Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-08-02
ITEMS OF FOREIGN NEWS.
Reported Defeat of the Turcomans by the
Russiana

Reported Defeat of the Turcomans by the
Russians
Etc............,.....Et Etc. Etc.
- DOMESTIC NEWS.
The Bender Murderers In Custody In
Nebraska.
OMAHA (Neb. J, July 31st.-People at Fre-
mont, Nebraska, quite generally believe that
the two prisoners, the old man and old
woman who were arrested few days ago by
Sheriff Gregg. are none other than John
Bender and his wife, the notorious murder
ers of Kansas, at least it looks very much as
if the man was old Bender. They were
travelling on foot and made inquiries as to
whether anything had been discovered about
the whereabouts of the Bender family of
Kansas This excited suspicion, and Sheriff
Gregg, who was notified, arrested them thirty
miles from Fremont When Gregg rode up
to them he said, +" Hello, Kate" and the
woman replied, g l amt Kate Bender"
Since they have been in Jail they have made
a statement which would seem to lead one to
believe that the man is Bender He claims
that he only lived with the Bender family
and knew about the murders. The woman
says she is not Mrs Bender, but that the
man is Bender. To-day dispatch was re-
ceived from Fremont stating that all doubt
to the mans identity had been removed.
Mr.. HooHaD, resident of Fremont, and
who was
A NEIGHBoR OF THE BENDER FAMILY
In Kansas, and knows all about the old
premises and arrangements, and their mur-
ders, interviewed the prisoners and identified
them both as Benders. He first called on
Bender in his cell, and Bender acknowledged
that he knew him. Bender said his name
was not Bender, and Hoofan said that he
called himself Bender in Kansas at any rate.
Hoohan closely questioned him as to his
previous statements already published, par
ticularly with reference to the two murdered
children, and when he saw that he had caught
himself in lie, he finally said that he had
helped to put two children under the ground,
and then he burst out crying, and exclaimed,
81 don't care; GNdd--m 'em let them
must go to Kansas, he said he would kill him
self rather than go there. Hoofan showed
him plan of the house and surroundings
and he said it was correct. Mr.. Hoofan next
called on the woman, who said she knew him.
never expected to see you any mere, and
l don't want to talk to you here. We are
captured at last, and they will hang u.s. You
know that that is John Bender, and there's
no use denying that any longer. am going
to tell the truth. Ii that don't save me from
hanging, I'll have to hang, too. 1 ought to
have told the truth from the start. told
them we would be caught if we came back
this way on the main road. We were going
back East We had hard time among the
Indians, and hardly ever sawa white person"
She was asked where
THE OTHER CHILD WAS BURIED,
AS only one had been found, and she said
after asking Hoohan where one child was
discovered, that the other was buried in the
southeast corner of the garden. She said
they had intended to cross over the Missouri
river and go back East. Young Kate and
young John Bender were with the team tax
ing another road. They were to meet in
Iowa, and then some one of the party was to
go to Kansas and dig up some 500 buried
on the old Bender place. The woman claims
that she is not Bender's wife, but SAYS Ben
der's wife was left in the Choctaw nation,
being unable to proceed further, and that she
died in 1876. Hoohans description of the
Bender place agrees with that of other per-
sons who have been there. The officers are
endeavoriDg to get on the track of the rest of
the party. The matter will be thoroughly
investigated, and the parties will be taken to
Kansas for further Identification The affair
is creating intense interest here. In 1873
State Senator York of Kansas, a brother of
DR.. York, mysteriously disappeared, and
upon investigating the mystery, his dead
body was discovered, with ten or twelve
Others, on Benders place. The Bender fam
lily, upon learning that a vigorous search was
being made for Senator York, fled before the
terrible discovery was made, and have ever
since eluded pursuit.
Land Le2islation-New Mexico Cattle
Raisers Seeking Protection.
WASHINGTON, July 3Oth.- Commissions
Williamson of the General Land Office has
received a letter from a prominent firm en-
gagged in stock raising in Colfax county, New
Mexico, urging upon the Land Department
the Importance and necessity of further leg
islation for the protection of large class of
stock breeders who without legal sanction.
have taken up and improved extensive tracts
of arid land on our Western plains The writers
state that they have established a cattle
ranch on the arid pasturage lands on the north
side of what are known as the Stakes Plains,
in Colfax county, New Mexico. Their ranch
covers an area of one hundred square miles,
or GAG, 600 acres, around which they have.
built fence SO as to keep within the bounds
their own cattle, and to keep out the stock of
others. They have dug wells to supply their
stock with water, and altogether have ex-
pended in needed improvements more than
$4,000 They assert that this tract of land
can never be used for agricultural purposes,
as it lies at a higher altitude than the nearest
stream of water, which is thirty miles distant.
They also inform the Commissioner that some
evil-dispossd ranchmen threaten to cut down
their fence and let in their cattle, simply be-
cause they (the writers) have no title to the
lands. In conclusion, they ask protection
from the Government, and propose either to
purchase the land or else secure long lease,
and SO secure valid title, either permanently
or temporarily.
General Williamson says the facts pre-
sented in this letter are strongly illustrative
of the need for additional legislation to gov
ern the disposal of the surplus lands-legisla-
ton which, if enacted, will enable the Gov
ernment to dispose of land of the peculiar
character referred to in this letter which can
not, under present laws, be sold to stock
raisers in such large quantities as are neces-
sary to make this industry profitable one
The gentlemen, General Williamson SAYS. are
engaged in business itself perfectly legiti-
mate, which, owing to the vast extent of arid
public lands fit only for grazing purposes,
would undoubtedly be stimulated and in
creased if our land laws were amended and
lulpTofcu 81 do W cueCb CQS SALE OI large
tracts OF these pasturage lands to individuals
As the case stands now they are open to tres
passers against the law and their property
cannot in any way be protected by
the Government. More than this, the
Government cannot, under the existing
statutes, sell or even lease these
pasturage lands to them in the large
quantities desired, and so it may be said that
our land laws hinder rather than foster cattle
raising, an industry which of all others should
be fostered. as it tends to cheaper food. I'm
der the existing law the public land is classi-
fed as mineral, coal, timber and agricultural
lands. Under the head of agricultural land
is included land of the character REFEREES to
in this letter, viz, arid pasturage land which
is entirely worthless at present, and which
viii probably always be SO, at least for agri-
cultural purposes. Those lands cannot be
disposed of TO individuals in quantities larger
than tracts of 160 acres. Neither can they
be leased to them, so the General Land Office
and General Government cannot assist these
men nor protect them in their squatter SOW
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