The Topeka state journal., 1897-04-28
LYNCHlNG OF
THE BENDERS.
The ''OnIy Absolutely True"
Story Published.
Captured and Slain by Friends
Of Dr. YOrke.
Seventeen Vigilantes Use Las
sOes to Catch Them.
YELLOWHAIREDCHILD
Found in the Cellar, ArOuses
Cowboy Wrath.
Story Related in Chicago by a
Kansas Man.

IFrom the Chicago Chronicle, April 26.]
When the murderous Bender family
disappeared from their Kansas farm
shortly after their final murder-that of
Dr. Yorke-it was reported that they
had escaped, it was limited that they
had been lynched and some frontier
folk submitted the theory that possibly
they had committed suicide. But the
real story of their dropping out of sight
has never been known until within the
past week. One of the best known men
IN Kansas, a man who has held high
political office in the state and is known
and trusted the length and breadth of
il, stopped at one of the principal no
tells in the city a few days ago. A
writer for the Chronicle, knowing him
to have been personally familiar with
the facts surrounding the mystery of
the disappearance of the Benders, hunt
ed him up and asked him about the
matter.
Why do you want to rake up that
old affair2'' he asked.
Because you know and 7 know that
the true story of it has never been
told, was the reply. And 1 know that
You have the real facts in your pos
session. Look at this letter. You were
right there in the county when they
went away, but of course you knew
nothing of their disappearance except
from what you learned afterward.''
OF course, said the Kansan 1mper-
turbably- Come up to my room"
The two repaired to the Kansan's
room and the story was soon told.
I know all about it, as do a dozen
men yet living in my state, and I sup
pose you might as well have it as it
actually happened. I got the bottom
facts from an old fellow living on the
Ninnescat river last fall and it made
a deep impression on me. You know
I was we'll acquainted with DR.. Yorke
and his brother Doc was the last
man the Benders killed. His brother,
tor who sprung the 81 900 bribery SEN
satiOn in Kansas when Anthony and
POmeroy were running for senator
Well when YOrke was missed the
neighbors and some friends of the miss
ing man decided that there was reason
to pay visit to that farm. This was
what the old man told me, you under
stand He said there were seventeen
of the party and not rifle or a shot
gun in the crowd. There were four
cowboys who we're as handy with arOpe
"a 1assO, you knOW-as any men on
the range, and a few had navy skies
strapped on.
The searchers made up their minds
to go over there and rope the outfit
and make a search of the house, the
cellar, barn, yard and all about the
house. If they found murder there
the Benders We're to swing. If mis-
taken. they intended to present their
regrets and apologies. Well, they drove
up to the house and the women were
there. The old woman was inside and
Kate was at the wood pile chopping
wood like a man. A big, strapping
hell-cat of woman she was John
was just leading horse to watering
trough. and the old man was not in
sight then The seventeen were in
the yard and ready for business quicker
than snakes. Three of the boys look
ed after the teams and fourteen rush
ed in on the family.
"Jim-weu, one of the COW punchers.
roped John around the neck before
John knew what had happened. The
horse he was leading broke loose as the
mans feet went into the air. and some
of the boys yelled; Whoa, therel
whoa, thereH That brought the old
man out of the barn and another of the
boys rOped him by one of his legs as
he stepped out and stretched him on
manure heap like steer. MeanWh hile
q couple of the boys had covered the
old woman with six-shoOters and tied
her hands and feet with a rope taken
along. She was as sulIen as a Sioux
squaw, and looked like one a little bit
too
Three of the boys had made rush
for Kate, but she backed up against
the wood pile, swung her ak and yelled,
Come on, you cOWardS.' The boys
could have picked her off with their
guns, but they didn't want to kill her
before an inVeSti cation But they held
. her to the wood pile with their revOlv-
ers until q couple of cowboys came up.
One of the ropers made a swing and
caught her ak and jerked it out of her
hand as neatly as anything you ever
saw. The other rope caught one of her
arms as the ak was snatched away,
and Kate came tumbIing over in a lot
of fresh cut chips and stove wood. She
was cursing terribly all the time. AS
soon as the boys had her tied they took
something off a clothes line and stopped
her bowling When they got the fam
fly all tied and Kate gagged the old
man explained to them that this was a
little informal call as the callers were
looking for a friend
Three of the boys guarded the outfit
and the rest commenced to search.
Then old man. the leader, said: God
above, but it was awful The half has
never been told of that slaughter
house. Bones everywhere, and one or
two decaying corpses. And Doc Yorke
all right; I'll swear to that And when
we came to a little child's skull with