Local News on this day 3rd December 1861.

At the Maidstone Police Court, on Wednesday 27th November, William Gardener, a waterman, was charged with threatening to shoot another waterman named George Hetherington, on Tuesday 26th November.

The complainant deposed that on the morning of the previous day, he was at the "Parliament House" beer shop in Wharf Lane, where there were several waterman present, including the defendant. After they had been talking together for some time, the defendant left, saying he had got a double barrelled pistol at home. He was in liquor at the time and after three to four hours afterwards, he returned and seated himself, beside the complainant. The complainant suspecting that the defendant intended some violence towards him, put his arm around him and felt the knob of a pistol in his pocket! The witness called to some of the other men present, and one of them came and took a double barrelled pistol away from the defendant. William Gardener had threatened him previously and once said he would shove a knife into him. Some skylarking took place between them about two months ago, but he had only quarrelled once with the defendant and that was years ago.

William Nichols, the man who took the pistol from the defendant, corroborated the complainant's statement, stating that both barrels of the pistol were loaded and one was capped. He did not notice whether the hammer was cocked and after one charge, he broke the pistol. Prior to the defendant leaving in the morning, there had been some "chaffing", but when he left, he did not appear excited or angry.

William Misson, the landlord of the "Parliament House," gave similar evidence, stating that in the morning, Gardener was rather quarrelsome and talked of fighting, but no one took any notice of him.

The defendant said it was a drunken set out. Hetherington and the others were in the habit of "chaffing" him, and some time since had played some practical jokes upon him. Another waterman stepped forward and said the defendant, some time since was severely wounded in the head and whenever he got a little drink, he was like a madman.

Hetherington was recalled and stated that he was not in the slightest fear of the prisoner and if he had not been persuaded by others, he would not have given Gardener into custody. Mr Blundell said the charge was preferred by Hetherington at the station house and he then said, the defendant had attempted to stab him on a previous occasion.

In answer to the Mayor, Hetherington repeated that he had no wish to press the charge.

The Mayor, addressing the prisoner, said the evidence which had been given was not very creditable to any concerned - a lot of men sitting in a beer shop and quarrelling amongst themselves. A loaded pistol in the hands of a drunken man, who it appeared, was peculiarly liable to be affected by drink, was a very dangerous weapon and could not be allowed. However as the complainant had no wish to prosecute, the defendant would be discharged, though he hoped his escape, would serve as a caution to him in the future. The broken pistol was retained by the police.