The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-10-04

! The sudden disappearance of the
members of the murderous Bender
family after the revelation of their num-
erous atrocities and the failure of all eff
forts to discover the whereabouts of the
fugitives enshrouded the whole affair
with an air of impenetrable mystery.
The veil was not lifted until some
twelve months ago, when the Republic
an published the story of one of the
avenging party which overlook and an
initiated the whole family in Indian
Territory not far from the banks of the
Grand River. The author of that
graphic narrative, Capt. j. c. Reeves, of
Appleton City, Mo-, is at present a
transient guest at the Hotel Barnum,
and when seen by Republican reporter
he cheerfully consented to give ali the
details of the Benders' tragic ending ex-
cept the name of the man by whose
hand they were slain.
when DIR. York was missed" IL ,
captain began, as he lighted fresh cl-
gar "Col. York traced his brother {
the house occupied by the Benders.
Being unable to obtain any further in
formation of his lost brother, he returned
TO independence, kas,, and communi
Gated the result OF his Investigations to
Capt. Stone, sheriff of Montgomery
County The next day Col. York and
Capt. Stone visited the Bender resi-
dence, and they were received by the
man who married Kate Bender, and
who went by the name of John Bend
er. John Bender admitted that DIR
York had stayed at their house, and as
serted that he had heard nothing Of
the doctor since. Being unable to OBJ
tain any satisfaction, Col. York and
Capt. Stone retraced their steps to In
dependence. A posse was formed and
the company started forth determined
to investigate the matter to the bottom.
When they arrived at the Bender home
stead the birds had flown. The house
and garden were examined, and in the
garden we found nine bodies of muir
dered persons, one of which was recog
nized as that of DIR. York. Public in
dignation at this discovery knew no
bounds, and the excitement became in
tense.
What was the next step taken for
the purpose of avenging this wholesale
butchery?'
a party consisting of S. S. Peterson,
deputy 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, Kas., where we found the
wagon abandoned. At this point we took
the railroad cars for Chanute, on the
Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad.
At Chanute we procured another wagon
and proceeded in the direction of the
Grand River, which runs through In
dian Territory. 1t was in Indian Ter
ritory, on the banks of the Grand River,
that Col. York, who was in the van of
the party, Cverhauled the Benders
They all died very suddenly, and they
are buried in Indian Territory, near
where they fell. l have nothing more
to say. That ends the story
"Were they shot?"
"Yes: they were shot with a sixteen
shot repeating Henry rife"
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 100000 at the time. The gov
ernment offered $4,000 reward but no.
body claimed it,"
"Do the Benders lie close to the
river?"
"Yes."
"Are you certain that they were all
killed."
81 saw them killed, all four of them
old man Bender and his wife, John
Bender, and hate Bender"
"Were they shot by one MANI"
yes by one man only. He killed
them Bal g bang bang bang.
Every shot counted"
where were you when the shooting
was done?"
II was sitting on my horse a few
Yards from the mar that did the shoot
ing. I entered into an agreement not
to tell anything about it."
"Were there any United States troops
PRESENT."
"No."
Did you see the bodies buried?"
"I did"
Gould you find the place again p
Il could, very easily"
How were they buried?'
"We just Ding hole, tumbled them
in, and covered them up"
Did you find anything on the bod
ies?"
"We did not search them"
"How were they shot, from behind"
"They were shot from behind and to
their faces. We were very much ex-
asperated at finding the nine bodies in
the garden, and Immediately We over
took them the firing commenced. They
we're not looking when We overlook
them, but as soon as the firing began
they turned around The man was
ahead that did the shooting. We had
our carbines leveled ready to shoot, but
there was no resistance offered"
"What description of vehicle were the
Benders IMP
"They were in two-horse wagon.
I think the two men were seated III the
front and the two women behind
Are you sure you got the right
people?"
"We knew we had the right people.
We ali recognized them and [ ldenti-
fed them aftuf they were dead. L knew
every one of them. At one time | had
seen them every day for six months"
Where did you live?"
Il lived at Independence, where /
was running a marble shop"
"What did you do with the team?"
"We turned them loose"
with their harness on?"
"Yes."
Did you never hear of them again p
"No."
"What became of the wagon
II think we buned it,
"How far were the Benders from
their home when they were murdered ?
about forty-fve miles
"What time weIe they killed"
about 3 o'clock IN the afternoon
They were on the prairie on the out,
skirts of the woods"
How long d1d the killing last?"
@Only few moments"
3Who was killed first p
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