Mill owner William Horsfall was shot by Luddites on 28 April 1812.
Government, as well as individuals, have been using all possible diligence in endeavouring to discover the murderer of Mr. Horsfall, who was shot at mid-day, during the riotous proceedings of the Luddites at and near Huddersfield. Among those who have been suspected is a man named Joshua Haigh, a native of Huddersfield, who, during the disturbances, enlisted with a recruiting party into the 51st regiment, and a short time after the attack on the mill, which was so ably defended, he was strongly suspected to have been concerned in the attack, from the circumstances of a hat with his name on it, being found in a brook leading from the mill. On the evening of the day Mr. Horsfall was murdered, when he went home, he appeared extremely agitated when he heard any noise. After he went to bed, he was heard to talk loudly in his sleep, calling out loudly they were coming to take him. In the morning it was ascertained that he had absconded, and no doubt was entertained but he had got out of the window. No tidings were heard of him till a short time since, when the serjeant who had enlisted him into the 51st regiment being recruiting in Ireland, met him there, and took him into custody as a deserter, and had him conveyed to the depot of the regiment, at Brebourn Lees, in Kent, where he was received into the regiment with the punishment of being deprived his bounty, which he has not received when he enlisted. These circumstances getting known at Huddersfield, a warrant against Haigh was sent by Mr. Radclife, of Mill’s bridge, to the Secretary of State’s office, where is was backed for the county of Kent; and Lavender, the Bow Street officer, was dispatched with it, and took Haigh into custody at Brebourn Lees, and conveyed him from thence to Wakefield, where he is lodge in the prison.
