There was amusement in a Hamilton court in early February 1893, which is worth sharing here.
A witness from Blantyre was called upon and proceeded to the dock to give his statement. The court official was horrified to see the man was still wearing a hat, not the done thing in a court room and asked the witness politely to take off his hat. Not understanding, the witness looked puzzled and didn’t react. The court official again said loudly, ‘sir, take off your hat!“. Now either through stubbornness or stupidity, the man again just simply looked puzzled, the hat remaining on his head. .The judge looked annoyed at the delay.
“SIR!”, the official now shouting, ‘take OFF your hat!”. To the thankfulness of the official and the judge, the witness then took off his hat and was then proceeded to be questioned by the judge.
Next up and shortly after in the dock, was the alleged criminal. A different man who stood in the dock looking sheepish. The judge opened his proceedings with the line, “YOU my fellow, have caused far more trouble than the hat!”. Some laughter in the courtroom.
