Catch up here! This went on for years until they killed someone related to a Civil War hero and a senator. Just after the Civil War ended, the United States government moved the Osage Indians from Labette County in southeast Kansas to the new Indian Territory in what would later become the state of Oklahoma. She also claimed to possess psychic powers, including communicating with the dead. [1][2][3], The area was already widely known for "horse thieves and villains, and vigilance committees often "arrested" some for the disappearances, only for them to be later released by the authorities. I wouldn't have imagined a crazier hotel story other than H H Holmes and The Murder Castle. Franks father, Jesse P. Smalley, and several men were joking with a local judge, teasing him about his missing ear. Bloody Benders - The Forgotten Story of a Family of Pioneer Kansas Serial Killers By: Justin Nobel | Date: Sat, November 16th, 2013 The Bender family lived in southeastern Kansas and murdered pioneers headed west during the late 1800s. After the Benders escape, one detective, who had closely followed all the leads, said that he had traced Gebhardt to the outlaw country along the Texas/New Mexico border, where he had found that the criminal had died of apoplexy. [5], Three days after the township meeting, Billy Tole was driving cattle past the Bender property when he noticed that the inn was abandoned and the farm animals were unfed. The only thing remaining an empty hole that had once been the cellar. Kate was a self-proclaimed healer and psychic, gave lectures on spiritualism, and conducted sances. Though most were led to believe John and Kate were sister and brother, others said that they sometimes passed as man and wife. Fixed: Release in which this issue/RFE has been fixed.The release containing this fix may be available for download as an Early Access Release or a General Availability Release. The violence at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999 was the watershed event which led to the creation of our current day active shooter response programs. why i quit civil engineering; goo goo gaga family net worth; how to make homemade biscuits without baking powder; This unnamed man was one of the many who made the mistake of stopping at the Bender Inn. Cherryvale, Kansas Museum Press J to jump to the feed. Born July 30, 1848," "John Gebhardt came to America on July 1 18? An American Indian legend claimed any twister approaching Topeka from the southwest would have its tail clipped off by Burnett's Mound, a sacred burial ground. The breastbone had been driven in. [2], Two men who had traveled to the inn to experience Kate Bender's psychic powers stayed for dinner, but had refused to sit at the table next to the cloth, instead preferring to eat their meal at the main shop counter. On May 17th, Governor Thomas Osborn added to that amount by offering a $2,000 reward for the apprehension of all four. His habit of laughing aimlessly led to him being described as a half-wit, though many afterward believed this was simply a ruse to disguise his clever nature. They buried their victims in a neighboring orchard, unbeknownst to the townspeople. Rabbi would not have been one of the Mellons.). John Bender, Jr. was actually a man named John Gebhardt. Elvira was rumored to have murdered several husbands, but none of these rumors was ever proven. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. The probing continued until midnight, with another nine suspected grave sites marked before the men were satisfied they had found them all and retired for the night. The petite auburn-haired beauty desired notoriety and often advocated free love and justification for murder in her lectures. However, as more time passed, the disappearances became more frequent, and by the spring of 1873, the region had become strife with rumors, and travelers began to avoid the trail. Though most of us know of Dodge Citys wicked ways, the deadly gunfight of the Daltons in Coffeyville, and the many outlaws and gunfighters who spent time in the Sunflower State, few are aware of a family of mass murderers, living a supposed quiet life near the small town of Cherryvale. Standing over six feet tall, John was a giant of a man who, because of his piercing black eyes set deeply under huge bushy brows, earned him the nickname of old beetle-browed John. His ruddy face, mostly covered by a heavy beard, sullen expression, and long hair often led to him being described as a wild and wooly-looking man.. Another group claimed they had caught the Benders while escaping to the south and lynched them before throwing their bodies into the Verdigris River. [1], One detective later claimed that he had traced the pair to the border, where he had found that JohnJr. had died of apoplexy. The notorious "Bloody Benders" were a German immigrant family who owned both a general store and small inn in the early 1870s in Labette County. The Bloody Benders - Serial Killers of Kansas Bender Mounds, Kansas by Kathy Alexander. In 1967, three of the Bender hammers were gifted to the museum by the Dick family. 11) December 1872: Red Smith. According to the Pittsburgh Dispatch, the daughter of one of the Benders' victims, Mrs. Frances E. McCann, had reported the pair to authorities in early October after tracking them down. The plaque was created for the show. In the end, it was Kate who was primarily blamed for the numerous bloody murders that, even at her young age, was the inspiration for the crimes. It was a story about the infamous Benders and about one man who got away. Located on a main road, the Benders sold meals and supplies to travelers. On October 31, 1889, it was reported that a Mrs. Almira Monroe (a.k.a. While the two women were certainly criminals and liars, as their own defense attorney admitted, the charges were weak and many people doubted their identification as the Benders. It is conjectured[by whom?] Yes it was. If you live in that town in Kansas today, oh yeah you know about it. sdsu basketball recruiting 2021vice president internal student council. was harry hibbs married; waterloo central railway wedding. Guess well have to wait to find out . "[20][21] Some have cast doubt on the story, saying that Laura would have been only 4 when her family moved away from the area, and that the Benders were exposed in 1873, two years after the Ingalls family left. While popular retelling of the story holds that John Jr. and Kate were siblings, contemporary newspapers reported . Though the tales of what happened to the Benders can only be speculated as to their accuracy, the fact that ten bodies were found on the property is not disputed. Colonel York agreed that this was possible and remained for dinner. [18] The hammers were displayed at the Bender Museum in Cherryvale, Kansas from 1967 to 1978, when the site was acquired for a fire station. but many still live in fear of their bloody hammer. , Near here are the Bender Mounds, named for the infamous Bender family ~~ John, his wife, son, and daughter Kate ~~ who settled here in 1871. The next day, Rabbi goes back to the appliance store and recovers his remaining cash from the brothers at gunpoint. Keeping mostly to themselves, the Benders appeared to simply be struggling homesteaders who worked hard to earn their living like the other area pioneers. The family quickly ran away in the middle of the night never to be seen. He returns his attention to Rabbi, who has noticed something behind the Italian: a bona fide Wizard of Oz tornado. ia904708.us.archive.org 'Bloody Benders' property goes up for sale in Kansas | CNN Subreddit for the FX original TV series, Fargo. State Senator Alexander York offered a $1,000 ($22,619 as of 2023) reward for the family's arrest. Benders Mounds Cemetery in Kansas - Find a Grave Cemetery Serial killer music is a genre unto itself. While there is no definitive number, estimates report that the Benders killed at least a dozen travelers before their crimes were discovered. York had two brothers: Ed York living in Fort Scott, and Colonel Alexander M. York, a Civil War veteran, lawyer, and member of the Kansas State Senate from Independence who, in November 1872, had been instrumental in exposing U.S. As they make their way up to the top floor, they peer in the open rooms of the other tenants. They buried their victims in a neighboring orchard, unbeknownst to the townspeople. Relocating to Independence from, 7) December 1872: Johnny Boyle. I used to have their Dahmer album way back. In Rabbis absence, Satchel discovers a Jack Russel terrier hiding in the wardrobe in his room. The Benders are believed to have killed about a dozen people, including one child., Although stories abound, the ultimate fate of the murderous Bender family is uncertain. In retaliation, the vigilantes killed all of the members of the Bender family, buried them where they died, and took the wagon to town, where they left it. 2014. A roadside sign now marks their murderous exploits. THE KANSAS MURDER TRILOGY by Melvin Litton offers three stand-alone novels that spring from the heartland and mark three pivotal moments in our nation's life: the fall of Saigon and the loss of faith in the post-war construct, 1975; the brink of the Space Age and Civil Rights era, 1960; and the Great Depression, 1934. the mellon family kansas. Speaking English fluently with a German accent, he was said to have been social, but he was prone to laughing aimlessly, which led many people to think of him as a half-wit. $38 (2023: $860) and a wagon with a team of horses missing. The museum remained a popular tourist destination until it closed in 1978 when a fire station was built. It would make for a fun season of the show that's for sure. One arm was broken. Allegedly, while working at the Bender Inn, she earned her keep as a prostitute, adding an additional amount to the travelers bill for the privilege of laying with her. what happened to johnny rodriguez country singer They were never caugnt. It says this home used to be run by the infamous Mellon Family, who lured travelers in before killing them with a hammer. ", "Young Bender, seen when excited, recalled the grave-robbing hyena at once to mind. Benders Mounds Cemetery Labette County , Kansas , USA - *Estimated location First Name Middle Name Last Name (s) Search this cemetery More search options Search tips About Photos 0 Map About No location information available Add Location Cemetery ID: 2728705 Members have Contributed 6 Memorials 100% photographed William Pickering said that when he had refused to sit near the wagon cloth because of the stains on it, Kate Bender had threatened him with a knife, whereupon he fled the premises. Discover something new every day from News, Sports, Finance, Entertainment and more! As the haunting legend continued, people began to say that Kate Bender had returned to the property, doomed to roam the very land where she had committed so many atrocities. The group is believed to be one of the first serial killer families in America. This tugs his heartstrings, inspiring him to leave the boardinghouse in search of some kind of birthday treat for his ward. 6) December 1872: Henry McKenzie. The Bender artifacts were eventually given to the Cherryvale Museum, where they remain in a wall-mounted display case. After opening the trap, the party found clotted blood on the floor of the empty room underneath, 6 feet (1.8m) deep and 7 feet (2.1m) square at the top by 3 feet (0.9m) square at the bottom. Satchel asks to keep Rabbit, and Rabbi refuses until he learns that its the boys birthday. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2022 with funding from Kahle/Austin Foundation https://archive.org/details/washingtonhistor0014unse The CAashington Historical . mellon mounds kansas murders. sdsu basketball recruiting 2021 - boztepeyapi.net The "Bloody Benders" were a German family of four that settled a claim in southeastern Kansas in Labette County. Mrs. Bender, a heavyset woman, was so unfriendly and had such sinister eyes that her neighbors began to call her a she-devil. To add to her fierce look, Ma Bender claimed to be a medium who could speak with the dead and boiled herbs and roots that she declared could be used to cast charms or wicked spells. The body of a young girl was found with no injuries sufficient to cause death. 1619) December 1872: During the search, the bodies of four unidentified males were found in Drum Creek and the surrounds. Though her beauty and social skills gained popularity with the locals, her actions began to cause them to say she was satanic. It was to be this diminutive Bender family member that would take most of the blame for what was soon to be found out about this infamous family. Mrs. Almira Griffith) and Mrs. Sarah Eliza Davis had been arrested in Niles, Michigan (often misreported as Detroit) several weeks earlier for larceny. They purchased tickets on the northbound Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston Train to Humboldt. In the end, the artifacts, including the hammers, photos, and newspaper clippings, were placed in the Cherryvale Museum and can still be seen today at 215 East 4th Street. Historical Weather. 2023 Geek Girl Authority. More gruesomely, though the little girls body was found to have multiple injuries, none of them would have caused death, and it was speculated that the poor lass may have been buried alive. Hey babe, nice melon mounds. She is fun enough. The little store carried a few supplies such as powder, shot, groceries, liquor, and tobacco, sold meals, and provided a safe overnight resting place to the strangers along the road. It takes an English sentence and breaks it into words to determine if it is a phrase or a clause. One vigilante group claimed to have shot down the men and Ma Bender and burned Kate alive as the witch they believed her to be. $2,000 (2023: $45,239) missing. John and his raw-boned wife spoke with such guttural accents that few people could understand them. A decade after the gruesome killings, nothing was left of the cabin and outbuildings on the property. And everything is in color! John Bender, Jr. was a tall, slender man of about 25 who was handsome with auburn hair and a mustache. So provocative was the Bender family tale that the Bender Museum was created in Cherryvale in 1961. Menu Finally, the men physically moved the entire cabin to the side and began to search beneath, but no bodies were found there either. As word of the grisly murders spread, more and more travelers came forward to tell their own stories of a narrow escape, including one gentleman named William Pickering. [citation needed], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}372056N 952910W / 37.349N 95.486W / 37.349; -95.486, According to one of the myths that has grown around the murders, after dinner, Colonel York was sitting in the front room when he noticed a gold, List of fugitives from justice who disappeared, List of serial killers in the United States, "The Bloody Benders Serial Killers of Kansas", "The Bloody Benders, Kansas, ca. Cherryvale, Kansas The burial site was christened Hells Half-Acre, and another brother of Dr. York, a lawyer and State Senator residing in Independence offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the Bender familys arrest. The parts did not belong to any of the other victims found and are believed to belong to at least three additional victims. At her hearing, Mrs. Monroe denied any knowledge of Shearer or the manslaughter charge and remained incarcerated with her daughter. Of the family, Pa Bender was found to have been a man named John Flickinger, from either Germany or Holland. "[8] A Roman Catholic prayer book was found in the house with notes inside written in German, which were later translated. As they break for a Coke, Calamita arrives. Calamita notices him and shoots twice out the window. McCrotty, and John Geary, as well as an unidentified male and female. (In case you wondered after reading that, like I did, what year The Mulligan Concern arrived in Kansas City, it was 1920. Inside the wooden cabin, the area was partitioned with a large canvas, creating living quarters in the back and a small inn and store in the front. She watches (and recaps) a lot of TV, sees every Marvel movie on opening night and reads voraciously. mellon mounds kansas murders. All four had crushed skulls and throats cut. [5], Detectives following wagon tracks discovered the Benders' wagon, abandoned with a starving team of horses with one of the mares lame, just outside the city limits of Thayer, 12mi (19km) north of the inn. Despite the lack of identification, the man's skull was displayed as that of "Pa Bender" in a Salmon saloon until Prohibition forced its closure in 1920 and the skull disappeared. The captive makes a run for it, and Omie shoots him dead and drags his body out of sight. The real one reads as follows: Near here are the Bender Mounds, named for the infamous Bender family--John, his wife, son, and daughter Kate--who settled here in 1871. CHERRYVALE The chain of low hills known as the Bender Mounds extends in a diagonal seven miles northeast of here, islands of limestone and scrubby trees over level fields where this time of year soybeans have just been harvested. Afterward, she reportedly remarried several times, killing those husbands and three of her older children so they could not testify against her.