Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1880-08-14
The Crime orthe Dendcrs.
MRS. BENDER CoNFESSEs--rELLlNG HoN
THE CRIME WAS CoMMTrTED, ETC.

THE CRIME WAS COMMITTED, ETC.
a Fremont (Neb.) dispatch to the
Chicago Tribune says further startling
developements were made in the Ben
der matter Monday. Mrs. Bender, or
Mrs. McGregor, made full and com
plete confession of the whole matter,
even to the minutest details, regarding
the butcheries perpetrated on the john
Bender farm during 1872 and 1878
She deneis having had any personal
hand in the matter, but says Kate, old
Johns daughter, was the leader OF all
the deviltry. She went over her entire
history from the time she became Mrs.
Alexander McGregor. Sho was Wild
ow at the time she married McGreeor,
alias Bender, who was q widower with
four children, two of whom were Kate
and John, Jr. They migrated from
Missouri to Labette county, Kansas, and
became John Bender and family. Be
ing asked if she would be called Mrs.
McGregor or Mrs. Bender, she replied:
"The latter will do if you be satisfied,
as YOU are here TO see Mrs. Bender"
"Were Won married to Bender in Kan
sas?" | was a widow, and he married me
at Springfield; Ill, at the close of the
war. cant remember what year, but
Squire Sedar tied the knot. His name
then was Alexander McGregor, and he
had four children, John aud Kate being
of the number, but two of the boys had
run off. He was poor cuss, but We
lived about several years and then were
sent by the county to Dunklin county,
in southwest Missouri, where sister
lived. All this is true.
"You went by the namo Of Metre
gor?' 1--WE did to the name until the
ole man went TO Kansas aud took mp 4
homestead in Labette county, | believe,
when he changed it 10 John Bender,
and, arter about year, John and Kate
came along, and then the devil began
to be played. "What do you mean by
that" well, there was stealth {.
,hievin' and KILN, and oil that.
'"Who was the first person killed by the
family?" "IIe was sick man named
Brown. He came along one afternoon.
The house was a good sized one, and
on n sign was Groceries outside the
door, and seein' this he stopped. We
took him in, and the second night we
got him up to eat supper, and while
seated at the table John Bender let him
into the cellar, where Kate or John
killed him, and the next day they bur
led him in the garden.
"How long after this before any one
else was killed." 81 don't quite re-
member, but not long. Two were
killed, and one Of them, whose name
l believe was something like McGurthy
or McGralh, had a good deal OF money,
at least John told me So"
"Do You remember about whole
family being killed." eyes, | do.
There was man and wife and two lit
tic girls. They drove up in covered
spring wagon and wanted to stay all
night. Kate Bender said they could
stay. 1t was about two o'clock in the
afternoon, and while at supper that night
they were dropped through the hole.
Kate aud the old man were below, aud
the man fought pretty hard, but they
I fixed hun. | was behind the curtain
that night, but did not pull the trap"
"Wbat about the childreni" "They
cried terribly that night, and the next
day a man came along AID see one OF
EN-, and they were killed that night.
GLOW were they killed." They were
buried alive. Old John took one and
Kate took the other They hollered
awful, but finally stopped, and Kate
came in and said the damned brats
were all right now. "Who was
killed next?" at was DR.. York. | re-
member him 50 well. He was such a
pleasant man, with side whiskers and
mustache. 1t was rainy day when he
came, and they got a good deal Of mon
ey when they killed him. He fought
hard, too, but Kate killed him with the
Ratchet" "You all left soon after
this?" "Yes, they got 'skeered, and
we all went away. After walking a
| few miles some men took us in a wa
gon, and drove us into the Cherokee or
Chcctaw Nation"