Star. — 1820-03-30 (London, England)

SURREY ASSIZES, MARCH 21.  James Alldis and John Bunn, Esq. were indicted under the late Lord Ellenborough's Act, the one as a principal, and the other as accessory, for feloniously, wilfully, and maliciously shooting at Sarah Mitchell, with a fowling-piece leaded with powder and shot, at Chertsey, on the 27th of December last, with intent to murder her. There were other counts, laying the intent to maim, disable, or do scme grievous bodily harm. The case proved in evidence was in substance this: The prisoner, Mr. Bunn, was a respectable .and wealthy gentleman, living at Chertsey, and the prisoner Alldis was his coachman. In the evening of the 27th of December last, the prosecutrix, a young woman, a servant out of place, had been out with another woman and two youths to see a friend at Weybriclge. Betwen ten and eleven o'clock she and her companions determined to return home by a different route than that by which they had set out, owing to the roughness and disagreeable nature of the latter, and they chose to adopt a path which led through Mr. Bunn 's farm-yard, and which was stated to have been, not more than three years since, a public way. It seemed that there were two gates at op*polite sides of the farin-yard. The first they entered without difficulty, and upon coming to the second they found it was fastened. Whilst trying to open it, and at the same time determiningtoretnra back, a dog began to bark. At the same instant the prisoner Alldis,. who lodged in a lone house about a quatter of a mile froth his master's, opened the easement of his window and cried "Ho!" It was moonlight. One of the young men answered, " Inc ! mnte and before anything further passed, the prisoner discharged a fowling-piece"at the group, the contents of which wounded the prosecutria dangerously in one .of her thighs, and slightly touched the rest of the party. The prosecutrix fell u!;on the Shoulder of cne of the young men, and the other fernaleaddressing the prisoner, told him that they meant no harm—that' they were wayfaring travellers--,that they had often' gone that way before, and thought there was no hat:m in doing, so again. The prisoner wilt ned.Clem to be gone, and - said, if they did not lie would fire was given by the prosecutrix', or any of her companions, nor any explanation given where they livedenor was there time, from the saddenness of the 'transaction, to do so. The prisoner, was in his thin t, and had apparently started -from. his bed in conixquence of the .I.unt ziven by the dog,"  and discharged Ws piece under the impression that ••41 there were thieves in his mlster's yard. In come, quence of the menace given by the prisoner, t!-e prosecutrix and her companions immediately made the best of their way out of the farm-yard to avoid any further danger, and with great &fficulty she was got home. She was confined a considerable time from the wound she had received, and appeared none to be an incurable cripple. A few daye afterwards, the .prisoner, Mr. Bunn, 1s as applied ,to by two of the same parry for some relief for the prosecutrix.-_ 1 He told them that the other prisoner was an honest and faithful servant of his, and that he had eehe acted by his orders, and that he (Mr. Bunn) xrculd have done the same, under the like circumstancee— In consequence of an application to the Magisti rt :s at Chertsey, Mr. Bunn, however, ahreed to maintain the prosecutrix clueing her illness, out he afterwards repented of his kindness, and said that shy must look to her parish. It appeared that no complaint had ever been made by the prosecutrix against Mr. Buns, as an accessory, the charge being confined to tlee servant Alldis ; but at the Assizes both were indicted before the Grand Jury. Mr. Baron GARROw strongly reprobated the prosecution against the prisoner, Mr. Bunn, and charged the Jury that they must acquit both Fr:!niters, for if even death had ensued it wculd ret have been murder. This was the criterion be which • such an indictment could he supported under Act in question. His Lordship, however, lamented that Xr. Blinn shoulel hare suffered his pity for the suffering of the peosecuttix to abate under any eiecumstances. The Jury found both prisoners—Net BIRNARD v. A'_: