Connecticut western news., 1881-02-09
A TRIMMED MOTHER.
Murderfng her Two Children and
 then Committing Suicide.

then committing
 The following account of most hor- rible tragedy, which occurred on Fri day, January 18th, in the village of Whitevale, Ontario Co.,, Canada, was published in the Toronto Globe:
 Sometime early in the morning (Thursday), Mrs. Shephard, resident of the village, murdered her two chil- dren and then inflicted such injuries upon herself that she cannot possibly recover. MT. Shephard, the husband of the murderess, is an Englshman by birth, having been born in Middlesex, and is about thirty years of age. Mrs. Shephard is the daughter of MT. Will liam Sleeper, a well-to-do farmer in Markham township. They have been married about five years, but, it is sup posed, did not live very happily to- gether. They have frequently had very serious quarrels, but these never went beyond words. They are both consid- cred by the neighbors to be somewhat simple, or, as is more commonly called, "not quite right in their minds" They have had three children, one of whom died shortly after its birth, the other two being the victims of yesterday mornings terrible tragedy.
 MURDER AND SUICIDE.
 As far as can be ascertained, MT. Shephard arose in the morning, got his own breakfast, as his wife had been i'll for some time past, and went to work saving wood about mile distant from his home. Before he left the house, however, Mrs. Shephard had risen and dressed the eldest child. The next that was seen of her was about eight o'clock, when some of the neighbors' children, passing the house on their way to school, saw her standing at the door with the baby in her arms. About half- past nine Mrs. Reesor, @ neighbor, who was in the habit of calling upon her when she was sick, went to the house to sec if Mrs. Shephard was in need of anything. Upon entering the house a most horrible, heart-sickening spectacle presented itself to her gaze. Upon the floor lay the two children, one shot, the other with it's throat cut, quite dead, while Mrs. Shephard lay on the floor near the door, covered with blood and unconscious. Mrs. Reesor immediately informed the neighbors, who, upon coming in, found that Mrs. Shephard was still alive, but that both children were stone dead and already quite cold. l THE DRso1ATED HOUSE.
 The house in which the Shepherds live is stone building, one and half stories high. On the ground floor are the kitchen and two bedrooms. In the centre of the kitchen etanas tke stove, at the right hand the table, on the left side cupboard. At the right side of the stove lay the oldest boy, George, bright little fellow three years of age. He had been shot with a re- volver and killed instantaneously. There was not sign of @ struggle beyond his clenched fists. The ball had gone through his heart and he lay with outstretched arms, his face as calm and peaceful as if he were sleeping. No blood had come from the wound. There was no dis6guring, gaping wound to shock the eye of the beholder. In striking contrast lay the other child, the baby, only seven months old. It lay in pool of blood, it's head almost completely severed by the cruel stroke of the knife, its poor little limbs twisted conyulsively, showing the agony in which it had died. When lifted the head fell back, showing the severed arteries and windpipe. The mother was terrible sight. How many wounds she has could not be ascer-
 tained, but, with all her loss of blood, she had still sufficient strength to crawl to the door, which Mrs. Reesor had left wide open when she ran out, to close it, and then drag herself to Q chair
 against which she was leaning when
 MT. White and the others entered
 Between the two children lay the re volver. Near Mrs. Shephard lay the knife.
 HOW THE DEED WAS DONE.
 In the afternoon Mrs. Shepharc rallied sufficiently, to relate how she did the murder and what caused her tc
 dc it. She said George had disobeyeG her commands several times, and al last she became enraged, and, seizine the revolver, she shot him. She hac evidently stood directly over him, the
 ball entering the left breast high u}
 toward the neck and passed dow, through the heart. After killing 7 George she thought she might as vel ,, kill herself and the baby. As near a. could be ascertained she had taken tht knife and cut the poor little thing throat and thrown it on the floor. Sh, then shot herself in the left breast, th'
 ball striking g. rib and passing rount the body. She next shot herself il the throat, and then taking the knif had stabbed herself in the throat severa times, cutting her chin in fearfu
 manner, and finally had drawn the knif | across her throat, almost severing he
 windpipe, but not injuring either of tn
 main arteries.
 |, CAUSE OF A FANnNE.-The Britis]