The Detroit times., 1908-07-14

out. cut one OF the horses loose. the
one said TO have been given her by
her wooer. and sped away on II.
Her horse seemed to be getting away
from US and we shouted 10 her that
II she did not stop we would fire.
she paid no attention, and one OF
our party, taking a desperate chance.
shot her horse under her. II rolled
over oil her and before she could ex.
tricate herself we overlook her.
I'VE dismounted and went toward
her. expecting 70 help her and with
no thought OF trouble But, my grief,
how she did fight! She fought tooth
and nail like a tigress and We had TO
handle her like buckling broncho
At last she was firmly tied, hand and
foot. and thrown over the front OF the
saddle OF one OF the men.
A Terrible Scene.
We decided 10 bury the bodies on
the spot and built a fire 10 work by.
shall never forget the terrible scene
that that fire illuminated. Kate Ben
der stood between two OF the men
sullehy watching the proceedings.
Her hair, loosened in her race for
freedom. fell IN auburn waves below
her waist. Though her clothes. torn
TO rags in her struggle. her shapely
arms and shoulders showed. She was
pale. but seemed not In the least
daunted by the CHASTITY sight OF her
family and our eomrade lying in a
blody row.
At last she said she would make
a clear breast OF the whole affair II
We would unite her hands and feet.
But after this request was granted
she threw herself down on the prairie
and refused 10 speak. We threatened
to tie her UP again, and she told her
tale.
"She calmly admitted that they had
killed DR.. York and many others.
burying their bodies in the orchard.
She spoke in a quiet, unconcerned
way that made us doubt at first, and
later, as we became convinced OF the
truth Of what she said. draw away
from her in horror
"She explained how the victim was
seated at the right spot on the bench
with his back TO the partition OF
cloth; how the light was arranged TO
throw the shadow OF his head in clear
relief so that the spot 10 strike could
be marked by the murderer In the
other room; how John had the job
Of striking the victim on the head
with an ak, crushing his skull, and
how she wound jump at the victim as
John struck, TO finish the job by cut.
ting his throat.
I'VE asked her why she had done II.
asking why some Of the people who
were known 10 have no money had
been killed.
Il liked to see the blood come"
she answered calmly.
A Desperate Chance.
AS she talked thought OF the
time | had sat at her invitation on
that fatal bench. and the gooseflesh
came all over me. The others were
as absorbed as !. when she turned
suddenly with wonderful agility,
snatched the gun from the belt OF
her neighbor and fired at him point
blank. The bullet buried itself in hi,
arm.
Before she could make another
move a bullet whizzed through the
ali ITOIu tue OppOSitc sue III luc Sih-
tankment and struck her square In
the eyes. With groan she pitched
forward into the grave across the
bodies OF her father mother and
brother.
I'VE burned every trace OF them
and made a compact not TO reveal the
rames OF the vigilantes. nor the fate
OF the Benders.
I'VE returned TO the house and ex-
cavated In places where traces OF clay
showed on top OF the black loan sol,
OF the orchard. We turned up the
body OF Langchor and his 7year-old
daughter The body OF the man, as
In all other cases, was naked. but the
arms of the little girl we're tightly
clasped around the neck and in her
hands were clutched handsful Of clay.
that she had been alive when
buried.
I'VE then notified Senator York and
200 men were on the place the next
day. We allowed the story 10 circu-
late that the Benders had gotten
away some time before