The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-12-27
CHOIR SANG OF CHRISTMAS
While One Member and His Family
Lay Dead.
LATER TIE PASTOR DISCOVERED
A TRIPLE MURDER.

! Mother-fn-IaW Brutauy Assaulted
| Mrs varnum and Her Little Girl Are
Dead-Varnum, After Committing the
Crime, Stabbed Himself TO Death-The
Aged Mother May Live.
| WORCESTER, Mass, December 26.-A
horrible triple murder and suicide was
discovered at noon today in the upper
fiat of the three-tenement building at 81
Tainter street. Henry G. Varnum and
his little adopted daughter, Florence,
were found dead. His wife was nearly
dead when discovered, and died on the
way to the hospital. Mrs. Wright,
mother of Mrs. Varnum, lies at the hos
pital in a critical condition, unable TO
talk or indicate in any way the story of
the awful event. Henry G. Varnum
| came to this city from Sharon, Vt, in
September, and obtained employment as
machinist in the shop of L. L. Pollard.
His family consisted of his wife, his
adopted daughter Florence, and his
wife s mother. Mrs. Wright. The family
lived quietly and, to all appearances,
happily. Mrs. Varnum was regular
| attendant at the Hope Congregational
| church, where she sang in the choir.
Mrs. Varnum was not present at any
of the church services Sunday, and the
pastor. Rev, E. w. Phillips, today, in
passing the house, thought he would find
out if anything was the matter. He
rang the Varnum bell, but received no
answer. He then called up the lower
md lot fho &c H.
middle dwelling, Mrs. +. E. Hall, who
said she had not heard anything from
the Varnums, and felt nervous about
them. Mr.. Phillips went up stairs inn
mediately, and entered the apartments
through the parlor. The rooms were
very cold. but the furniture was undis-
turbed. In bedroom leading off from
the kitchen, he found lying on the bed,
covered with blood, Mr.. Varnum and
his wife. The man was quite dead, bus
the woman was breathing heavily. On
cot in the corner of the room, lay the
child. turned on its face, and also dead.
Mr.. Phillips rushed out and .telephoned
for the police. When the police arrived,
the mother, Mrs. Wright, was discovered
in an adjoining room. She was console
but not able to speak, though she uli
stood what was said to her, and Iii
sew raj Intellectual attempts to artical
The bodies of the man and chilu !,
removed by an undertaken and tiI
women were carried to the Hospital.
younger woman died as the amb,.it-
reached the hospital door. Mrs. Wrig
who is still unable to speak, may a1s.
She is about 80 years of age.
The weapon !; with which the awful
deed was committed was an iron door
hanger an iron strap about Is inches
long, headed by cylindrical knob.
The instrument weighed fully four
pounds. Varnum himself was killed by
a stab from knife identified as his own.
He was cut in the region OF the heart.
There wer no other marks upon his
body. Medical Examiner Keefe says
the deed was done early Sunday morn
ing. The bodies of the man and child
were stiff and the water in the kitchen
had frozen. There were no signs of vio-
lence about the house, outside of the bed
rooms. Mrs. F. E. Hall says she heard
o'clock Sunday morning, and a moment
later the sound of footsteps. The
noises ceased Immediately and
she thought nothing of them.
Varnum had an attack of the grip last
winter, and since then has been subject
to fits of dependency and melancholy.
His relations in this city, fearing he
would commit suicide, and thinking
change of scene and employment would
benefit him in mind and body, induced
him to come here. AS soon as he found
work he became more cheerful About
five weeks ago he left his employment
owing to some dissatisfactionion on the
part Of both his employer and himself. He
has since been more and more despond-
ent, and his brooding over his troubles
resulted in the tragedy