Year: 1873

Inc IeC6ut lSNcldtlOuo III tS6oLo "
the atrocious murders committed by
the Bender family in Kansas will prob'
ably recall to the minds Of some Of the
older citizens Of our sister city OF Char
lesion similar series of murders that
occurred near that place more than a
half century ago. In that day trav>
elers did not enjoy the facilities of rail-
road transportation, and in consequence
there were many little wsyside inRs
scattered along the public highways,
some adjacent to the cities and others
more remote. Such an inn was kept a
few miles from Charleston. Being
near the city it was quite common for
travellers, going or returning. to stop
for rest and refreshments. 1t was kept
by two people, a man and his wife, who
were counted to be honest and withal
very prosperous persons. Their hostels
ry was convenient to the travelling pub
lie and therefore popular. Occasional
ly a traveller would suddenly disappear
10 very mysterious and unaccounta-
bic manner, but no suspicion attached
to the hospitable inu-keeper and his
wife.


Matters went on thus for some time,
the mysterious disapperances mean
while becoming more and more frequent.
Fathers, cons and brothers going to or
from Charleston, would suddenly be
missing, and no possible clue to their
whereabouts could be obtained. Public
excitement, as may be supposed, WAS
wrought up to the highest pitch, until
finally there came a sudden and hor-
rible solution of the mystery.


One night-so tradition saith-a
belated traveller on his way TO Charles
ton stopped at the inn. Sitting at the
fire in the bar, slipping his toddy, it
suddenly occurred to him that the &C.
tons OF his host and hostess were some
what peculiar. The fate of other
travellers in that section probably made
his sense Of danger more than usually
acute, and he resolved to be eharply on
the alert. He was shown to his room
by his obliging host, and when the
steps of the latter died away on the
stairs, he made careful inspection OF
the surroundings He discovered, among
other things, that the bed upon which
he was expected to sleep was ingenious
ly fitted in slides 80 that it could be
lowered with ease to the ground floor
beneath. Other circumstances convinc-
ing him that he was in trap OF
some kind, he blew out his
light and patiently awaited de-
velopments. A little after mid
night he heard stealthy steps on the
stairs, and he Immediately put himself
in a position to defend himself. The
steps drew nearer and nearer, and
finally the door, which was guiltless OF
either lock or latch, was cautiously
opened, and the hospitable host stepped
in. The traveller felled him with a
chair aud made his escape to the city,
closely pursued by both man and wife
who followed him nearly to the city,
limits.


Information was at once conveyed to
the authorities, and guard was sent
out to the inn and the wretches arrest
ed. The investigation that followed
revealed pit below the room IN which
the traveller was 10 have rested. In this
pit were found the remains OF all who
had so mysteriously disappeared. The
spectacle was most ghastly one, and
the revelation Of such atrocity, that it
created, in that primitive day, much
more intense thrill OF horror all through
the country than the Bender butcher
les, and justice was swift in overtaking
the murderer and his accomplice.-.Sa-
,1n,oh (T1 Nf,rs