The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-09-12
BENDER FAMILY FATE.
Old Indi an Scout Tells OF the Kiiiing {
All the MurdercrS.

All tho MurdererS.
E. r. Pierce, more familiarly know
as "Dod" Pierce, one of the oldest
and most reliable Indian scouts of the
Black Hills, has given out story
about the Bender family. of Kansas.
which seems 10 show that there is no
further need OF the authorities search
Ing for the family.
Pierce Is n reliable man, and for the
first time he tells what he knows of
the case. He had friend In the TOs,
who was also well known in the Black
IIill,. and before the friend died H.
related to Pierce the Incidents relative
to the killing of all the members OF
the Bender family.
When the York family was killed
and the tragedy WIS traced to the
home of the Bendcrs. picrce's friend
was among those from the city of
Cherryvale who went out to lnyesti-
gate the condition of things ut the
Bender roadhouse. There We're TWEEN
ty-four men in the party. one o. the
men being an old buffalo hunter. They
found the house deserted and In
searching the house the bedstead in
the west room. about which so much
has been said. was found to be full o.
bullet holes, and dried blood was on
the mattress. They found the trap
door behind the curtain. which led into
the cellar, into which the dead bodies
had been thrown until dark. when
they were taken out into the garden
and buried.
The searching party next went out
into the garden ard looked for the
spot where the bodies had been buried.
A wagon rod was used To probe the
ground for Il soft place, aud finally
a spot was found that was soft. After
digging down n short way the body
of one OF the York children was found
and the contortions OF rhc face aud
body made il look as though the
child had been buried alive. Fifteen
bodies were found. including that of
Texas cattleman who was supposed
to have been shot in the west ROOM
The old Buffalo hunter had been
looking around for the trail OF the
found and the buffalo hunter followed
it up all day. About nightfall he came
upon the family. camped near a creek.
The scout returned to thc party OF
Cherryvale men ard reported his find.
They agreed upon going back with
the scout and cxterminating the entire
family. The posse was divided into
three parts. and the Bender family
was surrounded. One of the posse
accidentally discharged his rifle before
the proper time. which gave the warn
ing of danger 10 the Bender people.
They Immediately prepared foT de-
fence. The buffalo bunter fired at
long range at old man Bender and hit
him in the back, killing him.
Another volley from the posse and
John and his mother fell dead. Kate
was the last one TO be shot The
posse then went to the scene aud
piled the four dead bodies in Il heap
and burned them. adding to the fire
wagon. harness and the camp outfit.
Everything that would not burn was
taken to the cYeel: bank and covered
over with dirt
This is the story that doc" Pierce
tells FOR the first time since his friend
contided the facts TO him twenty years
ago. The story that Kate Bender
came TO the Black Hills several years
ago and made her residence in Dead
wood South Dakota is not credited
there. a woman did go there about
fifteen years ago that had some re-
semblance to the famous Kate. so
some of the old-timers say.-New
York Sun