The Detroit times., 1908-07-13
BEN DER FAMILI's
FATE TOLD AFTER
IS YEARS
DYING CHICAGO BUSINESS MAN.
SAYS He Is ONE OF vlGiLANTES
WHO KILLED ARcH-MuRDER.
ERs ON PRAIRIE.

| NAhiNAOOs July 10 nat Inc III
famous Bender family. OF Kansas. who
like Mrs. Belle Guinness. murdered
their guests al their lonely home anC
buried their bodies on the place. me
their fate at the hands OF a vigilantes
committee while fleeing over the prair
lie from Cherrydale. at last has beeom,
known. after 35 years OF wonder a
TO their disappearance
IL has remained for a dying man
who was one OF the vigilantes whs
shot the four ghouls. TO tell the story
This man has been living the life o
a respected business man In a Chicago
suburb. but felt impelled 10 impart hi.
secret as he lay on his deathbed. HI,
silence through the long years he ex
planned by saying that the vigilantei
had pledged one another TO secrecy
Here Is portion OF his amazing story
Il had been trailing man after man
who had disappeared In the last few
months and knew they had all been
seen for the last time within Q few
miles OF the Bender farm.
II had visited them before, but
decided to make another attempt 10
solve the mystery and soon dropped
In on them. A more desolate scene
could hardly be conceived. Except
for their shanty. their little stone sta.
BILE. their pretense at an orchard, and
the few willows that bordered the
creek. the prairie as far as could be
seen In any direction was unbroken
by tree. house. man or animal.
"A door cut In the partition led over
trapdoor In the floor to the rear
room. which served both as kitchen
and bedroom. II was In this room
that the side windows were so that
the murderer could look In both d.
rections just before delivering the IA
tai blow through the partition against
which the victims were decoyed 10 sit.
When l entered the two chairs
were occupied by the old folks SO that
had TO take q seat on the bench.
Old man Bender was 60 years old. APP
parently once OF massive build. but
bent almost double with age and
rheumatism. He had shifty small
black eyes and gray hair and beard.
He understood English. but spoke lit
tie but his native German.
Kate Liked the Occult.
Kate posed as medium. and It
wac her reputation In this regard that
made so many people certain that. no
matter what happened to the rest Of
the Benders. she got away II was
this that made people all over the
country insist that she and Mrs. Gun.
ness were identical She used to
claim that she was controlled by the
spirit OF an Indian princess.
II stayed but short time. and was
unable In any way to confirm my sus-
picions. There had been gossip ever
since the Benders came to that part
OF the country about their apparently
contradictory poverty and wealth.
Il dropped In again and found ev-
erything as before. John was away,
as before. and never did have the
pleasure OF meeting that member Of
the family. Kate talked with me. at
first with reserve and later with ami
nation, discussing city and country
life, spiritualism, and other things.
"A third time called. and this time
there was a decided. though indescrib-
able change In their demeanor toward
me. Kate was hospitable. but the air
Of the old folks betrayed suspicion.
and their glances were anything but
friendly. started to sit In a chair,
but was asked to sit on the bench.
had no suspicion about the bench then.
but did feel mighty uncomfortable.
made my visit brief and felt good
when I was out OF there.
His suspieions Confirmed.
When we'll out OF sight / stopped
and waited for night. When I thought
II was safe began to approach the
house. following the creek. John rode
up as stationed myself as near the
house as dared and he and Kate
held an animated conversation In the
back yard near the pump. I could
hear them. but as they spoke In Ger
man could not understand.
she returned to the house and
presently the light went out I felt
like leaving my uncomfortable posi-
ton. but as had about given up hope
OF anything happening Kate and John
came from the house with q bundle
and a lantern They came straight
toward me and tell you didn't feel
good Tho orchard was between us
and they stopped IN the middle OF II.
There they buried the bundle, which
afterward learned consisted OF
clothes Of their victims. which would
have been discriminating evidence In
case of a search.
After they had made several trips
and all was quiet ! left my retreat
and fastened to Cherryvale. deter
mined to act. I informed four other
vigilantes on whom I could depend
and we organized as a committee OF
Ave.
We glanced over the place and
found they evidently had made up
their minds 10 move In a hurry. This
gave us the idea that they must have
been informed Of our approach and
must, therefore, have confederates.
This Influenced us after all was over
TO keep secret what we had done. They
had left much OF their stun and In
the stable was a calf tied up and evil
IDENTIFY unfed or watered through the
day.
The night was dark and we feared
that they might escape US. bur our
luck was good. We sighted them
racing as fast as they could over the
prairie. and shouted TO them. The
moon had risen. but frequently was
obscured by the heavy clouds. and the
riding was anything but good As
soon as we shouted they opened fire
on us and this determined our course
we set our horses going at break
neck speed and the bullets few fast
from both sides The bad light and
the rough going over the hilly prairie
made aiming almost impossible. but
we were overtaking them rapidly when
shot from the wagon struck one OF