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By William Fischer, Jr., December 18, 2011 | |
| | | 1. The Bloody Benders Marker | | |
Inscription.
Near here are the Bender Mounds, named for the infamous Bender family ~~ John, his wife, son, and daughter Kate ~~ who settled here in 1871. Kate soon gained notoriety as a self proclaimed healer and spiritualist. Secretly, the four made a living through murder and robbery.
Located on a main road, the Benders sold meals and supplies to travelers. Their murders were carried out by use of a canvas curtain that divided the house into two rooms. When a traveler was seated at the table, his head was outlined against the curtain. The victim was then dispatched from behind with a hammer, and the body was dropped into a basement pit, later to be buried in an orchard.
As more and more travelers disappeared, suspicion began to center on the Benders. They disappeared in the spring of 1873, shortly before inquisitive neighbors discovered the victims' bodies. 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. Some say they escaped, others that the were executed by a vengeful posse. Their story is unresolved, and remains one of the great unsolved mysteries of the old West.
Erected by Kansas State Historical Society and Kansas Department of Transportation. | | | | 
By William Fischer, Jr., December 18, 2011 | |
| | | 2. The Bloody Benders Marker | | Rest area comfort station in background | | |
Location. 37° 20.932′ N, 95° 31.668′ W. Marker is in Morehead, Kansas, in Montgomery County. Click for map. Marker is on the grounds of the rest area located northeast of the intersection of US Highways 189 and 400, about three miles south of Morehead. Marker is in this post office area: Cherryvale KS 67335, United States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, as the crow flies. Cherryvale War Memorial (approx. 5.3 miles away); Carnegie Free Library (approx. 5.7 miles away); Frank E. Bellamy (approx. 6 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 6 miles away); Actual Site of Norman No. 1 (approx. 9.2 miles away); Norman No. 1 (approx. 9.3 miles away); Sgt Mike Ritter (approx. 9.6 miles away); Brown Hotel (approx. 9.7 miles away).
Also see . . .
1. Kate Bender. (Submitted on February 24, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Fort Scott, Kansas.)
2. Bender Knife. (Submitted on February 24, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Fort Scott, Kansas.)
Credits. This page originally submitted on February 24, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Fort Scott, Kansas. This page has been viewed 338 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 24, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Fort Scott, Kansas.
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