591. JOHN PUTTERELL proceedingsdefend was indicted for that he, in the King's highway, a certain pistol, loaded with gunpowder and a leaden bullet, did wilfully and maliciously discharge at George Butler proceedingsvictim , against the statute .

Mr. GEORGE BUTLER < no role > sworn.

On Sunday evening, the 27th of August , between seven and eight o'clock in the evening, as a friend and I were coming to town, upon the Uxbridge road , we were met, near the fourth mile-stone, by a stage-coach, the driver of which informed us that there were some highwaymen upon the road. I proposed to my friend, Mr. Martin, to ride in company with the next carriage we saw. We then walked our horses till we were overtaken by a chariot with two gentlemen. We rode in company with that carriage till we came to Shepherd's-bush. I then stopped for about a minute, and Mr. Martin walked his horse gently on till I overtook him. We rode on a little way, and saw, as we thought, two men coming from the chariot. They passed us, and said something to us, which I did not rightly understand: but my friend informed me that they wished us a good night. We rode up to the carriage. One of the gentlemen asked us if we had seen two men go by. We told them we had. They said they had been robbed by those two men. We turned our horses, and pursued them. When we came to the White-horse, at Shepherd's-bush, we enquired if they had seen the two men. They informed us they had. We turned our horses heads towards Acton, and I saw the two men stop a hackney-coach.

What time was it? - Between seven and eight o'clock.

Was it light then? - It was rather dusk; but it was light enough to distinguish them. I rode up to the man on the right-hand side of the carriage, which was the prisoner, and made a blow at him with a stick which I had in my hand, but missed him. He immediately turned himself upon his horse, and fired a pistol at me, which missed me. He turned his horse about, rode a few paces, and then threw his pistol away, and rode off towards London. I pursued him for near half a mile. I believe, when I saw two men before us upon the road: I called out to them, Stop thief! knock him down! or something of that sort. One of them struck him on the head. He rode about a hundred yards, and then sell off his horse. He was never out of my sight from the time he shot at me till he sell off his horse. My horse being in full speed, I could not immediately stop him: I passed him; but returned, and found him in custody.

How near was you to him when he stopped the coach? - About a hundred yards. I am very certain the prisoner is the man.

Had he a pistol in his hand at that time? - He had.

(Mr. Thomas Martin < no role > confirmed the evidence of Mr. Butler.)

PRISONER's DEFENCE.

I never saw the prosecutor till they were taking me to the public-house.

(The prisoner called seven witnesses, who said he was a hackney-coach master, and who gave him a good character.)

NOT GUILTY

Tried by the First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice NARES.