“Silence that dreadful bell!”

During the trial of the cause of Beauchamp v. Waller and another, in the Banco court yesterday, May 17, a funeral knell sounded persistently from the adjacent tower of St. James’ Church, to the evident discomposure of the leading counsel for the plaintiff, who complained angrily of “that dreadful bell” to the Chief Justice.

His Honour quite concurred with Sir William Manning as to the serious interruption caused by the sonorous nuisance and sent off his tipstaff to silence the lugubrious sound. The sacristan taking his own view of the matter, rather peremptorily declined to leave off, and on the officer reporting that fact to the Judge his Honour at once ordered the contumacious ringer into custody.

When the sacristan was brought into Court, he admitted that he had received the message from the Chief Justice, directing him to cease from tolling, but pleaded that he was acting under orders he had received from the churchwardens of St. James’ Church.

The learned Judge said that the man (James McCabe) had been guilty of contempt of Court and ordered him to be detained in custody until the rising of the Court. His Honour also stated that it was his intention to fine the transgressor. At the rising of the Court he was again brought forward and spoken to by the Chief Justice on the interruption he had caused, and on his disobedience of an order of the Supreme Court.

One of the jurors and one of the churchwardens interceded for the offender, who was thereupon discharged. SM Herald.

Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser (Qld. : 1861 – 1908), Thursday 1 June 1865, page 3