Green’s Dictionary of Slang

to confuse, to perplex; thus bustled adj., confused.

1870		Leeds Mercury 28 July 3/6: Heap up the coin in this line. Swagger no end when back. Bustle ’em a bit, eh?
1876		C. Hindley Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack 237: Now bustle him, [...] you have got him to-rights now. Let go your left straight.
1881		Trumble Sl. Dict. (1890) 10: Bustled. Confused; puzzled.
1895		Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 13: Bustled, confused.
1895		J. Caminada Twenty-Five Years of Detective Life I 243: The object is to ‘bustle’ the person who is supplying the goods.
1938		F. Anthony ‘Gus Builds the Stack’ Me and Gus (1977) 72: Spills might be all right, if you gave him plenty of time and didn’t get him bustled.
1968		G. Slatter Pagan Game (1969) 218: Surely the leading football school in the country would not stoop to such negative tactics? Or has Ruamahanga College got them bustled?