Monday 30 April 2012

30th April 1812: James Haigh is committed to York Castle, charged with attacking Rawfolds Mill

By Thursday 30th April, the Huddersfield magistrate Joseph Radcliffe had had enough of the cropper James Haigh. Radcliffe had examined Haigh several times over the last 6 days. Haigh refused to admit to anything that Radcliffe had put to him - he was adamant that was not a Luddite, had not been at Rawfolds Mill and that he had hurt his shoulder by falling on a stone, and had not been shot.

Radcliffe did not believe him. He had put to Haigh that he tried to go into hiding, and that was why he had fled south. Radcliffe was puzzled by the solidarity that seemed to exist between Haigh's employer, Joseph Ardron, and this lowly cropper. With Major Gordon's assessment of the bullet-hole in Haigh's shirt, he was happy that he had enough evidence to charge Haigh with being concerned in the attack on Rawfolds Mill.

Haigh was taken later that evening to York Castle via Leeds in a coach, escorted all the way by twelve Dragoons.

The Leeds Mercury of 2nd May 1812 reported Haigh being charged and escorted to York Castle.

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