Year: 1873

While they were thus employed a
party arrived from Cherryvale, hav-


ing gained an inkling of what was
going on. Among the newcomers


was doctor who had been sent out


by Senator York.


The trench was lowered below the
level OF the bottom OF the grave and


the earth dug away carefully from the


ace and head oJ the body. Then the


detective, seeing thai from the condi-


lon of the corps, the utmost care


would be necessary i'll order to insure
recognition, told the doctor he must
detach the head from the trunk. 1t
was done, and having been carefully
cleaned, was lifted out and placed on
sheet brought from the house. The
countenance was exposed to view, and
in an instant the features of Dr. York
were recognized. Some of the men
there sat down and cried like chill
dren, others turned away sickened,
while with others the sight only
iuerved them to continue the search


While the detective was telling this
story to the Times re-
porter, he would stop as he came to
this horrible scene, at the finding OIL
DIR. York's body, aud seem to forget
the present and 60 back in his iInag-
inatiOn to that terrible morning of
the 5th of May. ~ .si. -.


The work went on, and other bod
les were found, until in all nine had
been unearthed when Beers left. In
every case, except that of the little
girl, the skull was broken in the back
of the head. The detective is of the
opinion that the murders were done
in the following manner: The par
ties either came or were enticed into
the house, where the young woman
engaged them i'll conversation; Tor
she had the reputation in all that part
OF the country of being good talker.
Then one of the men would strike the
visitor ON the back of the head, fell
ing him TO the floor, when the other
would strike him with heavier
sledge-like instrument. Then it would
be but the work of All instant to drag
the victim to the trap and cut his
throat. In every case except the child
these terrible wounds were found in
the back OF the head, and the throats
were gashed from ear to ear. Two
hammers were found in the house,
which had evidently been used in the
manner described. 5l 81 Lg- .5. ~


There was also something very pc.
culiar about the manner of burial
The graves were all from three to five
feet deep. The bodies were straight-
ened out, with the right had drawn
up and laid fiat upon the right breast.
The left arm and hand were stretched
straight beside the body. This, Mr..
Beers informed the reporter, has been
a pass sign between large gang OF
cut-throaLs and horse-thieves working
along the route from the Mission to
Independence. The news of the find
ing Of York's body spread like Wild
dire, and before night scores of men
fiocked to the place to aid in the
search. Among them came Ger
man wholly innocent of wrong, bun
because he happened to be OF the
same nationality as the Benders, the
crowd strung hiIn up three times to
make him confess, and finally dcsisted
upon Beers declaration that the man
was innocent. a7 t1a
About a year ago there was another
member of the Bender family, a
young man, but he all at once disap.
peared. The supposition is, that in
attempting TO dispose of some victim.
this Bender was either killed or NOR
tally wounded, and then secretly
buried. .feif ~ -1-1.s
OF the bodies found thus far nearly
all have been missed since last Octo-
Der. I'll. Longchor, one of the VIC
Tins, was farmer of Howard county.
He sold out his claim, and taking his
little girl, about eight years old, start
ed for Iowa with his team. The last
known OF him was when he camped
on Drum Greek. He could be traced
no further, and the finding of his
body in Bender's field with the re-
mains of his child, little way off,
only solved the mystery. A day or
two after Longchor was lost his team
was found about sixteen miles south
of the Bender place. 1t had evident
ly been driven there in great haste and
abandoned. At several points on the
line between the Bender place and the
spot where the team was found, sew
eral persons told of seeing the team
60 past at q furious rate, and on this
line were found at intervals the end
board of Longchor's wagon and his
guns, which had fallen out on the
hasty drive. The .Benders talked
boldly about this disappearance. and
linsinuated that the man must have
been shot down on Drum Creek.


w. f. Mccarthy, another of the VIC
Tins, was Howard county farmer.
He was formerly in the 123d Illinois
Infantry. He had had long dispute
with man who belonged to the Ben
der gang. The latter had taken him
away to have settlement, and he was
never seen afterward until his body
was unearthed. The supposition is
that he was enticed to Bender's and
murdered in the same manner as the
others.


b. f. Mckenzie was farmer from
Ohio, who was looking about Tor
lands. He had $1,000 or $1,000, and
disappeared as mysteriously as the
others. His body was found ALSO
Another man nmed Boyle, WHO start
ed from Independence to Mission
with $700 in his possession, was found
also. Two other bodies were identi-
fed, but the rest of the bodies were
not recognizable.


Nearly all the victims had teams or
saddle-horses. In Two instances the
wagons were found on the prairie,
and in one instance horse which had
been peculiarly marked was left with
the wagon. In the other cases the
horses were run off by some members
of the gang, and disappeared as mys-
teriously as their owners.


DR.. York, when he disappeared had
with him very fleet and valuable
roadster.


1t seems that after the visit of SEN
ator York and his party, the Benders
took the alarm. The next morning
the old mau plowed the field, and
shortly aiterward they hitched up and
drove to Thayer, station on the Cult
road, twenty or twenty-five miles
away, where they were not known,
arriving there in time to take a night
train. 1t seems that they stopped
little way out of town, Embarrassed
the horses and tied them to the wag-
on. Then leaving the dog with the