The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1866-07-06 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

MURDER OF TWO CHILDREN AND SUICIDE OF THE MURDERER. On Saturday night, a horrid tragedy took place at Lee Bank, Halifax. A carpet weaver named Ephraim Smith, about 40 years of age, murdered two of his children and then out his own throat. The youngest child, named Emma, five years of age, appears to have been suffocated in bed. The next child, aged ten years, and called Elizabeth, had her throat cut. After which the father must have out his own throat. AU were quite dead when found. The family occupied a eingle room,being the top of a three- etorey building—a room eometime since need as a Wesleyan Simday•school—E6looBB to it being obtained from Old Bank, in Lee Bank. The family consisted of the father, a weaver at Messrs. Crossley and Sons, carpet manafacturers. His wife is an inmate of the Wake. field Lunatic Asylum, where she has been two years. There were three children—namely, Emma (aged five yeare), Elizabeth (ten years), and William (thirteen). The boy William had been to Halifax fair, and did not return home until eleven o'clock at night. He was surprised to find the house door fastened, and knocked frequently for admission. AB no response was given, he threw open a window, put his arm through, unlatched the door, and entered, and was horrified to fled his Meter Elizabeth behind the door, and apparently dead. There was no light in the house, and he ran out and gave an alarm. Two men, named Broadbent and Walton, the latter an ex-polieeman, mitered with a candle, and the full horror then harsh upon them. The father was rested upon the floor, with his back against the wall, under the front window, hie head almost severed from his body. Around him was a pool of blood, and upon the floor, at the diatance from him of about half a yard, was an open razor besmeared with blood. Behind the door was lying the girl Elizabeth on her right side, also in • pool of blood, her neck and throat having been cut on the right side. She probably struggled bard, for the knuckle of the third finger on the left hand ha s an incised wound. She was naked, except a chemise upon her. The child Emma was found dead upon the bed, with her face downward. She was dreamed. Eere was no blood about her, nor marks of violence. opinion of those who found her was that she had n smothered by the bedclothes. One neighbour only appears to have heard any noise in the house, and he did not imagine that murder was bemg committed. That was about ten o'clock. The father has been known as a steady man, his general conduct being such as to cause the greatest surprise that he ellould have been guilty of murder.  In 00neequeace of the Itedttotton SR Du II LaLamLary.,"PS.lle.id,s.by Packet I.3our7luc'er'Pe""r "lbe c a kd signed "Horsemen & CO." Jolo. 4.osoll•nd Css..o CI 1/b.hiedle the beet prepsrC,„„ to, 7.7 Pastel pd. lb• ed. bold by pertumeno sad eheuvete.- "-kini rang tic, pv /lAA PIANOFORTES, by C. Hampton, ,kAJV attest the worth of this maker's principle of oonstruotion. The new illustrated catalogue, showing recent improvements, tree. 31, Charlottestreet, Fit:Tor/3quart% London, W. N.B..._Eeen instrument guaranteed for three years. etHILDREN