It says this home used to be run by the infamous Mellon Family, who lured travelers in before killing them with a hammer. has gone unanswered for 38 years. 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. 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. Ma Bender and Kate would then rifle the body for money pushing him through the trap door into the hole below the cabin, where Kate would slit his throat. Meanwhile, Ma and Pa Bender continued on the train north to Kansas City where it was believed they transferred to a train headed to St. Louis. 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. Speaking to the Daily Mail , Charlie said: "To this day I can smell fear. After the Civil War, as pioneers began to head westward along the many trails through Kansas, murder and mayhem persisted as hardened men from the battlefields, grown used to the violence, continued their violent ways along the overland trails and in the many cow towns. Frank’s father, Jesse P. Smalley, along with several men were joking with a local judge, teasing him about his missing ear. Telling the story of his near-death, Jesse quickly retold it to a nearby doctor and judge, who formed a vigilante group to go after the Benders. In its first three days of opening, it attracted more than 2,000 visitors. 1855-1925 Kansas Census Indexes. John Bender, Sr. chose a 160-acre section on the western slopes of the mounds that today continue to bear their name. The death was originally ruled a car accident, but was later revisited after the body of Pastor Bird's lover's husband was found shot to death along a Geary County highway. The old Bender property was haunted, began to fly the rumors of the locals. A BANKING heir and cryptocurrency bigwig may have been murdered for his fortune, pals claim. In the spring of 1894, the victims’ bodies were discovered, sending the town into hysteria. He was caught 14 years later after resuming his correspondence with police because he had become irritated by a local newspaper story which suggested that people had forgotten 'BTK'. The attempted-murder charge accuses the four of shooting Roger Bluml in the head. During the night, the body would then be buried in the garden behind the house. But investigators and the man's family have not given up hope that someone, knows something. Ten bodies were found in the Bender’s apple orchard, including Dr. York and the people he had been searching for – Mr. Loncher and his daughter, just seven or eight years old. When the visitors stopped in for a meal, they were seated at a table with their back to the large canvas that separated the “inn” from the living quarters. Afterward, she reportedly remarried several times, killing those husbands too, as well as three of her older children so they could not testify against her. "It's a family tragedy," she said of the murders that remain unsolved today. He previously admitted having plans to kill an 11th victim, whom he said he planned to hang upside down in her home before he was caught. They then began to follow a wagon trail left by the Benders that took them down as far south as near Tulsa, Oklahoma before circling back into Kansas. A Background Of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Rise Up by Hank Willis Thomas, 2014, at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, via NBC News . Kansas had no death penalty at the time of the murders. Sickeningly, he gave himself the 'BTK' nickname, which became his infamous signature as he evaded police for more than three decades. Season four’s oddest episode, ‘East/West’ is as wild a departure as this series has ever attempted. Now aged 61, he still remembers the details from that horrific discovery. I have heard my grandfather tell of this story since I was a boy and Grandpa swears that this is the real story of what happened to the Benders. I could feel how they felt, the terrible pain and agony.". However, none of these tales were ever confirmed, nor bodies found, so most thought that the Benders had managed to escape. For all these deaths, the Benders gained only about $4,600, two teams of horses and wagons, a pony, and a saddle. The family soon built a small one-room framed cabin, a barn, corral, and dug a well. Yet another group claimed to have killed the Benders during a gunfight and buried their bodies on the prairie. The same animals sold for 10 to 20 times that amount in Kansas City. Though he reached Fort Scott unscathed and started to return to Independence about March 8th, he never reached home. (That the Mellon family was never caught, per the plaque, suggests a thread left dangling for a future season.) has gone unanswered for 38 years. On March 29, 1960, a jury of all men returned a verdict of guilty and recommended the death penalty. Radder, a Boy Scout leader, church president, and married father-of-two, murdered ten people in Wichita, Kansas between 1974 and 1991. Faculty of Theology. Somehow, he managed to escape, next appearing naked in the middle of the night at Jesse Smalley’s doorstep. Fred married Iantha Campbell on month day 1949, at age 34 at marriage place , Texas. From these depths allegedly came the souls of those murdered on the site, wandering about the property and making moaning sounds that could be heard by passersby. 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The discussion began regarding the ten people who were reported missing, including a well-known Independence physician named Dr. William H. York. The action takes place in Kansas City in the 1950s when an uneasy peace existed between men such as Dearborn and the long-established Italian mob family run … KANSAS CITY, Mo. In the spring of 1873, Dr. York took it upon himself to go looking for the Lonchers, stopping at the homesteads along the trail to ask questions. The mounted police came to my Great-Grandparents and took Kate back to Kansas for questioning but let her go.Kate was blind in one eye but it couldn’t be detected by looking at her and so was the woman that came to our area. 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.”. James R. Mellon was born on January 14, 1846. 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. Two months later, Starkweather killed Fugate's parents and sister before the couple set off on an eight-day killing spree that would claim seven additional lives. Required fields are marked *. In tonight's episode, there's a plaque at the Barton Arms, the hotel Rabbi and Satchel stay at. See more ideas about historical marker, kansas, historical. The “vacated” land was then made available to homesteaders, who, for the most part, were a group of hard-working pioneers farming the area’s softly rolling hills and windswept prairies. But investigators and the man's family have not given up hope that someone, knows something. When he refused to sit with his back to the canvas because of its disgusting stains, Pickering said that Kate Bender threatened him with a knife, at which point he fled the premises. Another group claimed they had caught the Benders while escaping to the south and lynched them before throwing their bodies into the Verdigris River. Both John and his raw-boned wife spoke with such guttural accents that few people could understand them. He financed Mellon Brothers Bank in Bismarck, ND. Caril Ann Fugate has always maintained that she was a captive and not a willing participant in any of the murders. Society bible Tatler has unveiled its pick of the real young New York socialites lighting up the social scene- just like Sex and the City's Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha. Prying it open, the men found a six-foot deep hole that was filled with clotted blood, causing the terrible odor. It was a story about the infamous Benders and about one man who got away. In 1870, five families of “spiritualists” settled in western Labette County, about seven miles northeast of where Cherryvale would be platted a year later. Melon is a delicious fruit packed with nutrition. His father, Judge Thomas Mellon, was the founder of Mellon Bank and patriarch to the Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My grandfather, who is approaching 80 years old, is always full of great stories but, he assured me that his father, who passed this on to him, knew of what really happened. Sometime later, Billy Tole, a neighbor of the Benders, noticed that the Bender Inn was abandoned and their farm animals unfed. His family was from the Cherryvale, Kansas area and the story involves a group of men that found the Benders and were in a gunfight with them, one of whom was a judge that lost part of his ear in the gun battle. My grandfather, who is approaching 80 years old, is always full of great stories but, he assured me that his father, who passed this on to him, knew of what really happened. They were also met by a terrible smell inside the abandoned inn. Karl was also married to a CHAMBERLAIN and a BUTLER. Though he allegedly committed suicide in 1884 in Lake Michigan, others believed that Ma and Kate murdered him because he had fled Cherryvale with all the cash and valuables they had taken from their victims. Even Kate, with her clairvoyant abilities, attempted to “search” for the missing doctor to throw any suspicion off herself. However, by the time the men arrived at the Benders’ cabin very early the next morning, they found the Benders gone. However, there were no bodies in the hole. Shortly thereafter, the family disappeared. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Alabama Kate Bender and her daughter Molly came to Smackout about 8 miles south of Seymour, Mo. Of the “family,” Pa Bender was actually found to have been a man named John Flickinger, from either Germany or Holland. A Kansas City family feels the search for their son's killer should be just an intense as the search for a missing baby. Charlie Otero was 15 years old when he discovered the murdered bodies of his family in Wichita, Kansas in 1974, Our free email newsletter sends you the biggest headlines from news, sport and showbiz. A Kansas City woman has been charged with murder after she fatally shot a man she believed killed her brother according to court documents. A Kansas man was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in federal prison for killing his girlfriend by strangling her and pushing her over a balcony on a cruise ship off the coast of Florida. One of those places was the Bender Inn. Like others, as he sat at the table, he was hit over the head. A man whose family were murdered by the notorious 'BTK' serial killer has revealed the one smell that still haunts him more than 45 years later. Today, there are Smalley descendants that continue to live in the Neodosha and Cherryvale area. The museum remained a popular tourist destination until it closed in 1978 when a fire station was built upon the site. Allegedly, the pair then fled to a tough outlaw colony along the border of Texas and New Mexico. 2014. — A Kansas City woman charged with murder carried out the deadly shooting because she believed the victim killed her brother, according to … When friends and family began to look for them, they could trace them as far as the Big Hill Country of southeast Kansas before they could find no trace of the lost traveler. Cherryvale Museum The Mellon family spent their winters in this home for over forty years. 21-year-old Tityana Coppage is facing a second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of 36-year-old Keith Lars according to KSHB. When most of the attendees volunteered to have their premises searched, the Benders remained silent. In the 19th century, Kansas was a bloody place, especially before the Civil War as “Free-Soilers ” and slavery advocates “duked” it out for control of the new territory. Word of the gruesome murders spread fast and thousands of people flocked to the site, including news reporters from as far away as New York and Chicago. Each listing includes a person's overall ranking, worth in millions, residence, source of wealth and age. See the latest arrests, mugshots and info on local jails and prisons. Cherryvale, Kansas The diggers were astounded to find what would become known as one of America’s first mass murder burial grounds as body after body was uncovered. The question: 'who killed James Adamski?' Fact or fiction, no one really knows, but, I’ve always enjoyed the tale and hope you will as well. Charlie Otero, then 15, discovered his family strangled and bound at their home on a snowy day in January 1974. John Bender, Jr. was a tall, slender man of about 25 who was handsome with auburn hair and mustache. Then Kate would begin to charm the men with her social skills, flirting, or revealing her psychic “gifts.” As the men gave their full attention to the alluring Kate, Pa and John Bender, hiding behind the canvas, would strike the unsuspecting traveler in the skull with a hammer. One of these families was the Benders, comprised of John Bender, Sr.; his wife, Almira; son, John, Jr.; and daughter, Kate. Of the discovery of her remains, the Kansas City Times reported: “The little girl was probably eight years of age, and had long, sunny hair, and some traces of beauty on a countenance that was not yet entirely disfigured by decay. Though the pair were jailed, the case was eventually dropped for lack of evidence. She and her brother John often attended Sunday School at nearby Harmony Grove and were readily accepted in the community. Kansas Man Charged with Capital Murder in Sons’ Deaths Mike Seals - October 27, 2020 7:04 pm LIBERTY, Mo. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Wichita Police Department has identified Michael Montgomery, 34, of Wichita as the victim of a murder Wednesday in … In the mid 1970s he was stalked and shot by a young man. Lars was shot and killed in Kansas City, Missouri, on Jan. 13. Teen attacked in her bedroom 28 years ago as her family slept. Our cookies are delicious. According to Newsweek, Tityana Coppage, 21, faces charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the alleged revenge shooting of 36-year-old Keith Lars in Kansas City.. In 1967, three of the Bender hammers were gifted to the museum by the Dick family. There is an $11,000 reward attached to information about Adamski's murder. Rader pleaded guilty to his crimes, which he recalled in detail in court. Mellon Acres has been serving the Kansas City, Missouri area for several years and is nestled on a 32-acre private rustic estate, offering a scenic, countryside backdrop with all the modern comforts and conveniences. At some point, she married and went by the name of Sara Eliza Davis. View phone numbers, addresses, public records, background check reports and possible arrest records for Barbara Mellon. (AP) — A Kansas man accused of killing his two sons and taking his two daughters from their home before being stopped in Oklahoma was charged Tuesday with capital murder in … A decade after the gruesome killings, nothing was left of the cabin and outbuildings on the property, the only thing remaining — an empty hole that had once been the cellar. Kate was the fifth child of Ma Bender and was born as Eliza Griffith. In late 1957, Starkweather robbed and killed a service station attendant on his own. If not accosted by road agents, travelers also had to be concerned about Indian attacks. As word of the grisly murders spread, more and more travelers came forward to tell their own stories of narrow escape, including one gentleman by the name of William Pickering. In 1885 Kansas imposed quarantine on Texas cattle, which carried a deadly tick, and the cattle trails closed. Prairie Ghosts. Originally from Pennsylvania, the family is believed to have murdered 11 wealthy travelers, akin to the Bloody Benders a decade earlier. Johnny Boyle’s body was found in the well. Though most were led to believe John and Kate were sister and brother, others said that they sometimes passed as man and wife. Allegedly, while “working” at the Bender Inn, she also earned her keep as a prostitute, adding an additional amount to the traveler’s bill for the privilege of laying with her. The Only Dance There Is: Talks Given at the Menninger Foundation, Topeka, Kansas, 1970, and at Spring Grove Hospital, Spring Grove, Maryland, 1972 (Doubleday Anchor … Main navigation The university Faculties. Karl was also married to a CHAMBERLAIN and a BUTLER. A cult-like group, the families chose from several available claims and began to make their homes. 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 also 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. Attempts to capture the bloodthirsty family were immediately made by both law officers and vigilantes alike. There are still man-eating somethings at the oasis, and the hypothesis is that the Benders linked up with some sort of supernatural power in the desert and became nearly immortal. Your email address will not be published. The concept Mellon family represents the subject, aboutness, idea or notion of resources found in University of Missouri-Kansas City Libraries. 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. Both bodies were cold. 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