The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-27
A CHRISTMAS TRAGEDY.
A Triple Murder and Suicide in Tene-
ment at Worcester, Mass,

WORCESTER, Mass. Dec. ga horrible
triple murder and suicide was discovered
at noon today in the upper fiat of tene-
ment building at 80 Tainter street. Henry
G. Varnum and his little adopted daughter
Florence were found dead The wife was
nearly dead when discovered, and died on
the way to the hospital, and Mrs. Wright
mother of Mrs Varnum, now lies at the
hospital in critical condition, unable yet
to talk or to indicate in any way the story
of the awful event.
Varnum came to this city from Vermont
in September and sought employment as a
machinist. He finally got work, hired the
! tenement and sent for his family, consist
ing of his wife, an adopted daughter and
his wife's mother. The family lived
quietly, aud, to all appearances, happily.
Mrs. Narnum was regular attendant at
the Hope Congregational church, where
she sang in the choir. Mrs. Varnum was
not present at any of the services on Suu-
day. The pastor remarked at her absence
and expressed some surprise, saying that
Mrs. Narnum WAS not the sort of woman
to stay at home because it was cold.
Pastor Phillips was passing the Varnum
house today and thought that he would
find out if anything WAS the matter. On
receiving no answer to a ring at the door
bell, he inquired of the other occupants of
the building, but they had not heard any
thing about the Varnums and felt nervous
about them Mr.. Phillips went upstairs
Immediately and entered the apartments
through the parlor, The rooms were very
cold and the furniture undisturbed. He
passed through into the back parlor and
into the kitchen. In a bedroom, entering
from the kitchen, terrible sight met his
eyes Lying on the bed, covered with
! blood, were Varnum and his wife The
man was quite dead. but the woman was
breathing heavily. In cot iu a corner oe
the room lay the child, turned over on her
face, also dead. Mr.. Phillips waited TO
see no more, but rushed down stairs and
telephoned for the police.
When the police arrived the mother of
Mrs. Varnum was discovered in an adioin-
ing room. She was conscious, but was not
able to speak, though she understood what
was said to her and made several iueffect-
ual attempts to speak. The bodies of the
man and child were removed by the under
taker, and the two women were carried to
a hospital. The younger woman died Just
as the ambulance stopped at the hospital
door. Mrs. Wright Is still unable TO
speak, but may live. She is about years
of age.
The weapon with which the awful deed
was committed was an iron strip about
fifteen inches long. beaded by cylindrical
knob. The instrument weighed fully four
pounds. Narnum himself was killed by
stab from knife, identified aS his own
He was cut in the ragion of the heart
Medical Examiner Burke says hat the
deed was done on Sunday or Monday The
bodies of the man and child were stiff and
frozen. When found there were no signs
of struggle. One OF the other tenants
says that be heard slight sound on Sun
day night from there, and a moment later
the sound of footsteps. but he thought
nothing of it. No cause is known for the
deed,