KS KS - The Bloody Benders, ghouls who killed for profit on the 1870s prairie

[cenazoic]

New book on the Benders out 1 March 2022:

Hell’s Half-Acre, by Susan Jonusas.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

How a serial killer family murdered 8 — and got away with it

 

[Richard]

The Benders: John Bender, Sr., Old Mrs. Bender, John Bender, Jr., Kate Bender (click on image to enlarge)


The Bender Cabin where (at least) eight victims were allegedly murdered.


Lovely Kate Bender

LINK:

How a serial killer family murdered 8 — and got away with it

 

[Errrr]

Just finished reading that book.
I don’t think this was their first site of slaughter.
They built that cabin specifically for purpose.
I wonder if the stone slab was to knock victims out when they were pushed in? I didn’t quite see how it was so necessary to the build.
I wonder if there might be records of a German family arriving in the USA by boat late enough that the daughter would have learned English with no accent?

 

[Errrr]

New book on the Benders out 1 March 2022:

Hell’s Half-Acre, by Susan Jonusas.

Terrific book. It is very well researched and cuts through a massive amount of rumour and speculation on the Benders. Even Wikipedia has bad information on this case.

 

[Chimera]

Never heard of this case before .
Will have to look up the book.
Holy cow.


In those days, when a person(s) went missing, it was prob. difficult to actually find out what happened ?
No phone or money transaction trail to follow.
Same as the case of H.H. Homes ; many families only knew that their friends or relatives vanished in Chicago, or elsewhere, with little recourse to seek out where and when they disappeared ?
Omo.

 

[charminglane]

New book on the Benders out 1 March 2022:

Hell’s Half-Acre, by Susan Jonusas.

Would this be a good book choice for a true crime book club?
I’m always looking for something different/interesting.

 

[Cryptic]

There was a group like that in southwest Louisiana near the Sabine. Allegedly kept a basin to catch blood from slit throats. Near a major wagon train / horse trail route.

That location would make sense for outlaws. Louisiana's boundaries and governing authorities shifted may times between Spanish, French and Anglo American.

For a period of time, the areas adjacent to the Sabine were a "no mans land" as far as legal governing authority went. Not surprisingly, the area attracted alot of bad news people.

 

[cenazoic]

Would this be a good book choice for a true crime book club?

Hey, I want to join a true crime book club!

I dunno, I didn’t end up reading it because the reviews weren’t great.

But! If you need suggestions, here are some off the top of my head; these are based on the past couple of hardcore years of TC reading, and the Opinions I developed as a result.

Sunk Without A Sound (disappearance of Glen and Bessie Hyde in the Grand Canyon, 1930s)

Echo of Distant Water ( disappearance of the Martin family, 1958 Portland)

The Snow Killings (Oakland County (MI) child murders, 1970s)

The Man with the Candy (Dean Corll serial murders, Houston 1970s)


Let us know if you read the Benders book!

 

[charminglane]

Hey, I want to join a true crime book club!

I dunno, I didn’t end up reading it because the reviews weren’t great.

But! If you need suggestions, here are some off the top of my head; these are based on the past couple of hardcore years of TC reading, and the Opinions I developed as a result.

Sunk Without A Sound (disappearance of Glen and Bessie Hyde in the Grand Canyon, 1930s)

Echo of Distant Water ( disappearance of the Martin family, 1958 Portland)

The Snow Killings (Oakland County (MI) child murders, 1970s)

The Man with the Candy (Dean Corll serial murders, Houston 1970s)


Let us know if you read the Benders book!

Send me a note and I can add you—it is virtual! 4th Sat. of each month at 4pm.
I started it in 2019.

Thank you for those titles.
It’s great to learn history/time periods and the budding sciences of detection methods with each case.

I’m going to be on work leave for some foot surgery, so Bender book would be a great rest and relaxation choice.

 

[Errrr]

Send me a note and I can add you—it is virtual! 4th Sat. of each month at 4pm.
I started it in 2019.

Thank you for those titles.
It’s great to learn history/time periods and the budding sciences of detection methods with each case.

I’m going to be on work leave for some foot surgery, so Bender book would be a great rest and relaxation choice.

It contains a lot of historic background which may bore some people, but gives insight into procedure of the day. I was on the fence about whether they were caught but since I learned of two death bed confessions that aligned with each other, I’m leaning towards YES.

 

[charminglane]

It contains a lot of historic background which may bore some people, but gives insight into procedure of the day. I was on the fence about whether they were caught but since I learned of two death bed confessions that aligned with each other, I’m leaning towards YES.

Thank you!!