Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-08-13
A HORRIBLE STORY.

The Woman Arrested at Fremont, Neb.,
md Supposed to Re Mrs. John Hcnder
Makes Fun Confession -sickeninR De
tails Of the Work OF the Inhuman FIends,
A Fremont (Neb) special to the Chi
cago Tribune of the 3D. says:
Further startling developments we're made
in the Bender matter to-uay. Mrs. Bender,
or Mrs. McGregor, made full and complete
confession of the Whole matter, even to the
muutest details regarding the butcheries
perpetrated on the John Bender farm during
1S12 and 1873 She denies having had any
personal hand in the matter, but says Kate,
old Johns daughter, was the leader OF ali the
deviltry. She went over her entire history
from the time she became Mrs. Alexander
McGregor. She was a widow at the time she
married MeGregor, alias Bender, who was a
widower with four children, two of whom were
Kate and John, Jr They migrated from Mis-
souri, to Labctte County, Kan, aud became
John Bender and family She is under the i'm
preston that Kate has been captured, and,
to shield herself tells everything, but puts
the blame on other shoulders. She knows
that the old man will have to go
back to Kansas, and conyerses in tue
most matterol-fact way regarding the
hor lble murders which eliminated with the
death OF DR. York. In form she strongly re-
scmbes the noted Mrs. Samuel OF Clay CUun-
ty, Mo-, mother OF the OUTLAW James boys,
having the same heavy square lace with
MASSIVE wide iaw-bones, but in point of cute
ness and intelligence is lar inferior to that
noted woman. Mrs. McGrtgor, or Mrs. Ben
der, as she shall be called, is six feet in
height, and weighs over two hundred pounds,
and her face and hands are as dark as an In
dams the result of her residence during the
past year or so among the Northern tribes
of Sioux. Her eyes are blue, and while con-
versng this woman's face can become pleas
ant, which can't be said of her husband in
an adjoining cell, whose devilsh face peers
h.. hind ka rrut cd a .rn n p1sb yiSiFnr
Being asked IL 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"
"You have no objection to giving a little
history Of your life ~
"Of, no; for the Sheriff has told me that
am to he free, and not to go to Kansas with
the ole man, and | never did kill no one any
way.n
';Were you married to Bender in KansasW
81 was a widow, and he married me at
Springfield, Ill, at the close of the war. l
can't remember what year, but Squire Sedar
tied the knot His name then was Alexander
McGregor and he had four chilufeA John
and Kate being of the number; but Two II
the bows had run of He was a poor cuss,
but we lived about several years, and then
were sent by the county to Dunkirk County,
in Southwest Missouri, where sister lived. All
this is true,n
'You went by the name Of McGregor"
1--WE did to the name till the ole man went
to Kansas and took up homestead in Lebit
County, believe, when he changed it to John
Bender, and, arter about a year, John and
Kate came along, and then the devil began to
be played.n
"What do you mean by thatV
"Well, there was stealin', thieyln' ana KILL
in' and all that.n
"Who was the first person killed by the
family?n n
HE was a sick man named Brown. Ho
came along one afternoon. The house was
good-szed one, and on 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 buried him in the garden
"How long after this before any one else
was killedln
al don't quite remember, but not long.
Two were killed, and one of them, whose
name l believe was something like Nc
Gruthy or McGrath, had a good deal Of
money; at least John told me So"
"Do you remember about whole family
being killedM
"Yes, do There was a man and wife
and two little girls. They drove up in a
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
uFOppeu through Lut HOlG. haJb anu J0e Olu
man were below, and the man fought pretty
hard, but they fixed him. / was behind the
curtain that night, but did not pull the
trap
"What about the children"
"They- cried terribly that night, and the
next day man came along and see one OF
lem and they we're killed that night.h
"How were they killed!n
"They were buried alive. Ole John took
one and Kate took the other, They hollered
awful, but finally stopped, and Kate came in
and said the cursed brats were all right
now -
"Do you remember their namesW
"It was something like Grackmore or
Blackmore." (The name was Louchore, and
but one of the children was found.)
"Who was killed nextln
"It was DR.. York. remember him so well. Hd
was such pleasant man, with sde-whiskers
and mustache. 1t was rainy day when he
came, and they got a good deal of money
when they killed him. He fought hard too,
but Kate killed him with the hatchet.n
"You all left soon after this"
Eyes; they got skeered,' and we all went
away. After walking lew miles some men
took us in wagon, and we drove into the
Cherokee or Choctaw Nation.n
"Who were these menP
"They were a part of gang of horse
thieves who made the house their headquar-
tiers, and run off horses left by the dead
men,
"Were any of these men there during any
murdersn
81 think so, once, but can't quite remem-
ber. Some of the horses were drowned in q
pond back of the house"
"You say you did not help them kill any
one How could you help it!n
at was always thought there were only
John Bender and wife aud John and Kate in
the house. There was another od woman
who was my husbands mother. She helped
them do it."
There are many other facts obtained from
the woman. 1t is almost a certainty that
she is the old woman mentioned by John
Bender as the person who helped Kate do the
killing, and that the old woman mentioned
by Mrs Bender is a myth. If these are not
the original Benders the fact can be easily
proven. Governor st. John, OF Kansas, was
notified by the Sheriff here nearly week
ago of the capture, but so far not word has
been heard in reply. Some persons eyen'now
assert that these are not the Benders, but
with the facts before them it is hard to prove
them any one else. John Bender has not adj
mitted to any one that he was John Bender,
as has been telegraphed over the country,
but clngs to the assertion that he is AleXan-
der McGregor, and the report that John
Bender, Jr., and Kate crossed the river at
Omaha last week en- route to some point in
Iowa is only prpdited nv county officials