Shocking tragedy in Liverpool
A shocking tragedy came to the knowledge of the Liverpool Police on Tuesday night. It appeared a child named Evelyn CHRISTOPHERSON, aged six, whose parents lived at 36 Parr St, was missed by her mother during the evening. She had been left in the house shortly after 6pm, along with a lodger named John BENNETT, the mother having to be out on some household business.
When Mrs CHRISTOPHERSON returned, the room in which the child had been left was in disorder, and no tiding could be gleaned of the little one of the lodger. Inquiries were made all over the neighbourhood without result and ultimately the services of the police were called in, the appearance of the apartment of the house leading to the supposition that an outrage of some kind had been committed.
Several members of the detective force were detailed to inquire into the mystery, And about midnight the body of the child, fully dressed, was found in an ash pit, 10 feet deep behind the house. Dr BUSBY was sent for and examined the body, with the result he found the throat had been cut, and the child had been strangled, a muffler being tightly tied around her neck. Further examination showed the child had been subjected to outrageous treatment
The lodger BENNETT who is suspected of the outrage has disappeared, but a description of him has been circulated all over the country. He is described as having the appearance of a tramp of labourer, aged 26 years and height is five foot and slender build. He has black hair with a bald patch at the back of his head, long thin black moustache and thin features. He walks sharply with his shoulders stooped, and has small feet. When last seen he was seen wearing a dirty black jacket, blue single-breasted vest and dirty black or grey trousers, with patched on the seat, blue striped shirt, and red blue and black muffler, dirty brown cap, laced up boots recently soled and heeled. He has good front teeth.
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Sheffield Daily Telegraph Jan 24th,1901
The Liverpool Tragedy, supposed suicide of suspect
Missing man found drowned
The confidence of the Liverpool police that the missing man BENNETT who disappeared after the pitiful death on Tuesday last week of little Evelyn CHRISTOPHERSON of 36 Parr Street, had not succeeded in making his escape from the town, proves to have been well founded, for the dead body of BENNETT was found in the North Salisbury Dock between 9 and 10 am yesterday, it is supposed he committed suicide.
A statement by the brother of the deceased showed the brother returned to the house at 10 past 6 on the evening of the tragedy. He found the door locked and shouted for his sister. There was no answer and he saw BENNETT go out of the kitchen into the yard with a parcel under his arm. The boy continued knocking and BENNETT came to the street door, saying he would find Evelyn in the yard
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Weekly Courier January 26th 1901
Funeral of the victim
The remains of the murdered child Evelyn CHRISTOPHERSON, was laid to rest in Anfield Cemetery on Monday. A great gathering of people assembled in the neighbourhood of the home of the victim in Parr Street. The manifestations of sympathy from all quarters of the crowd were of a most pronounced description. The female element predominated and the onlookers were mainly preditarian order. The eyes of the most emotional were blinded with tears and a hum of excitement rose from the crowd as the coffin bearing the murdered girl was brought into the street.
The attendants of the funeral were few in number, besides the mother and two sisters, there was the adopted son and a group of boys and girls, playmates of the deceased, all carrying bouquets. Mrs MURRAY, the mother wept convulsively, and had to be assisted to the carriage.
Wreaths and flowers of every choice description and had a bright description contrasted with the gloomy slum surroundings. The plain oak coffin was wreathed in white and purple flowers and a similar mixture adorned the hearse. Shortly after 2pm the humble cortege left for the cemetery, and the crowds broke up only to follow the remains of the maltreated child to the burial ground. An immense concourse of condolers lined the approach to the cemetery and surrounded the lowly grave
The scene was one of a most impressive character women and girls were weeping in hundreds from Mere Lane for a distance of over a quarter of a mile, six and seven deep. The sight generally apart from the sympathetic aspect will be long remembered. Along Scotland Road to hundreds lined the route, the depth of sympathy for the mother was everywhere indescribable.
In the church and graveyard the Rev E. L. SIMPSON of St Lukes, where the girl had attended conducted the service at which the coffin was lowered into the grave strewn with exquisite flowers, a most affecting silence reigned amongst the spectators, many lingering in the cemetery for the last rites. They discussed the unpleasant details of the crime looking intently at the coffin hidden in a mass of flowers and evergreens
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Sympathy for the mother
It appears that an erroneous impression of the mother has got around to clear this it had better be stated she has been married twice, her name now is Mrs MURRAY. Her first husband CHRISTOPHERSON died two or three months after the birth of Evelyn. She married Mr MURRAY two or three years ago.