Jury Service 1862

Ipswich Journal 27 December 1862

AN OBSTINATE AND DISORDERLY JURYMAN

A novel feature in the system of trial by jury was developed on Saturday, in a case in the Second Court of the Queen’s Bench. The twelve “good men and true” who were empanelled to try an action, retired at one o’clock at noon to consider their verdict.
Eleven of them were agreed, but the twelfth had resolved to “eat his shoes” rather than give in. He seems to have been roundly abused, for at last he struck at one of his brother jurymen and threw a chair at him. Finding argument with the obstinate man of no use, the agreeing eleven set upon him, and during the scuffle the usher, who thought by the noise that he was wanted, opened the door of the room. At that moment the obstinate one had been driven with his back against the door by his fellows, and, the support being removed by the usher, he fell on his back in the passage. Argument and force failed to convince him, and at ten o’clock the jury were discharged without giving a verdict.