The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-08-08
Story Told the First Time bv
an indian Scout.
Members of the Noted Family We're All
Massacred-Tragedy Enacted on
the Banks of a Creek Bodies
and Wagon Burned
and Wagon Burned.

DeauWOOu, -. u, August II. Ie
Pierce, more familiarlv known as
Doe Pierce. one OF the oldest and
most reliable Indian scouts of the
Black hills, has given out a story
about the Bender family. of Kansas.
which goes to show that there is no
further need of the authorities search
ing for ME remains OF the family.
Pierce is a reliable man. and for the
first time he tells what he knows of
the case. He had friend in the 7Os
who was also we'll known in the Black
hills, and before the friend died he re-
lated to Pierce the Incidents relative
to the killing of all of the members of
the Bender family.
When the York family was killed
and the tragedy was traced to the
home of the Benders. Pierce friend
was among those from the city of
Cherryvale who went out to investi-
gate the conditions of things at the
Bender roadhouse. There were TWEEN
ty-four men in the party, one of 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 OF bullet holes. and dried blood
was on the mattress They found
the trap-door behind a 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 and commenced look
ing for the spot where the bodies had
been buried. A wagon rod was used
to probe the ground for a soft place,
and finally a spot was found that
was soft After digging down a short
ways the body of one of the York
children was found, and the cOntor-
tions of the face and body made it
look as though the child had been
buried alive. Fifteen bodies were
found by the party in the garden. in
cluding the Texas cattleman, who
was supposed to have been shot in
the west room.
The old buffalo man had been look
ing around for the trail of the fam
lily. which had been made its escape.
The trail of an old rickety wagon was
found. and the buffalo hunter follow
ed it up all day, and about nightfall
came upon the family, camped near
creek. The scout returned TO the
party of Cherryvale men and report
ed his find. They agreed upon going
back with the scout and exterminat-
ing 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 warning OF danger to the
DcuuSE peOple- IHc.h IhuIucdIdtCly
prepared for defense. The buffalo
hunter fired at long range at old man
Bender and hit him in the back. kill
ing 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 and piled the four dead bodies
in heap and burned them. adding
to the fire the wagon, harness and
the camp outfit. Everything that
would not burn was taken to the
creek bank and covered over with /!
dirt.
This is the story that Doc Pierce |
tells for the first time since his friend |
the facts to him, twenty |
years ago. The story that Kate
Bender came TO the Black hills sever
al years ago and made her residence |
in this city is not credited here. a
woman did come here about fifteen |
years ago that had some resemblance
to the famous Kate, so some of the |
old-timers say, but il is not believed |
that it was she.