EVEN the judge was confused.

“This is a shindy at which I and the jury cannot reach the bottom.”

Mr Justice Field confessed he had been confused by the evidence in the case of jobless William Howell who had denied wounding Henry Jordan with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm, during which he was alleged to have used a bath as a weapon!

Trouble flared when Jordan and his wife went to visit Howell, who had married their niece, at the newlyweds’ home in Southampton, taking with them a bottle of whisky as a belated Christmas present.

The drink however brought the ugly side of Howell’s character and he began denigrating his wife. Jordan took his niece’s side and tried to reason with Howell who then grabbed a jar of pickle and hurled the contents at him. When that missed, he picked up a bottle which he hurled at Jordan’s head.

That also missed and in mounting anger, Howell picked up several plates from the table and some struck the old man. Now totally out of control, he punched him about the head, giving him two black eyes.

The trial at Hampshire Assizes in March, 1888, was told that Jordan and his wife left but inexplicably returned and Howell renewed his drunken attack on Jordan who fled down the garden path.

By now, Howell had armed himself with a pole, a bucket and off all things a bath! Eventually, he knocked his victim senseless.

Readers of the Hampshire Advertiser learnt that defence barrister Charles Matthews cross-examined Jordan and his wife at great length, implying they had been unwanted guests, were themselves much the worse for drink and had refused to leave the house when asked.

The judge stopped the hearing midway through the case, declaring it “a shindy at which neither I, nor the jury could get to the bottom,” and directed the panel to acquit him.