After the blow, the victims' throats were slit to ensure they "bled out" into a cellar beneath a trapdoor before being buried in the orchard or garden at night. The Investigation & Escape The Bloody Benders: Homestead of Horrors
In 1871, a family of four German immigrants—John Sr., his wife Elvira, son John Jr., and daughter Kate—settled in Labette County, Kansas. They built a small one-room cabin along the , which served as a general store and an inn for travelers. After the blow, the victims' throats were slit
While Kate Bender (who claimed to be a psychic and "spiritualist") distracted the guests, one of the men would step from behind the curtain to crush the victim's skull with a sledgehammer. While Kate Bender (who claimed to be a
The cabin was divided by a heavy canvas curtain. Travelers were seated for dinner with their backs to this curtain. After the blow