Joseph Taylor

Joseph Taylor died after being hit.

A man was charged with his manslaughter but later discharged.

Joseph Taylor had gone out with some friends on the night of 21 August 1908 to a hotel in Holbeck and had some drink.

Whilst there it was said that Joseph Taylor met a man with whom he had a discussion and that the man tried for Joseph Taylor's manslaughter then came up to them and asked what the matter was and was then said to have hit Joseph Taylor for no reason whatever, causing Joseph Taylor to fall and hit his head against a kerbstone. It was said that Joseph Taylor was then picked up and had said that the man tried had hurt his head.

Joseph Taylor went home and the following day at his mother's house he complained of an injury to his head and also suffered from a swollen lip.

A doctor was called on 25 August 1908 but Joseph Taylor died the following day.

The doctor said that when he was called he found Joseph Taylor to be in a dazed condition and unable to speak. He said that there was no fracture to Joseph Taylor's skull but said that there was a bruise near his ear and a blood clot on his brain and concluded that death was due to pressure.

The Town Clerk's Office later stated that based on how the medical evidence stood that they didn't want to proceed any further with the case and it was also heard that the Stipendiary Magistrate said that the only evidence from a sober witness had stated that Joseph Taylor, who he had said was very drunk, had fallen against the man that had been charged. The sober witness said that he then saw the man that was charged push Joseph Taylor away and that Joseph Taylor then fell. It was therefore stated that it was not the act of the man charged that had caused Joseph Taylor's death.

When the man charged had the charges against him dismissed it was said that he had been discharged without a stain on his character.