The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-25
KANSAS BENDER FAMILY
SUSPECTS IN COLORADO KNOWN AS
"AYREs- AND ..BAKER.,
One of the Women Said to Have Been
by N Camper, who Said,
"Why, You're Kate Bender"

DENVER, Col, July 2i.-The persons al
legged to be members of the Bender family
for whom. according TO a dispatch from
Topeka, Governor Stanley, Of Kansas, has
issued requisition papers on Governor Or
man, of Colorado, are Mrs. Frank Ayres
and her mother. known as Mrs. Reed in
Fort Collins, where they reside, and VIII
Baker. of Longmont. Mrs. Ayres was
formerly the wife of Charles Lamont. who
is serving a fourteen-year term in prison
for criminal assault. After she secured a
divorce from Lamont she married Frank
Ayres and they lived In adjoining ranches
near Manhattan, a mining camp forty
miles from Fort Collins. Two years ago a
family from Kansas named Maddox 60
ing through that portion of Colorado in
prairie schooners, camped at Ayres's place.
Mrs. MADDOX is said TO have exclaimed
on coming face to face with Mrs. Ayres;
why, you're Kate Bender"
The exclamation was made in the pres
ence of Ayres. who later went to kansas,
Disgusting himself as a woman, so that his
wife could not trace him, n at Clerry-
vale told the officers OF his suspicious re-
gardinG his wife's family. he declares tnat
Mrs. Reed is in reality Mrs. Bencer ana
that she has separated from her husband,
who is living in Utah. and that VIII Baker
Is young Bender. Mrs. Ayres denies mat
she is Kate Bender and declares she VIII
prove an alibi. She is about nifty years OF
age. Governor Orrnan is out OF the city.
but his private secretary says the reQuisi-
ton papers mentioned in the topeka dlS-
patch have not yet been received.
The Blenders were squatters on land IN
the western part of Labett county, Kansas,
which was claimed by rival railway com
panies. The family lived apart from their
neighbors, and consisted of one old man,
his wife and a son and daughter Kate.
nhav liant . vvoNCidn inn with "A saloon at
tachment, ten miles west of Galesburg.
Here travellers often put up for the night,
and il was usually the case that they took
lodging for eternity. At any rate, the doom
of travellers was sealed the momenr they
crossed the Benders' threshold, and so nu-
merous became the disappearances that in
-Vestigdtion followed, and a series OF bloody
crimes for gain were unearthed, winch
stand without a rival in criminal history.
The scheme of the family was an ingeni-
Gus one. When they saw a traveller APP
preaching some member of the family
would stray out and busy himself about
the roadside, and, as the traveller drew
near, would accost him in a pleasant man
ner. and if the time was anywhere near
nightfall, would assure the traveller that he
could not reach his destination and had
better stop and remain over night.
The house was. admirably and purposely
arranged for the double purpose Of rob-
berry and murder. The front room was
separated from the back by a thin curtain.
similar TO that placed over folding doors.
When a man entered whom the family pro-
pOSeQ 10 ROD ne was invited 10 take a seat
with his back to the curtain. Sometimes
several travellers arrived together at the
wayside inn. Then an equal number of
members of the family, eager for blood and
booty. concealed themselves behind the
curtain, and, each selecting "A victim, would
wait the given signal and opportune mo-
ment TO brain the unsuspecting guest.
Eleven bodies were dug up on the place
after the community became aroused and
drove the Blenders out. The house was
equipped with a death trap which let VIC
TINS fall into the cellar.
The murder which drove the Blenders to
fight was the killing of DIR. William York
OF independence, in 1913. FORKS brother
headed a searching party. which made
things so warm for the family that they
left the country.