21st January 1813: The Gaoler of York Castle writes to the Home Offfice about the late executions

York Castle _ 21 Jany [1813]

Mr Beckett
Sir

I beg to Acknowledge the Receipt of your Letter this morning, from which I am sorry to find that no Information has been forwarded to Lord Sidmouth or Yourself relative to the Executions of the 17 Unhappy men, 14 of whom Suffered last Saturday, three also Suffer’d on Friday the 8th Inst for the Murder of Mr Horsfall, the Account given generally the Executions in the Publick Prints are nearly Correct, except in the Instance, where the Leeds Paper States that the three Murderers Confess’d their Guilt, they by no means did so for when the Revd G Brown the Chaplain urg’d them to Confess at the Fatal Tree, they requested him not to Put any Questions to them and they were Immediately launch’d into Eternity,—

As to the other 14 men, they all Confess’d their Guilt, and Acknowledged the Distress of their Sentence, and did all true penitents, from the time of that Awfull Sentence being pass’d upon them, they never Ceased from Using their last Efforts to Obtain forgiveness from God, And I have a pleasure in Adding that during the Course of 22 Years that I have been a Witness to Such Cases, I never Saw more Sincerity in Repentance of Prisoners, than in the last 14 who Suffered, the Immense Number of People that Attended upon that Occasion was great indeed.

Attendance of both Foot Soldiers, as also three Troops of Dragoons Added to the Solemnity of that Awfull Scene, and must also had a Serious and proper Effect upon the publick mind, and I trust and do most Sincerely hope that this sad (but necessary) Example will induce those wretched and Ill advised persons in the West Riding to Consider the fate of the late Comrades, and induce them to return to the parts of Peace & Honesty,—

As to any information given by the prisoners during the time they were under Sentence of Death, Nothing Whatever to my Knowledge transpired, except, the Robbery of Balm Mill near Cleck Heaton the prisoner James Hey Confess’d that he and J. Carter who was an Evidence for the Crown, was the two persons who did Commit that Robbery,—

Upon the liberation of Joshua Haigh a Soldier in the 51st Regt of Foot (which you will perceive by the Calendar) he Informed me that one of the Murderers with whom he had formerly Slept, had Communicated to him the place where a Quantity of Guns, &c &c were deposited, & Could be found in the Neighbourhood of Huddersfd, in Consequence thereof I spoke to Genl Maitland and he dispatch’d a party with Haigh in Search thereof, but whether or not they Succeeded in finding them I have not been Obliged to learn,

My Extra Care and duty have been for Sometime very laborius, as also Expensive to me – by Additional Servants &c, which I have Stated to Mr Hobhouse a few days Ago, and I Should hope will in Some Small degree be Consider’d, having I flatter myself fulfill’d my Office to the Satisfaction of Government and the County at large,

I Remain Sir with respect
Yr Obt Hble Sert
Wm Staveley

B—Since my Writing the above I have Seen the Revd. G. Brown, who informs me that during his Visits to those Unforte Men, he put this Important Question to them “viz — In this Society formed by you and others, was there, or not, any Persons of high Station in Life Connected,—the Answer was NO, the Reason of the Chaplain Asking that Question, was owing to the Circs of Some of those men having Money paid weekly to them, as my Report,—

W.S.

13th January 1813: Major Raitt tells General Acland revelations from an informer

Wednesday [Evng]

My dear General

I send you on the other half Sheet a List of all the Prisoners with their Fates attached to them, 14 of them are to be executed on Saturday, next, Lumb is reprieved.

I have just received your Dispatch & will lay the applications before the General tomorrow morning. Haigh of the 51st is gone this evening in Charge of two Men to Huddersfield to find out a deposit of Arms told him by Mellor he slept with him in the Castle for 6 or 8 Weeks, he acknowledges (that is Mellor) to having fired at Hinchliffe not Schofield, Thorpe was present likewise, Mellor did not acknowledge the Murder of Horsfall, but did not deny it.

I was not in the [Court] after you left this, but as you are to be so soon here you will then hear all particulars, are you likely to close your Proceedings soon?

I remain
Yours truly
Much Obliged
[illegible] Raitt

[To: Major General Acland]

[13th January 1813]

18th October 1812: The Stockport solicitor, John Lloyd, tells the Home Office that informants are coming forward

Huddersfield 18 ‘Oct 1812

Sir

I think I did not make you acquainted with the steps taken previous to the apprehending of George Mellor for the murder of Mr. Horsfall — altho’ I did advise as to the expediency (under the particular circumstances of the people being in dread) of taking a witness away to some distance — However, it seems confirmation or the influence of friends or both have produced a disposition in some of the witnesses to come forward and declare what they before concealed of their knowledge leading to certain Characters concerned in the murder, as was their opinion from the first.

The commitment of Mellor has produced a sensation which may ultimately turn out pretty favorably, for, we have just got information that a woman of the name of Walker has been asking advice how those concerned shod act to save themselves and we expect this night, but not in time for the post, to obtain important information upon this ground — which shall be communicated to you by the next post.

With respect to the guilt of Joshua Haigh in that murder I am now, as I was before aware it wou’d be removed, and I can only account for his aunt’s mistake by supposing that she had fixed that offence to him from his saying he had been concerned with the Luds and obliged to fly, and that her fancy must have added the particular instance subsequently — and that all the rest is true statement, but will not have credit of course after such a mistake.

I am sorry to say Depredations have recently been committed in the neighbourhood of Halifax — I am sending to a woman that knows the persons of two of the men in one of the Houses robbed.

I have [etc]
J. Lloyd

[To] J. Beckett Esq
&c &c

2nd October 1812: Joshua Haigh is committed to York Castle

On Friday 2nd October 1812 Joshua Haigh, the soldier who had confessed to killing William Horsfall and being involved in the attack on Rawfolds Mill, was committed to York Castle by Joseph Radcliffe.

19th September 1812: The Stockport solicitor, John Lloyd, tells the Home Office he has a suspect for the killing of William Horsfall

General,

I have to request you assistance. Information has been obtained this Morning that a Soldier of the 51st Regt is one of the Murderers of Mr. Horsfall. His name is Joshua Haigh — was inlisted in this Town by Serjeant Marshall — and, prior to April Sessions, he was detected of lead stealing for ‘Lud purposes but discharged about the 7th or 8th of April from Pontefract Sessions, being no prosecution. Mr. Horsfall was shot about the 28th of that month. Haigh fled over to Ireland, where he was apprehended by a party of the 84th Regiment, as a Deserter from the 51st, and escorted to the Army depot at Brabourne Lees, Kent. Capt. Thwaites command there, and will cause him to be detained – and perhaps sent down his — The Capt might may be authorized to shew him the proclamation in order that if he is in a situation to avail himself of the Royal Clemency he may impeach his accomplices.

You shall be furnished with all particulars for private satisfaction, but I conceive it will not be necessary to state more than the above to the commanding Officer; and tomorrow I will procure a Warrant from Justice Radcliffe which can succeed the communication you may be please to make to that Officer.

I have thought it best, General, to make this communication in writing that you may, if you think proper, forward it with any letter you may write to have the matter properly attended to—

I have [etc]

J Lloyd

Huddersfield 19 Sept 1812

[To General Acland]