The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-08-21
BENDER FAMILY CRIMES.
Notorious Murderers Who Pluadersd
ana Robbed for Years.

| OherFNNAe, h3n,-Thc notorious Zen
der family ot murdsrers have been run
20 earth, Their victims are numbered
by the score, Their hiding places for
thirty years has been a mystery.
Blu; st las, four ~ the CREATES; Grim
iIals Of the West are in the clutches "
the law ana ,her fate will soon be set
He'd Governor ". f. Stanley has lssu-
ed 4 requ,sition Cor them. aad they are
being returned from their hiding place
in Colorado TO stand trial a, this place.
Hanging, II no; lynching. viii end the
existence ot this family OF slayers,
The bloody chapter Of Kansas history
IS sha; which chronicles The events
which occurred in this (IabteeO county
between the close. Of the civil war and
1915 NJ mxe brutal or daring crimes
were committed in the whole West. for
tha; matter Men and women were
murdered by the wholesale Their bod
les could never be found. They would
start out along the public highway and
the earth seemed 70 swallow them up.
The Bender family are comprised Of
William Bender ana wife. his son Joh1
and daughter Kate The children were
by former wife Of old man Bender
They were Of German descent
Early in 1870 the Bendsr came TO
Kansas and took possession Of a quarter
section Of land. the title Of which was
elouded. II was located near here and
in thick woods II tronted the public
road, then a main tran TO the West
Home seekers from the East were
forced 10 pass along this trail in their
search Of unOccupiel land out West
further. II this road had not been such
public one the crimes OF this noted
family would have been less. But It
is supposed that murder was con,em-
plated when they erected rude log hut
along the trail, at the top of hill.
Their plans were well laid.
Travellers arriving at this rude log
hut were told that il was a tavern for
their accommodation. Kate Bender,
then a Young woman OF thirty. quite
good looking for a farmers daughter
OF the hardy West, used to beguile the
weary travellers to stop over night.
That was the last ever seen Of them by
their friends. once having entered the
Bender tavern a mans fate was sealed.
The dining room Of the Bender place
was built over a cellar into which the
victims were thrown, after having been
murdered. II is claimed that some were
buried alive, the first blow not having
been fatal No attention was paid by
the blood-thirsty murderers 10 a mat
ter like that.
The method generally employed by the
Benders in killing their victims was 10
hit them in the head with an axe. Kate
Bender and her brother John. being
young and strong, took their positions
behind heavy curtains when the guests
sa; down 10 their meals The old peO-
pie engaged the visitors in conversation.
When the time was opportune. signal
was glve7. the axe descended and the
guests sell with a broken skull. a trap
door was sprung, their bodies fell into
cellar. where the remains were buried.
Victim followed victim 90 rapidly that
the Bend srs then began burying their
the Benders then begin burying their
victims in the corn field. OF course,
everything valuable was removed from
the bodies beforehand.
Horses ana wagons belonging 10 the
travellers We're driven into the Indian
territory by acc)mplices and sold % the
Indians, who, II they remembered their
sellers. refused % give any information
to officers as to their identity Or where
abouts.
II the time was not OppOrtune-that .s,
/ II he CUES, did not place himself in
handy place for being slaugh:er-d dur
ing the meal-he was attended 70 later
On in the night. The beds were each
placed over a trap door, AMI, after hay
| ing re,ir=d. the Benders dropped Cae
trap and when their victim fell in.o 'na
darkness OF the cellar ne was killed 10
a hand-to-hand battle
No one ever visited he Bender hom
and escaped 70 tell the tale. Like
prison gal.ows, every man who sc; his
foJt inside was doomed from hd. very
moment
The horrors Of the crimes which hare
been committed in the Bender home
have 50 ins,illed the peopl- Of this gee
lion with fear that even today the place
s.a ds idle gradually rolling away The
| I,l- store building, which vas used
| by the Benders as a means Of getting
people 70 stop al their place more ,han
! for the profits they made in selling
/ ods has been burned, but the log hu,
stands back in a clump Of 'rees unmo-
l-sted Once in a while a traveller
comes along, and, not knowing he .ate
that followed his previous .e;lows. steps
over night, camping in the hut, he next
day carrying away a rar; u It for
k.nding wood. In a few more years
| there will be nothing left Of it.
When the Benders first started On
their murderous mission they found 'ae
surrounding country well adapt-l 90
making a murder trap out Of the nomr.
The country had but lately been vaoar-
ed by the Usage Indians and the COW