The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-08-26
THE BENDER FAMILY.
A History of Their Horrible Crimes.

The nrSt thlhg tGat lea to the dis
covery OF vhe horrible series OF
murder committed by the Bender
family was the Disappearance of
William York, of independence,
Kansas, brother of State Senator
York, about the first of April, 1873.
A diligent search resulted in find
ing Mr.. York's body buried on the
claim of the Bender family, bearing
marks of violence. The party max
ing the discovery were Mortified TO
find the remains of several other
murdered men.
On Monday. May STA, 1873, 3
brother of the murdered DR.. York
learned that the Bender family had
left their claim in Labette county,
where they had been running a store
for the purpose of supplying trav
elers who passed that way. The
departure of tie family of murder
ers was discovered by some one,
who, in passing. saw that calf that
had been tied up had starved to
death.
Closer inspection showed that all
were gone, with what movahies
could be carried In wagon. The
neIghbors concluded to look further
into the matter, and learned that a
team had been abandoned at Thayer
about three weeks before, and some
OF them going to that point discov-
cred that the team was one that had
belonged to Bender.
They concluded to fully search
the premises, their suspicious being
Immediately aroused as TO the fam
lily being the cause of so many be-
ing missed in the neigh borhood;
Mr.. Ed York, being notified, imme-
diately proceeded to the ground,
and had not heen there more than
half an hour when, passing over a
dead furrow IN little garden patch
which had been plowed over. his a
tention was attracted to piece OF
subsoil on the surface; looking
more closely he discovered
straight mark across the furrow
where the ground was slightly
sunken. By looking closely he was
able to trace the outlines of grave.
The end-rod of a wagon was used
to probe the ground inside the lines
discovered. 1t was found that In
side the lines it was not difficult to
thrust the rod in its full length,
while outside it would not penetrate
deeper than the plowed ground
without great pressure. Digging
was Immediately commenced, and
the body of VIM. II. York was dis
covered. On it's being uncovered,
it was discovered that he had been
killed by blows on the head with a
blunt instrument, one on the back
of the head at the base OF the brain
being sufficient to produce instant
death. There were two others on
/ either side of the head, and his
throat was cut from ear To ear, and
so deeply that the head was nearly
severed from the body. Two ham
mers and hatchet were found on
the premises, one of which fitted
the wound on the back part of the
head.
The premises were next visite
and examined. The building was
u frame, sixteen by twenty feet, un
plastered.
The generally accepted theory as
to how it was done was that travel.
ers were seated in such a manner
that their heads would lean against
and indent the cloth partition
which crossed the room. Some one
stationed behind the curtain would
then strike them with a hammer
and some one in the room would fin.
ish up the job. After that they
were taken to the trap door, where
they were thrown in, their throats
fcut, and were left until night. wheI
they were carried ut and buried il
the patch of ground alluded to.
The body of William York was
Immediately recognized by Elwood
York, by the general features, anu
BY bandage on the knee where he
had a running sore, and hy a band
age on one finger which had beer
mashed just before be had started
ron ulS Journey
The location of the place was in
in the northwest corner of Labettt
county. on the road TO Usage Mis-
sion and Fort Scott, about ten mile:
from Thayer and five and a hal
from Cerryvale. The building wa.
out Of view from every other house
and seems to have been chosen eX
pressly for the murderous purpos,
TO which it had been dedicated, L
was in the hollow of q prairie, fa
from timber, and where the occu
pants could see q mile in either dI
terruption for at least hall an hour
!, There was a stone stable on thi
premises, where horses could b,
hidden until such times as thel
could be run of or disposed Of
, After the finding of York it wa
: determined to make further searcl
next day. This was done and TIA,
horrible disclosure made that ther
were seven other graves on the sam
piece OF ground. Willing hand
, were soon engaged at exhumiDi
them, and during the day the bodie
OF seven more victims were brough
To light, ali killed in the same man
ner and disposed of in the sam
way, with the exception Of the it'll
, daughter of George w. Longcor
: who showed TO marks OF violence
5 but was supposed to have bee
: smothered or buried alive.
{ George w. Longcor and daugh
ter had been missing since Decem
e Der of the year before. They ha
started TO 60 to lows from tn
! neighborhood of Onion creek. II
= and his daughter were buried IN TIA
] same grave; the daughter-eightee
{ months old-being placed betwee
! her fathers feet. The father wa
: stripped Of all clothing except hi
e under garments, as we're al the viz
T Tins hut the child, who was burie
with her clothes on, even TO 9 pai
e of mitteDs.
The bodies of Mr. rown, ffoi
; Cedarvale, Howard county. w.
. McGrOtty, who resided near Ceda
5 vale, and Henry +. McKinzie, {
/ Hamilton county, Ind were disiT