St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-21
THE BENDER FAMILY.
The killing of the Old Han and WOnlaaI
and John and Kate Related by
Capt. j. C. Reeres, GnEge-
Witness of the TrG0cdU.

berS OF the murderous Bender family after
the revelation of their numerous atrocities
and the failure of all efforts to discover the
whereabouts of the fugitiyes enshrouded the
whole affair with an air OF impenetrable mys-
terry. The veil was not lifted until some
twelve months ago, when the Republican pub
lished the story of one Of the avenging party
which overlook and annihilated the whole
family in Indian territory not far from the
banks Of the Grand river. The author OF that
graphic narrative, Capt. j. e. Reeves, Of APP
pleton City, No.. is at present a transient
guest at the Hotel Barnum, and when seen
by Republican reporter he cheerfully con-
scented to give all the details of the Bender's
tragic ending except the name of the man
by whose hand they were slain.
''When DR.. York was missed" the captain
began as he lighted fresh cigar, 'Col. York
traced his brother to the house occupied bv the
/ Blenders. Being unable to obtain any further
Information OF his lost brother, he returned
to Independence, Kan, and communicated,
the result of,the Investigations to Capt. Stone,
sheriff OF Montgomery county. The next
| day Col York and Capt. Stone visited the
Bender residence, and they were received by
the man VINO married Kate Bender, and who
| went W inc name OI JOH0 Bender. JO0n
Bender admitted that Dr. York had stayed at
their house. and asserted that ne had heard
nothing of the doctor since. Being unable
to obtain any satisfaction, Col. York and
Capt. Stone retraced their steps to Indepen-
dence. A posse was formed and the compa-
ny started forth determined to investigate
the matter to the bottom. When they arrived
| ct the Bender homestead the birds had flown
! The house and garden were examined, and
in the garden were found nine bodies of muir
dered persons, one Of which was recognized
as that Of DR.. York. Public indigu alton
at this discovery knew no bounds, and the
excitement became intense.''
''What was the step taken for the purpose
of avenging this wholesale butchery''
IA party consisting of S. s. Peterson, de-
putty United States marshal, Col York, Bell
Wright, George Dawson, and myself was
formed to follow the trail OF the Blenders.
We tracked the wagon to Thayer, Kan, where
we found the wagon abandoned At this
point We took the railroad cars for Chanute,
on the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroad
At Chanute we procured another wagon and
proceeded In the direction of the Grand river
which runs through Indian Territory, on the
banks of the Grand river, that Col. York,
who was in the van OF the party, overhauled
the Blenders. They all died very suddenly,
and they are buried in Indian Territory, near
where they fell. have nothing more to say.
That ends the story"
''Were they shot!'
Eyes; they were shot with a sixteen-shot
repeating Henry rihe.''
''Who did the shooting!"
''That am not at liberty to state.''
'Did Col York offer any reward for the
discovery of the Benders!"
''No, he did not, although he was worth
500, GOO at the time. The government Of
fered 900 reward, but nobody claimed
it."
''Do the Blenders lie close to the river2'
"Yesn
care you certain that they were all killed -
81 saw them killed, al! four of them-old
man Bender and his wife, John Bender, and
Kate Bender"
''Were they shot by one man!'
Eyes; by one man only. He killed them
Bang bang bang bang" Every shot
counted"
"Where were you when the shooting was
done?"
81 was sitting on my horse few yards
from the man that did the shooting. / entered
into an agreement not to tell anything about
ito
"Were there any United States loops
| presentr'
''Non
"Did you see the bodies buriedp
81 did"
could you find the place again.!
81 could, very easily"
GLOW were they buriedl'
''We just dug hole, tumbled them in, and
covered them up.''
''Did you find anything on the bodiesl''
ave did not search them.'
''How were they shot, from behind!"
''They were shot from behind and to their
faces. We were very much exasperated at
finding the nine bodies in the garden, and
Immediately we overlook them the firing
commenced. They were not looking when
we overlook them, but as soon as the firing
began they turned round. The man was
ahead that did the shooting. We had our
carbines level ready to shoot, but there was
no resistance offered"
'What description of vehicle were the
Ben ders inr'
'They were in a two-horse wagon. think
the two men were seated in front and the
two women behind"
''Are you sure you got the right peoplel"
'We knew we had the right people. We
all recognized them, and identified them
after they were dead. l knew every one
of them. At one time had seen them every
day for six months"
''Where did you lvelr
81 lived at Independence, where 1 was
running marble shop"
''What did you do with the team!"
''We turned them loose"
''With their harness on.''
Eyes,
''Did you never hear of them againl''
Mo-
''What became of the wagonr'
''I think We burned it."
''How far were the Blenders from their
home when they were murdered!"
about forty-ive miles"
''What time were they killed."
about O'Clock in the afternoon. They
were on the prairie on the outskirts of the
woods"
Glow long did the killing lastl''
''0nly few moments"
''Who was killed irst!'i
''It was all done so quickly do not know
who was killed first.''
''Did any one jump out of the wagonY' ~
'No~
"How far were you off the wagon at the
timer"
"Thirty-fve or forty steps,
''What did you do after the bodies we're
/ buriedi'f
Il started off to deliver the news. but aft
er had gone fifteen miles / was oyertaken
AID told not TO say a word about the killing
An right l replied, NUNS the word ,
We soiemnly agreed not to give the thing
away, and the first time If was told to the
public, except as suspicion, was about a
year ago, when / gave some OF the facts to
Senator Wear for publication in the Rep,Ibii-
Nv,. - F-.Ff-
have ever been published. "-St. Louis Re
! UasblicGn