TRAGEDY NEAR BRADFORD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1690, 24 January 1888, Page 3

TRAGEDY NEAR BRADFORD.

A horrible tragedy has just been enacted at Otley, near Bradford. William Taylor came to his home one Wednesday night, last November, the worse for drink, and shot at his wife with a gun. She, however, escaped him by running from the house. Taylor then fired at his little child, five years of age, killing it instantly. On Thursday morning Supt. Birkhili, chief of the Otley Police, went to the murderer’s house to arrest him. Findiig the door fastened he went to a window, and whilst looking through it into the house, Taylor, who was within, fired at the officer, the charge entering histemple, and causing instant death.

Taylor is a County Court bailiff, aged 50. It seems that he had quarrelled with his wife]at two o’clock on Thursday morning because she disturbed him in rising to attend to a sick child. He followed his wife downstairs, and a lodger, hearing the altercation, attempted to interfere. Taylor thereupon threatened to swing for both of them, and, picking up a double-barrelled gun, fired in the dark. The woman escaped, but the full charge entered the body of the child, who died immediately. The wife and lodger escaped. The police attempted to force an entrance and Superintendent Birkhill was just pressing the door open with a crowbar when Taylor fired from a side window and killed him, the shot taking effect in the head. The police then withdrew, but maintained a close watch on the house, the excitement being intense. About three hours after Taylor opened the door to let but his remaining child, and the police then rushed in. The first constable received a terrible blow from a spade, but the held on to the man, and with the help of his comrades secured him. The gun was found with both barrels loaded. Prisoner said he was glad he had had revenge.