The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-22 00:00:00

Extraordinary Charge,

At the Jersey police-court, on Tuesday, the ma-
gistrates were occupied in investigating a serious
oharge brought against the Rev. Edward Gullle,
rector of St. Luke's, of discharging a rifle bullet
into the house of Mr. Thomas Brown, who has for
the last ten years acted gratuitously as organist in

St. Luke's Church. At 12 o'clock on the night of

Sunday the 3d inst., Mr. Brown having given infor-
mation against Mr. Guille, the constable of the
parish proceeded to the residence of the latter on
the sth inst. for the purpose of arresting him, but

he found that he had left the island on the previous
morning for London. He proceeded to make a
search of the premises, and in the bedroom of Mr.
Guille he found a gun which bore traces of having
been recently discharged. Proceeding with his
search he discovered in a drawer some cartridges
and balls, in all nine of each, of which, together
with the gun, he took possession. On making in-
quiries in the town he ascertained that two or three
days before the commission of the alleged offence
Mr. Guille had purchased the cartridges and balls
at the shop of Mr. Hardie, ironmonger. In conse-
quence of these circumstances the Attorney-General
gave orders for the apprehension of Mr. Guille.
He returned on the 12th inst., and was taken into
custody. Mr. Brown, in his evidence, deposed that
on the night of the alleged offence he returned home
with Mrs. Brown about ton minutes to twelve
o'clock, and retired to bed about half-past twelve,
his bedroom being on the ground floor and behind
the sitting-room, from which it is separated by
folding-doors. In a few minutes afterwards ho heard
the report of firearms and the crash of glass in the
sitting-room, but, acting on the suggestion of his
wife, he did not get up to ascertain the cause. Next
morning he found the bullet produced, which had
struck the wall near the mantelpiece. There was,
no light in the room, as it had been extinguished on
his going to bed. Previous to that it had stood on
the chimneypiece. He gave as his reasons for sus-
pecting Mr. Guille that in August last they had had
a quarrel. Mr. Guille had written threatening let-
ters to him through his wife. One of the letters put
in and read contained, among other threats, the
following—" I promise you it (the island) shall be-
come too hot for you." " Depend upon it venge-
ance shall yet fall upon yOu." Being cross-examined
and shown a paper, Mr. Brown acknowledged that
he had signed it in the presence of his wife and the
constable, and that all three had been concerned in
drawing it up. The document was a promise on the
part of Mr. Brown to withdraw the charge be had
made, provided Mr. Guille would undertake not to
institute proceedings against him. Mr. Guille had
refused compliance. Several witnesses were ex-
amined as to the state of the gun found in Mr.
Guille's house, and also as to the hole made in the
Venetian shutters, and which, in the opinion of the
witnesses, could not have been made by the ball
produced. No evidence was given of Mr. Guille
having been out of his house at the time the shot
was fired. The Bench declined to hear either the
witnesses or the counsel for the defence, stating that
there was no evidence against Mr. Guille, who was
therefore discharged. The decision was received
with loud cheering.