South Eastern Gazette Gazette, 13 December 1853.

Walter Barton was charged with an assault upon John Brookes on the 29th November. The parties were at the "Wheat Sheaf," West Malling, and some person cut Brookes’s reins; he insinuated that Barton was likely to do it, which caused words, and Barton shook his fist in Brookes’s face, which was the assault complained of. Barton said Brookes was the first aggressor in words and threats, and called witnesses to confirm his statement. After a lengthened hearing the case was dismissed.