Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-17
ARE THEY YET ALIVE.
The Infamous Bender Family Claimed
to still be I'm Existence.

ARE THEY YET ALIVE.
The Infamous Bender Family Claimed
to Still he I'm Existence.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
TOPEKA, Kan, January 13. 1894.
Although over twenty years have elapsed
since the Bender family carried on their
campaign of murder and slaughter in
southern Kansas, from which place they
We're compelled to flee, officers in Labette
and Montgomery counties continue to
ceive letters from detectives from all quar-
tiers of the globe announcing that they are
on the trail of this celebrated family OF
outlaws and will deliver them to the proper
officers II the big reward offered for their
capture is forthcoming.
Recently. detectives In Old Mexico claim
ed to have the Blenders located in the Sierra
Madre mountains. This has become a
chestnut to the officers and no attention is
paid to such reports any more. The reason
Is no doubt because of the well-grounded
belief that the friends of DR.. York, the
Benders last victim. put them out of the
way soon after they murdered him.
The story of the murders committed by
this family of outlaws would I'LL a book.
For years they murdered innocent people
In cold blood and their victims were num-
bered by the dozen. Ex-Governor Lyman
L. Humphrey, who is in Topeka, is fam
liar with the record Of this family and to
The Star correspondent has related the
story of the murder of DIR. York, the dis
covery of his remains ON their premises,
and the subsequent hight of the family.
he said: Il was law partner of A. NJ.
York. DR.. York, brother of my partner,
was the last victim of the Blenders. That
Is the reason why l have been credited
with knowing all about the family. l sup
pose l do know all about ii that Mr.. York
knows. The Benders lived on the old Mis-
twelve mil loo act of In
pendence. in Labette county. The family
consisted Of the father and mother, old
Germans. who could scarcely speak word
of English John Bender their son. and
Kate Bender. their daughter, a girl about
eighteen years old. Their house was
small box structure about thirty feet long,
with the gable end facing the road. 1t was
divided into two rooms by a curtain From
the time the family located in Labette
county 1t was surrounded by mystery, and
the suspicion of neighbors was always d.
rected toward the house it occupied. At
that time, upwards of twenty-one years
ago. the country was new and organized
bands Of horse-thieves and outlaws operat-
ed extensively In the southern tier of coun-
ties and in the Indian territory and Texas
In fact. they were not entirely exterminat-
ed until a few years ago.
The old Mission road was Travelled a
great deal at that time and people stopped
at the house OF the BenGers occasionally
for meals and tobacco, in which they dealt
In small way. DIR. York, in the spring
Of 1873 went from Independence to Fort
Scott. and as he did not return when ex-
pected, inquiries were made about him at
the latter place. 1t was learned that he
had started for home on time, and a great
deal of uneasiness was manifested by his
FRIENDS; Then searching party was
ganized to go to Fort Scott, and if possible
ascertain his whereabouts. He was traced
to the home Of the Blenders. but beyond
that point nothing could be heard of him.
The house was entered by the searchers
a
Blood stains were found on the walls but
no other evidences being seen, the party
continued Inquiries
This visit frightened the Benders, and
shortly after the friends of DR.. York left
the house they htched their horses to a
wagon and drove away. They went north
hurriedly and struck the Missouri. Kansas
and Texas railroad at Chanute They took
few Of their belongings with them, the
fight being so hurried that a calf which
they owned was found tied near the house
two days afterwards nearly famished. At
Chanute the team was abandoned in the
streets. The family boarded the south
bound train and that is the last that was
ever heard Of them positively.
The Awful Discovery.
1.-TWO or three days later party of In
dependence men returned to the Bender
place and instituted a careful search There
was an old orchard near the house and in
it was discovered a newly made grave. 1t
were found. He had been struck over the
head and then his throat cut. Eight other
bodies Of the Benders' victims were found.
one a little girl, who 1t was believed had
been buried alive. 1t was evident that the
method used by the Benders was to seat a
traveller at the table to eat with his back
to the curtain which divided the house
into two rooms. He would then be struck
through the curtain with stonemason's
pick, found on the premises his throat
cut. and the body thrust through a trap
door in the rear room, into an excavation
or cellar beneath 1t. At night the body
would be taken from the cellar and buried
In the orchard.
What became Of the Benders 1 do not
know. Mr.. York, who gave the matter a
great deal of attention. has theory, and
l believe 1t Is the correct one, in regard to
the ultimate fate Of his brothers muir
derers. He is Of the opinion that the Bend
ers were a part of an organized band of
outlaws operating in the territory. AS soon
as they became fearful that a discovery
was imminent they started out to join their
confederates, who pushed on to the Rio
Grande with them. Believing that the cap
ture Of the Blenders would endanger the
safety Of themselves, Mr.. York thinks that
the other members of the gang put them
out of the way. This is of course only one
Of many theories. but consider it the most
probable one. Another theory is that they
made their way to the ocean and took pas
sage for Europe
1t is believed by many people in southern
Kansas that the friends of Dr. York pur-
sued the Benders into the Panhandle of
Texas and there made away with them.
This theory is given credence, because of
the fact that during his four years as gov
ernor, Humphrey paid no attention to the
stories about the Benders being alive or the
claims Of detectives that they could be pro-
duced If wanted. He lived at Independence
at that time, and probably knows great
deal more about the pursuit of the Benders
and what became Of them than he will ever
tell.
To Talk on Domestic Economy.
At the invitation Of the ladies' commit
tee on sanitary housekeeping of the SAM
tary League, Miss johnson will give