Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-12-27
TRIPLE MURDER
And Suicide at Worcester
Mass, Monday Noon.
Man and Adopted Daughter Found
Cold in Death at Their Home.
wife Soon Died MotAes in las lust Alive
The cssse unknewn.

| WORCESTER, Mass, Dec. 2G.-A horri
BILE triple murder and suicide was discoy
cred at noon today in the upper fiat of tbs
three-tenenient building, 81 Tainter street
| Henry c. yarnum aud his little adopted
daughter were found dead. and his wife
was nearly dead when discovered, dying on
the way 10 the hospital. Mrs. Wright,
mother of Mrs, Nsrnum, lies at the hospital
in critical condition, unable To talk or in
| eitate in any way the story of the awful
event.
| Henry c. Farnum came to this city from
| Sharon, W., in September, aud obtained
employ ment as a machinist in the shop OF
| l.. l.. Pollard. His family consisted of hi'
wife, adopted daughter, Florence, and his
wife's mother, Mrs Wright.
/ The family lived quietly. and to all ap,
| pearances happily. Mrs. Varnum WAS d
| regular attendant at the Hope Congrega-
| gational church, where she sang in the
choir.
Mrs. Narnvm was not present at any OF
| the church services Sunday, and the pastor,
Rev. +. ". Phillips, today in passing the
| house thought he would find out if any
thing was the matter. He rang the Farnum
bell hut received no answer. SO he called
| up the lower tenement, AMI later, the oecu-
pant of the middle dwelling, Mrs. +. T.,
| Hall, who SAID she hal not heard anything
| from the Varnums and felt nervous abou,
them.
| Mr.. Phillips went up stairs Immediately
and entered the apartments through the
parlor. The rooms were very cold. The
| furniture was andisturbed.
In the bedroom leading off from the
kitchen he found living on a bed covered
| with blood, Mr.. Varnum and wife. The
man was quite dead, but the woman was
breathing heavily. In cot in corner of
the room lay child, turned on its face also
dead.
Mr.. Phillips rushed out and telephoned
for the police. When the police arrived,
the mother, MIS-. Wright, was discovered
in an adjoining room. She was conscious.
but not able to speak, though she
understood what was said to
her, and made several Intellectual at
tempts TO artieulaie.
The bodies of the man and chill were re-
moved by the undertaken and the two
woman carried TO hospital The younger
woman died as the ambulance stopped at
the hospital door Mrs. Wright is still un-
able to speak, but may live. She is about
so years of age.
The weapon with which the awful deed
was committed was an iron door hanger, an
iron strap about Il inches long, headed by
a cylindrical knob. The instrument
weighed fully four pounds.
Varnum himself was killed by stab
from knife, identified as his own. He
was cut in the region of the heart. There
are no other marks upon his body.
Medical Examiner keefe says the deed
was done early Sunday morning. The
bodies of the man and child were stiff.
Water in the kitchen was frozen. There
was no sign of violence about the house
outside of the bedrooms.
Mrs. +. +, Hall says she heard a slight
sound from the child about O'Clock Sun
day morning. and moment later the sound
of footsteps. The noises ceased immedi-
ately and she thought nothing of them.
Varnum had an attack of the grip last
winter and since then has been subject TO
fits of despondency and melancholy. His
relations in this city. fearing that he woul
commit suicide. and thinking that change
of scene and employment would benefit him
in mind and body, induced him TO come
here. As soon as he found work lie be-
came more cheerful.
About five weeks ago he left his employ
ment, owing to some dissatisfaction on the
part of both his eaployer and himself. He
has since been more and more despondent.
and his hrooding over his troubles resulted
in the tragedy.
The aged mother is still unable to speak
on account of the injuries to her face and
jaw She is resting comfortably at the hos
uitai tonight but is not pyDpCted to re-
cover.