By Isle of Wight Observer
The Isle of Wight Observer, published on 19th October, 1901, gives a blow by blow account of a fight in a pub. The landlord (the man assaulted) generated a round of ‘applause’ in court for running a good pub.
AN UNDESIRABLE CUSTOMER.
William Milford, of Bedworth Place, gardener, was summoned for assaulting Harry Russell, of High Street. Mr H. A. Matthews prosecuted, by the instructions of the Licensed Victuallers’ Association, and explained that a further charge might have been abasing the defendant.
Harry Russell, landlord of the Sun Inn, deposed that on Saturday the 5th inst., he was in his bar between six and seven in the evening. Defendant was there, and was very quarrelsome with another man in the bar. A man named Ballard came in. Defendant struck Ballard in the face and Ballard struck defendant back. A glass was broken in the affair, and witness then told defendant to go out. He refused and turned to hit the man, named Shepherd, he was first quarrelling with. Witness stepped between them, when defendant tripped him over and he struck the bridge of his nose with the door, and when witness got up, defendant struck him again with his open hand in the face. Witness went out into the street to see if he could find a policeman, and then some one in the bar put defendant out.
Cross-examined – Shepherd did not pick a quarrel with you; you picked a quarrel with Shepherd.
Defendant said he never struck Russell from first to last, and Russell got his injuries by falling on the door. Complainant was one of the cruelest men in Ryde. He could not keep his temper, and quarrelled with everyone who went into his house.
Supt. Hinks said he thought it only fair to say that since Mr Russell had been at the Sun, he had conducted it to the entire satisfaction of the police, and also, he believed, of the public at large (applause in court).
Defendant was fined 10s. and costs 8s. 6d., in default seven days.