Comments | little_details: What is the word for an innkeeper who robs then murders his guests?

amyirene_40 in little_details

What is the word for an innkeeper who robs then murders his guests?

Jan 29, 2006 21:59

A friend has been questing for this word, and now she's got us all going crazy looking for it. Please allow me to post the question in her own words ( Read more... )

~scams

Comments 40

cygnia January 30 2006, 03:12:19 UTC

Sounds like the Bender family from Kansas.

Lots of murderous innkeepers out there amyirene_40 January 30 2006, 03:27:54 UTC

And the Yokums who ran an inn in Texas, and Cave-in-Rock inn located in Kentucky that was overseen by a fellow who was also sheriff (talk about a good way to make sure that the authorities don't crack down on you!), as well as the place run by the Potts that was already mentioned (although my friend is wrong on the location of that one - it was actually in Illinois). It seems to have been a not-unusual way for the less scrupulous to make extra money.

Which means that it was common enough that my friends memory is correct and there probably *is* a word for it. Now the problem is tracking it down.

corvid January 30 2006, 07:27:57 UTC

Eerily enough, I know about the Bender family only because there's a rest stop near the area that we'd stop at on the way home from college. There's something a bit creepy about a rest area bathroom with a large sign saying "Bloody Benders" on it.

magic_dirt January 30 2006, 03:13:05 UTC

Ok, it may be that I've been watching too much Firefly lately (*cough*), but the word that springs to mind is "reaver"..?

(The comment has been removed)

magic_dirt January 30 2006, 03:27:32 UTC

One can never watch too much Firefly. It is physically impossible. *cough*

Very true! I've started dreaming about the characters now, so I've got my waking hours plus sleep nicely covered =x

Oh, I didn't realise that that was the origin of the term (re. cattle rustlers) - but wow, it makes sense in the Firefly context!

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Thread 15

cheshire23 January 30 2006, 03:17:41 UTC

The closest thing to this that I can remember is what Marion Zimmer Bradley calls a "robber's village" in her novel City of Sorcery - the main characters (a band of travellers) stop for a night in an isolated mountain village, are treated to a nice bath in the local hot springs, fed a wonderful feast (that turns out to include drugged wine) and given a barn that does not lock to set up camp in. Fortunately, two members of the party drunk very little of the drugged wine and manage to fight their way out.

I know that's not the right term, and now I'm curious too! But at least it's another way of expressing a similar concept.

lacrimaeveneris January 30 2006, 22:36:15 UTC

*squee* MARION ZIMMER BRADLEY!

crystal_tree January 30 2006, 03:18:08 UTC

http://www.illinoishistory.com/pottsinn.html

majolika January 30 2006, 03:18:32 UTC

the only evil innkeeper I know is the one who tried to kill and pickle the three little boys whom Santa rescued ...

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