Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-09-21
The Renders.
MAN WHO SHOULD KNOW DOUBTS THE LYNCH.
ING.


Hon. A NJ. York, Of Fort Scott, Kan, whose
brother was murdered by the Benders, In 1873.
writes TO the editor OF the Fremont Herald as
folloWs:-lour letter OF the 18th, asking IL | be-
neved the BenderS TO have been lynched, came
duly to hand. In reply to your inquiry I will
say that l do not believe the Blenders We're
lynched. There are two theories as to their
having been lynched:-One that they were
killed by band OF vlg1lanteS; the other that
they were put out of the way by their confeder-
ateS. cannot conceive 1t possible that the first
theory is correct for the following reaSons-In
the first place l was actively engaged ia their
pursuit for a year after they disappeared and
think It extremely improbable, and well nigh
Impossible, that they could have been lynched
10y vigilance committee without the fact hav-
Ing come to my knowledge, and IL is certain
that neither myself nor any OF my family have
such knowledge, or have the slightest reason to
believe that they were SO disposed Of.
Another reason why do not believe it Is that
there can be no possible reason assigned for
concealment, were it true. Their crimes were SO
terrible and the public mind was SO wrought up
over their enormit1eS, that instead OF condem-
nation, almost universal approval would have
resulted from their summary punishment. And
still another reason against the first theory that
| regard as unanswerable is, that theyEthe
BenderS-had disappeared weeks before the dis
coVery OF their crimes. AS to the theory that
are no known facts In support OF 1t, nor any,
thing indicating 1t, and ii Is purely conjecture
That such was the case. 1 concede there are
many reasons that might be suggested In sup
port OF this theory, and might with others be
Induced to think that such was their fate, were
1t not that facts, or what 1 deem to be facts
positively negative this view Of the case.
FUNDS were appropriated by Gov: o. lorn, at
that time governor OF Kansas, to prosecute the
search for the Benders The funds were dis
bursed by Colonel c. j. P, ckham. at that time
resident Of Independence Kansas. and he
employed detective by the name of Bears
was fully cOnverSant, as believe, with all that
was done, and with the report Of Bears from
time TO time, and according to the Information
SO obtained, the Blenders took the cars at Thayer
on the L., /. & G. r. R., about the 9th of April;
went from there to Chaute and changed on to
The NJ, Is. q 7. r. R., and went south; left the
train at Caddo In Indian territory, and went
some twenty miles into the country southeast
from Caddo, where they remained about Two
weeks; they then went by wagon to Red river
station, On the same line, between the territory
and Texas, about one hundred miles west OF
DenDison, where they remained for some Iime.
From there they went to the Rio Grande rlveI,
on the extreme western border OF IeXas. anu
united themselves with band OF zen otnerS
whose principal business was TO cOuect horsSS
and mules In the winter and send them oCol-
crsi6O In the spring for sale. This is a Drier
summary OF the facts reported by the detecCve
aid COrroborated by enCreiy independent
sources Of information.
Their retreat was well chosen. 1t was peo-
uled by outlaws and Savages, where the civil
law was absolutely powerless to arrest fugitiveS
from Justice, and nothing but the military
could have captured them. They had ample
time TO make their escape after the time 1t is
supposed they fed and the discovery OF their
crimes.