The Express. — 1866-07-02 (London, England)

MURDER OP TWO CHILDREN AND SUICIDE OF THE MURDERER, AT HALIFAX.  On Saturday night, ahorrid tragedy took place at Lee Bank, Halifax. A carpet weaver named 'Ephraim Smith, about forty years of age, murdered two of his children and then cut his own throat. The youngest child, named Emma, five years of age, to have been suffocated in bed. The next child, a ten years, and called Elisabeth, had her throat cut. After which the father must have cut his own throat. All were quite dead when found. .  The family occupied a single room, being the top of a three-storey building—a room some time since used as Wesleyan Sunday-school—aooess to it being obtained front Old Bank, in Lee Bank. The family consisted of the father, • weaver at Masan. John Crossley and Sons, limited, carpet manufacturers. His wife is an inmate of the Wakefield Lunatic Asylum, where she has been two years. There were three children, —namely, Emma (five years of age), Elizabeth (ten years), and William Henry (thirteen years). The diseovery of the affair was as follows :—The boy, William Henry, had been to Halifax fair, and did not return home until 11 o'clock at night. He was surprised to find the house door fastened, and knocked frequently for admission. As no response was given, he threw open a window, which is very close to the door, put his arm through, unlatched the door, and entered, and was horri. fled to find hie sister Elizabeth behind the door, sad apparently dead. There wee no light in the house, and he ran out and gave an alarm. Two men, named Solomon Broadbent and Oibeon Walton, the latter an ex-policeman, entered with • candle, and the full horror then burst upon them. Upon the door were several pools of blood ; the looking-glass and the wall near were sprinkled with Mood. The father was seated epos the floor, with his back against the wall, under the front window, his head almost severed from his body. Around him was a pool of blood, and upon the floor, at the distance from him of about half a yard, vat an open rasor besmeared with blood. Behind the door was lying the girl Elizabeth on her right aide, also in a pool of blood, her neck and throat having been cut on the right aide. Bhe probably struggled hard, for the knuckle of the third finger on the left hand has an incised wound. She was naked, except • chemise upon her. The child Emma was found dead upon the bed with her face downward. She was dream& There was no blood about her, nor marks of violence. The opinion of those who found her was that she had been smothered by the bed-clothes. One neighbour only appears to have heard any noise in the house, and he did not imagine that murder was bung committed. That was about ten o'clock. It is supposed that the father suffocated the child first. It is known that he kept the girl Elizabeth going errands in the evening. and it is now conjectured that he disposed of the youngest child at that time. Probably the father had planned the murder of all the children, but fortunately the lad was out rather later than usual. The father is known as a steady man, and his general conduct hes been suh as to cause the greatest surprise that he should havec been guilty of murder. An inquest on the bodies will be held at five o'clock this (Monday) afternoon, at the Shears Inn, Lea-bridge.