Year: 1873

The Kansas Murders-A Her-


ribIe Chapter OF Crime.


In little frontier settlement in
Labette ecounty, Southeastern Kansas,
numerous disappearanees of persons
visiting that district had occurred
from time to time with no one the
wiser. Finally, aboatuthe middle of
last. March, DR.. Yerksasg brother of
Senator York of Pomeroy bribery
fame,-also was missed, and Senator
York at once organized 81 party for
the purpose of institutiags vigorous
search for some trace of bis wherea-
bouts and fate. On the route be
tween Independence gaand Usage
Mission, which Dr.. York was known
to have taken, and about, midway be-
tween Drum creek and Big Hill, IL, o
dismal expanse of prairie-land, the
securing party came upon q house, q
sort of eating-house and grocery
store combined, known thereaboit as
the 'Shalfway house" where travellers
usually halted for luncheon. The
house waa kept by family of four
named Bender-two women, mother
and daughter, so-called, and two men,
father and son, so-called, both
couples of whom were supposed to be
married. Directly the object of the
search was known, the young woman,
who was a professional spiritualistic
medium, suggested an appointment
with Senator York, when she would
reveal through the aid of the spirit
world, the manner of the sudden dis
appearance of his brother Decin-
ing the kind offers of the Bender
family, the party advanced for several
days, but were finally compelled to
return without the slightest clue to
the fate of the missing York


Senator York them employed a de
tective named Beers to make a vigor-
Gus search and leave undone no effort
in the Investigation. By some means
the attention of the detective was at
tracted to the Bender house, which
upon approach was found deserted.
Beers entered the house, and lifting
q trap door in the floor, was almost
stifed by the putrid strench of decay
ing bodies which came rushing
through the opening. At the back
of the house piece of ground had
been recently plowed over, and to
this Beers notice was next drawn.
Observing spot which appeared as
though earth had been thrown up, he
plunged a wagon rod into the ground
to a depth of about four feet, which
pierced what was believed to be
human body. Here he-set his men to-
dig; and body was found which
afterwards was identified as that of
Dr. York. Thus alarmed, q search
was made for others, and nine bodies
were discovered in a very short space
of time, several of which were iden-
titled as those of persons who had
mysteriously disappeared during
few months past. It was noticed
that a regular system of interment
had been employed, each body being
buried by a tree, which was then
pruned in manner to indicate it's
place of rest; it was also manifest
from the manner of arrangement that
it was intended to FIJI up the entire
patch of ground with corpses. Three
more bodies have been discovered,
making twelve in all, and the search
is still progressing, with what further
result it is impossible to s1lrrnise.


From the wounds on the heads of
all the bodies that have been unearth-
ed and the arrangement of the house,
I


the manner of death is plain. The
travellers were seated at table in the
back room, near which hung curtain
Some one behind this curtain struck
the victim on the head with some
kind of an instrument, who, was then
dragged to the fatal trap-door, his
throat cut, and the body dropped
into the cellar until it was dark
enough to bury it, This mark is OBJ
served on all the bodies save one
that of little girl who had accompa-
MED her father; and not a bruise
marring her delicate form, it is sup
posed that she was buried alive.


Many arrests, have been made of
supposed confederates of the Benders
along the road, but the Infamous
four have not yet been found. When
last heard from detective Beers had
traced them to st. Louis, and it is
probable that they may yet meet their
rich deserts. This is one of the most
cold-blooded crimes in all the records
of wickedness and death too in
tensely terrible, too cruelty shocking,
too inhumanly brutal, to be called
the work of anything less than de-
mons.-[ [Ex.


The Secretary of War has concurr-
ed in the recommendation of the