Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-07-29

The Benders returned the goods she
had left and he considered the mat
| ter no further. But had been trail
ing man after man who had dlsap-
| peared in the last few months and I
knew they had all been seen Tor the
last time within a few miles of the
Bender farm. and the woman's story
convinced me there was something
wrong there.
shanty in oesoIate Place.
4 had visited them before. but /
decided to make cn1.her attempt 20
solve the mystery al soon dropped
IN on them. A more desolate seen :
could hardly be conceived. Except
for their shanty, their little stone
stable, 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.
Over the door of the house swung
a board sign bearing the word Cru
oeries, There was a window in each
side of the house from which a tray
eleg could be seen approaching III
either direction and window in the
front of the house next the door.
The building was about Ikea feet,
divided by a cloth partition. In the
front part were few shelves bear
ing glass jars of candy, crackers,
| do, fau5 +obon.o o,S q Co. -.
things to bear out their pretense OF
running a grocery store, a table,
stove a few chairs, and the famous
bench between the stove and the can
vas partition on which the victims,
as was afterwards learned. were
seated when they were killed
Trap Door for the Victims.
"A door cut in the partition led over
trap door in the floor 10 the rear
room, which served both as kitchen
and bedroom. 1t was in this room
that the side windows were so that
the side murderer could look in both
directions just before delivering the
fatal blow through the partition.
| when l entered the TWO chairs
We're occupied by the old folks so
that / had to take a seat on the
bench. Old man Bender was go years
old. apparently once of MASSIVE
build, bit bent almost double with age
and rheumatism. He had shifty small
black eyes snd gray hair and beard.
He understood English, but spoke lit
tie nut MS native German. / asked
for a drink OF water and he called
in German to Kate, who was IN thu
kitchen. and she soon appeared with
q large gourd of water.
She was . slender, medium sized
girl with lot of wavy aubu IL hair,
fresh complexion. frank BIZ. eyes. \
pleasant manner ana distinctly city
air She had low voice and spoke
without an accent, though with an
utter disregard for grammar. no,
ticed especially that her hands and
arms were particularly well shaped,
and that on her fingers she wore
several rings, apparently valuable.
and like herself entirely out Of keep
ing with her surroundings.
Girl Poses as Medium.
Kate posed as a medium, and il
was her reputation in this regard
] that made so many people certain
that, no matter what happened to the
rest OF the Blenders, she got away.
1t was this that made people all ovei
the country insist that she and Mrs.
Guinness were identical. She used 70
claim that she was Controlled by
the spirit Of an Indian princess. She
made frequent trips to Kansas City
and ST. Louis. often remaining two or
three weeks at a time, and brougn;
back clothes such as no other girls
in the country possessed. She haa
been engaged to be married TO
young man who came to see her once
in while from another part of the
country and had presented her with
fine horse. 1t was rumored how
ever, that they had quar- eled and
that the engagement was off
Il staid but a short time, and was
unable in any way to confirm my sus-
picions. There had been gossip ever
stree the Blenders came to that part
of the country. about their apparently
contradictory poverty and wealth.
They lived miserably, did but an in
significant business in their store,
and neither raised cattle nor farmed
enough to support a child. StiH they
always seemed to have plenty OF mon
ey. But the old age and apparent
Responsibility of the old folks and
Hates fascination and supposed vir-
tue warded oq suspicion.
Suspicion Grows Stronger.
I 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, al
first with reserve and later with ami
ma ION, discussing city and country
life, spiritualism. and other things /
disagreed with her On a number OF
)ints and when | did so her eyes
flashed and an expression came into
her face that gave a fellow a sort OF
eraao5- feeling 7 tagau II, understand