The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1917-04-18 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

MOTHER AND CHILD MURDERED,  SHOCKING LISCARD TRAGEDY.  NEIGHBOUR'S GHASTLY DISCOVERY.  HEADS BATTERED WITR HATCHET.  .CORONER'S INQUIRY OPENED.  AN ARREST.  Wallasey was brought into unpleasant notoriety on Monday evening by the discovery that a brutal double murder—that of mother and child—had been committed at 16, Central Park-avenue, Liscard.  The victims were Margaret Alderson Hodgson, aged 37, wile or Wm. Thomas Hodgson, and their child, Ma; rat Hodgson, who would have reached her knirrAt birthday on the 27th of the present manth. _ _ _  The tragic discovery was made shortly before six o'clock on Monday night by a neighbour, whose curiosity was aroused from the fact that she had not seen her neighbours moving. about the premises as usual. She had heard Mrs. Hodgson's baby crying continuously, and thought that there must be something amiss. Going to the front door, which was open, she knocked and listened, and on receiving no reply pushed open the vestibule door. A man happened to pass the houso at the time, and communicating her fears to him they decided to enter the house together. The terrible discovery was then made of both mother and child lying on the Boor of the back kitchen with their bodies close to the back door, their heads having been battered in with a hatchet, which was found lying between the bodies. The mother had received shocking injuries to the head, the brain protruding on the right side. The child had received a vicious blow on the right temple which had evidently killed it instantly. The ambulance was promptly sent for, although it was evident that the victims were beyond human aid, and the bodies were removed to the mortuary at Seacombe Ferry.  _ It was evident from the state of the bodies that the murder had been committed several hours before the discovery, and from the dresses of mother and child it was apparent that they were killed very soon after they had risen from their beds in the morning. Possibly they were attacked while breakfast was being prepared, for a loaf of bread was found in the kitchen cut halfway through. Both mother and child had their hair in curls, and the little one had just thrown on a Flue jacket, having apparently not completed her dressing. It is probable that she ran hurriedly to her mother's help, and was felled- by a brutal blow. The husband of the deceased woman and father of the child is employed by Messrs. Robb Bros., Grange-road, Birkenhead, the well-known drapers, and the family have only resided in Wallasey for a few months. Various rumours were circulated in the • district is to the motive for the murders, which probabllr will not bear investigation. The fact remains, however, that a certain sum of money is missing, and articles of value had been packed in a case ready for removal. No one was seen to leave the house during the day. Some importance was at first attached by neighbours to the fact that a jobbing gardener had been canvassing for work in this Avenue, but this seems to have had no connection with the tragedy. It was also thought in the first instance that the woman had been suddenly attacked by someone who had entered from the rear of the premises, but this supposition was at once exploded when it was ascertained that not only was the back door locked from the inside but the bodies were close up against it  The hatchet with which the atrocious deeds were committed did not belong  to the house. It is an old rusted tool, the blade of which is chipped, whilst the handle has a nail knocked in the heft, which is bent over. The police are endeavouring .to trace its ownership, and would be glad of information on the subject. • THE LNgITEST