill himself before
he would 60 there. HooAan showed him
a plan of the house and surroundings,
which he acknowledged was correct.
Hoohau then went and saw the woman.
She began laughing when she saw him.
When asked if she knew him she an
swered, eyes, do know him. How do
you do, Mr.. Euffan ?" The name she
was wont to use. I never expected to
see you any more. I don't want to talk
to you here. We are captured at last
and they will hang US. You know that
that's John Bender. There's no use de-
nying that any longer. I'm going to tell
the truth. If that don't save.me from
being hung, I'll have to hang, too. ]
ought to have told the truth from the
start. L told him that we would be
caught if wc came back this way on the
main road. We were going back East
We had hard time among the Indians
very seldom saw white person." Sheriff
Gregg says that the true Bender is in
custody. As to the woman he is doubt.
full. He thinks she is not the original
Mrs. Bender, but that Mrs. Bender was
killed, and that this woman is Bender's
mistress. Sheriff Gregg is now engaged
in hunting up young Bender and bis
wife. They have been seen recently, aud
officers are on their track. The excite
ment is intense.
Mrs. Bender ConfesseS.
Fremont Dispatch IN Chicago Tribune, dug. 2
Further startling developments were
made in the Bender matter to-day. Mrs
Bender, or Mrs. McGregor, made a full
and complete confession of the whole
matter, even to the minutest details re.
garding the butcheries perpetrated or
the John Bender farm during 1872 ano
1873. She denies having had any per
sonal hand in the matter, but says Kate
old Johns daughter, was the leader o1
all the deviltry. She went over her
entire history from the time she became
Mrs. Alexander McGregor. She was q
widow at the time she married McGregor
alias Bender, who was widower with
four children, two of whom were Kate
and John, Jr. They migrated from Mis-:
souri, to Labette County, Kansas, and
became John Bender and family. Being
asked if she would be called Mrs. Nc.
Gregor or Mrs. Bender, she replied
"The latter will do if you be satisfied, as
you be here to see Mrs. Bender" "Were
you married to Bender in Kansas 2" 81
was q widow, and he married me al
Springfield, Ill.,, at the close of the war
can't remember what year, but Squire
Sedar tied the knot. His name wat
Al,rnplor NfcE Eroror md ho had folll