The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-08-21

slaughter. commencing in 1871. many
plans were used 80 deeoy strangers in
80 .hc.r tavern. Kate Bender inserted
an advertisement 10 he Thayer Head
Wght. ,hon a weekly paper ot this place,
| IN wNl,h she called herself a professor,
and able 90 cure al kinds " disease,
She ais, uscg,ed m advertisement In
| ,Ae Cheryyv0le BA'uer stating that she
would ~ wiling 20 marry any young
man who showed his ability to work
and care tor her. Many a young man
who sough, ;his Young murderesS to
wed her found his fate at the end Of an
axe handle.
\ peculiar thing about the murders
committed a; the Render home every
one ~ them was dnae with an axe. No
drug was ever used, The axe was con-
stdered surer.
Many neop,c a; Independence aud COT
fayyius remember some ot the victims,
one was samuel CARRIER, a s,orekeeper
~ Iniepenl,rce. who with his young
wife Sc. ou. across the plains for Colo
rad1. He was met on the road Just out
sld, the Bender farm limits by friends
l. was then growing dusk. l, Is sup
posed .ha: hey stopped over night
whsn the premises of the Benders were
searched In 1873 a ring worn by Mrs
Garbe- was found in the pile Of bones
\ small necklace worn hy Miss Anna
Koran. young woman Of New Or
leans. who came West to write up
Kansas In novel form, was also found
beside the skeleton OF a woman She
had disappeared in September. 1871. and
s. IS supposed ;ha, she was q victim.
Although when a rail- was made on
the Bender premises in 1873 over atty
skeletons were found in the cellar and
the cornhelis. The old cltiEeas OF his
place who took part in the digging no
Of the bodies are of the opinion that full
Is one hundred people were murdered
by the Benders IN their two years of
slaughtering. Some OF the known vie
tins % the Beuders are Dr. William
York. Independence Kan; w. F. Nc
Crollsy. Springfield, H.; Benjamin
Brown. Cedarvale, Kan; II. F. Nc
Kenzie, Noblesville, Ind: C. W Ian
shore, Independents, Kan. and others
whose Identity was never known.
Hundreds Of unknown travellers passed
along The road by the Benders tavern.
and undoubtedly many OF them were
begulled into the place and killed for
their money.
But the undoing " the Blenders COM
menced in the fall Of 1873, when DR..
William York. a prominent physician OF
Independence, disappeared. York was
also a member Of the state legislature
and had a great many friends. His horse
was found near the Bender place, and a
brother OF he doctor caused the report
TO be circulated ;hat the Blenders had
murdered him sor his money This
brother organized a searching party and
they made a rail on the Benders. but
were repulsed at the point OF shotguns.
The posses retired to get more help.
While they were away the Benders left.
Immediately all the citizens gave chase
10 the family they had so long suspected
Of murder but OF which they were now
quite certain. William C. Adkus. now
an expert accountant in the Fisher
building Of Chicago, but for years resi-
dent Of this city, now claims that the
Blenders were lynched He says that
certain persons follow ID them down the
verdlgris river into the Indian country
AMI lynchel the whole number. But
this story is denied by the Intimate
friends ~ DR.. York, who says that no
at,emp; vas made to follow the Ren-
defs. They disappeared from sight COM
petely however and after awhile the
story became generally accredited that
thsv had escaped to Colorado and were
living there under assumed names.
Governor Stanley, Of Kansas, has Is
sued warrants for the arrest OF four per-
sons living near For; Collins, Colo,
whom h. believes are the noted Bend
-Fs He has asked the Governor OF Col
,radJ 70 issue a requIsiiion for their re-
turn 90 The scene Of the crimes. The
warrants are issued az follows: For
John Bender, alias Charles Read"
Mr. Bender. alias Mrs. Read" John
Bender I-.. llias William Baker" and
Kat Bender. alias May Grant" alias
NAV Ayers"
Araough the officials Of this rounty
F.-- 50 sure .ha, the Benders had feen
lyorha. hey furnished money 10 four
deputy tarsaals to go to Fort Collins,
C..o. and bring back the suspects.
These four men are f. L. Burton
Co.. McFlrlind, @. F. Edwards and
Vs. a D-oa These men are cOnflnt
ras. .ove the right parties. They
h.' pa.., aiken while they were
p19rdag a- house % the Reads, near
Fort Colin. and sent It TO the sheriff
re..
T.a H..jars were betrayed by the
.ue.3. NJ Kate Bender whom, 1t
So m-. RED 20 poison. His name Is
F'arl "ers, and he sent word TO the
Office. a.re that his wife had given
lin Knockout drops last February
"ha7 te .nousel ner Of being the notori-
.ouE Ea Bender. He left her and st
once cam. 2, this place and gathered
"le1.a enough 20 convince Governor
7.an.-" "a ne notorious mur1erers lad
ben aa4..d Kate tried to escape when
She armed that officers were at Fort
Collins for her. She Is under survelli-
.taHkf Ton ID