Stuff You Should Know: “The Tale of the Bloody Benders”

Podcast: Stuff You Should Know
Hosts: Josh Clark & Chuck Bryant
Date: September 26, 2025
Episode Theme:
This episode dives into the chilling true crime tale of the Bloody Benders, a family of serial killers who operated a makeshift inn on the Kansas frontier in the 1870s. Blending eerie historical narrative, dark humor, and insightful context, Josh and Chuck unravel how this infamous “murder family” lured travelers to their deaths, why their crimes went undetected for years, and the mystery that still surrounds their disappearance.

Main Points & Episode Structure

1. Introducing the Benders (01:09 – 05:37)

• Setting the Scene:
  • The Bender family moved to Kansas in the early 1870s and committed at least 21 murders, earning the moniker “The Bloody Benders.”
    • “This mind boggling episode is an old timey true crimey. It concerns one of the worst families to ever set up shop in Kansas, which is really saying something.” – Josh (01:09)
• Listener Shout Out:
  • Episode suggested by Star White, a local Kansan who noticed Bender commemorations in Montgomery County.
    • “Is that how you say it? Kansan…Kanzinianite.” – Josh/Chuck banter (03:07)

2. Kansas Frontier in the 1870s & Family Background (05:37 – 11:38)

• Kansas as the Setting:
  • The recently “settled” land was harsh and lawless, attracting drifters, criminals, and others seeking a new life, making it fertile ground for unsavory characters.
  • The Benders weren’t necessarily related; records are unclear, and aliases abounded.
    • “It’s like Australia, but in the center of the United States.” – Josh (05:14)
• Family Members:
  • Pa Bender (John Sr.): Older, spoke mostly German, kept quiet.
  • John Jr.: Odd, possibly intellectually disabled, potentially used the alias “John Gebhardt;” known for inappropriate laughter.
  • Ma Bender (Elvira/Almira): Fearsome temper, rarely spoke English, possibly the ringleader.
  • Kate Bender: Young woman, spiritualist, possibly involved in “free love,” attracted visitors via advertisements for seances.
    • “She was into spiritualism and free love. Apparently, too.” – Josh (10:15)
  • Family ran an isolated tavern/bunkhouse along a major trail; their orchard was locally renowned.

3. The Crimes Unfold (15:02 – 28:38)

• Murder Motive & M.O.:
  • The region was already “violently unusual,” allowing people to go missing without much notice, but a pattern emerged:
    • Victims were bashed in the head and had their throats slit.
      • “He had been brained. He had his skull bashed in and had his throat cut...” – Chuck (16:06)
  • Murders escalated to the point where travelers started to avoid the area.
• Key Victims:
  • William Jones, traveling with cash (to pay a mortgage), was one of several found dead by 1871.
  • George Newton Longcore and child Marianne disappeared, triggering a search by Dr. William York.
  • Dr. York’s disappearance (he was the brother of a Kansas senator, Alexander York) catalyzed a true investigation.
    • “They had murdered the brother of a Kansas senator…” – Josh (22:03)
• Quotable Chilling Moment:
  • “There, your supper’s ready.” (Ma Bender, to a woman who awoke to a table of pistols and knives) (19:10)

4. Investigations & The Benders Flee (28:38 – 36:08)

• Community Investigations Begin:
  • Town meetings and searches organized; Benders initially unruffled and even invited a search of their property.
  • Sensing suspicion growing, the Benders vanished overnight.
    • “Pa said the same thing: ‘I’ve got nothing to hide. Search my homestead.’” – Josh (26:05)
• Horrific Discoveries:
  • A search of the abandoned home found a trapdoor and a blood-soaked cellar. The stench was overwhelming, confirming suspicions of recent murders.
    • “A lot of them gagged because it smelled like decaying human remains.” – Josh (28:06)
  • Multiple bodies were unearthed in the orchard and the well, with the signature head trauma and cut throats.
    • “They would have travelers and guests sit...right behind the seat was the curtain and Pa or John Jr. would brain them from behind.” – Josh/Chuck (32:00 – 33:05)

5. Modus Operandi & Unraveling (33:05 – 39:09)

• Escapees and Surviving Witnesses:
  • Some guests narrowly escaped, refusing to sit near the infamous curtain, causing the Benders to become visibly agitated.
    • “A guy named Mr. Wetzel said, hey, wait a minute — they tried to get me to sit right by that curtain, and I wouldn’t.” – Chuck (33:05 – 34:14)
• Public Sensation:
  • The murders became America’s first major serial killer media sensation.
    • “They were the first serial killers in America that America ever produced, at least as far as the media could tell.” – Josh (35:41)

6. The Benders’ Fate Remains a Mystery (39:09 – 43:32)

• True Identities and Theories:
  • Modern research suggests the Benders weren’t an actual family:
    • Ma was likely Almira Meek from New York.
    • John Sr. possibly John Flickinger, German or Dutch.
    • Kate’s real name likely Eliza Griffith, her mother definitely Ma.
    • John Jr. may have actually used his real name, Gerhardt.
• Disappearance:
  • The Benders were never conclusively captured. Multiple (unsubstantiated) theories arose: suicide, vigilante justice, death by natural causes, or simply vanishing into the wild.
    • “Nobody ever claimed the pretty substantial reward, close to 70 grand today. So it seems like none of these stories were probably true.” – Chuck (41:46)

7. Legacy, Pop Culture & Ongoing Fascination (43:32 – 48:20)

• Enduring Notoriety:
  • Numerous attempts to revive interest:
    • “Bender Days” and a replica house in Cherryvale.
    • A 2016 movie (“Bender”) and references in games like Red Dead Redemption 2, as well as in Neil Gaiman’s “American Gods.”
    • Ongoing historical and forensic interest — recent land purchase to search for foundations or artifacts.
  • Primary Source Love:
    • “If you’re like, I need to know more about the Bloody Benders…and I will not have it filtered through history…there’s a website called genealogytrails.com with original articles.” – Josh (47:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Kansas as a refuge for the lawless:
  • “Come, anybody, all you criminals, you unsavory characters, people escaping your past, come and settle here in Kansas.” – Josh (05:14)
• Describing Ma Bender:
  • “...just a terrible cuss of a person, from what I gather.” – Josh (10:01)
• On the family’s business model:
  • “It was better than nothing, and I think one of the things that made it better than nothing was the daughter...” – Josh (09:05)
• The Benders’ murder setup:
  • “...Pa or John Jr would either use, like, the butt of an axe or a hammer to brain them. They would put them in the cellar and rob them and then slit their throat.” – Chuck (33:05)
• True crime “firsts”:
  • “Not only did we have America’s first serial killer, we had America’s first dark tourists show up at their house and take everything they possibly could as a memento.” – Josh (36:08)
• Reflecting on the case’s unresolved conclusion:
  • “It’s the kind of thing where a lot of Kansas City and ites know about it...They celebrated Bender Days for a while...More recently, a financial advisor bought the land to do real investigations...I don’t know if he plans to put up like a Lizzie Borden house or something but he wants to get to the bottom of what he can.” – Chuck (43:32)
• Josh’s summary of the Bender myth:
  • “There could be plenty of stuff left there...I believe they exhumed all of the bodies that they found. But that’s not to say that they found everybody, you know?” – Josh (45:18)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:09: Podcast theme and intro
• 03:07: Listener (Star White) suggests topic
• 05:14: Kansas frontier context, family’s ambiguous identities
• 09:37: Introduction of Ma and Kate Bender
• 15:02: The killing spree begins; violence of the era
• 19:10: The “supper of pistols and knives” survivor story
• 21:29: Search for the missing Longcore family and Dr. York begins
• 26:05: Town investigation and odd Bender interactions
• 28:06: Discovery of blood-soaked cellar and orchard graves
• 32:00 – 34:14: Curtain setup and survivor accounts
• 35:41: Media frenzy and “dark tourism”
• 39:09: Analysis of the Benders’ true identities
• 41:46: Disappearance theories and unclaimed reward
• 43:32: Modern legacy, cultural references, and new investigations
• 47:45: Genealogytrails.com and period news resources

Tone & Episode Character

• Conversational: Plenty of Josh and Chuck’s signature banter and offbeat jokes counterbalancing the grisly content.
• Macabre but Engaged: Despite dark material, the hosts maintain a respectful yet irreverent approach, keeping the story watchable rather than exploitative.
• Nerdy and Accessible: Frequent references to history, pop culture (e.g., Beverly Hillbillies, Red Dead Redemption), and research methods.

Summary

Josh and Chuck’s deep-dive into the Bloody Benders unpacks not only the gruesome facts of America’s first known serial killer “family,” but also the wildness of Kansas frontier life, the mythmaking that followed the unsolved crimes, and the Benders’ curious afterlife in pop culture and criminal lore. With chilling details (the cellar, the curtain, the orchard graves), a litany of failed investigations, and an enduring mystery surrounding the killers’ ultimate fate, this episode is equal parts spooky, fascinating, and a classic example of SYSK’s unique blend of thorough research and lighthearted delivery.

For those new to the story or seeking a refresher, this episode is a complete journey through one of the most haunting chapters in U.S. true crime — with plenty of offbeat detours and signature SYSK humor along the way.