The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-31
=. and everything In Surgical
Dy Braces q: 81:
THE NOTORIOUS BENDERS
Two of the Murderous Family Captured
Through a Woman's Detective Work.
They Killed Her Father and She Has Been
Hunting Them Down for Five Years-0ld
Mrs. Bender and Kate En- Route to Kansas.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal

Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
WABASH. Ind, Oct. 30.-Deputy Sheriff
l.. I. Dick. of Parsons, Kan, passed through
this city tonight, bound for home. having
in charge two very important prisoners.
They are Mrs. Almira Monroe and her
daughter, Mrs. Eliza Davis, of Lansing.
Mich, who are believed to be members of
the notorious Bender family, whose atroc-
tiles are known throughout ChristeDdom.
Deputy Sheriff Dick arrested the women at
Niles, Mich, on warrants issued by Gov.
Humphrey, of Kansas.
At Niles Mrs Eliza Davis was disc
harge6 yesterday on the charge of grand
larceny. During the trial many facts
were adduced tending to show that
Mrs. Monroe Mrs. Davis's mother) was
connected with the Bender murders in
Kansas BY her own admission Mrs. Mon
roe has had seven husbands, and O number
of them have mysteriously disappeared.
Her daughter Eliza insists positively that
Mrs. Monroe is old Mrs. Bender. Much in
terest was manifested, and many blood
curdling and horrible revelations were
brought out during the examination. The
officers from Kansas have been in Michigan
for ten days investigating the case, and are
satisfied that they have at last discovered
the notorious Bender family.
The deputy displayed diligence in at
criminals in his charge. A. passenger ap-
piled the pump to Dick, and he finally gave
down, and at last became quite communi-
cative and gave the particulars of the capt
nre. The party is also accompanied by Mrs.
Frances E. Mccain. of Mcpherson. Kan.,
through whose energy and skill the present
new developments in the case were brought
out. Mrs. McCann stated freely that there
Is not the slightest dou bit that the two cap
tives are the Benders. Mrs McCann has
been sojourning in Niles for the past six
months, doing detective work ION her own
hook" and the arrests Just made are
the. result of her labofs. Several
weeks ago, when the discovery of
Mich, was published. the matter was
treated as q. newspaper sensation. scarcely
taken up seriously, but the good work of
Mrs. McCann and the arrest of tho crimi-
nails makes it quite certain that the reports
killed by the Benders. and she has been. on
their track for five years. She Is slight,
agile little woman, and veritablo COM
bination OF nerve and animation. She
bases her theories on confessions made to
her by Mrs. Eliza Davis, who, she thinks.
Is Kate Bender. The supposed Mrs. Bender
appeared to be about seventy years old.
She is very communicative, and in her
talk she denounced Mrs. McCann bitterly.
years old. She has bright little girl about
three years old. The case against the two
women will be brought to an immediate
trial as soon as the party reaches Parsons.
The Blenders In the City.
Sheriff Dick and Mrs. McCann, having in
their custody the two women. arrived in
the c., w. & NJ. road. but they had boarded
st. Louis train before their identity
was discovered at the Union Station. Fo1
ten minutes they rested in the main waiting.
room. and the attention of some of the depot
officials was called to the peculiarly brazen
countenances of the two women who were
in custody. but no inquiries were
made until it was too late to
stated to a. reporter. however. tina,
there was no doubt as to the identity of the
prisoners. The elder of the two. supposed
to be Mrs. Bender, was caught in Lansing g.
Mich, while her daughter, who Is
according to Mrs. Dicks statements. and
always has been a single woman. but ho
is the mother of the four-year-Old child
who accompanied her, was arrested III
Niles. Both. women refused TO talk until the
last moment, when the train was about tC
pull out. By that time a crowd of twenty
or more persons had collected around the
coach. and the younger woman, thrustinf
her head out of a window, said: What dc
all you folks want around here!"
What are you doing heref asked some
one.
"Oh, you want us to talk. do your she
replied. "Well. you give the old woman 9
dime and she'll talk for you."
The train began to move out just as hel
last words were uttered. The party went
direct to st. Louis. and from that city they
will go to Parsons. Labette county, Kansas