SHOOTING AT MOTORISTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1748, 6 September 1905, Page 43

SHOOTING AT MOTORISTS.

REMARKABLE CONDUCT OF AN OLD GENTLEMAN IN KENT. The . recent whimsical application by the Marquis of Queensberry at the West London Police Court as to whether he was entitled to fire at motorists who were driving at a dangerous speed, and the subsequent facetious suggestion in the same -direction by Canon Green well, while sitting as a magistrate, have been taken seriously by Mr Charles Guillemard, an elderly independent gentleman living at Town-court-cottages, Orpington, Kent. On July 17 he was brought .before the Bromley magistrates charged with firing at motorists with intent to do them grievous bodily harm. The car in question belonged to Mr A. Hewitt, who related that at four o’clock on the 10th instant, he was driving a party through Orpington, and proceeded - through a narrow road, where Mr Guillemard lived. They saw Mr Guillemard on the lawn in front of one of the cottages, dancing about, apparently in a very excited state. They took no notice of him then, but drove on. • Cn the return journey, when they were parsing the cottages again, they saw that Mr Guillemard had a gun, which he was resting on the gate. He was shaking very much, and was very much excited. Mr Hewitt said to the driver, Mr Cox, "He is going to fire," and then added in amazement, "The fool is never going to fire?" Just as they passed Mr Guillemard raised the gun and fired between the lady's head and the awning. He seemed to be pointing the gun at the occupants of the car, and fired when they were not more than six feet away. The driver pulled up and said, <r l am going back. This ought not to be allowed;" but Mr Hewett remarked, "You had better not g,'i back; he is loading again." The driver went hack, however. Mr Guillemard then seemed to be "all contrition." He wanted to give the lady occupant of the car some brandy. He seemed to have an impression that some children had been killed by motors. N'o one in the car was shot. The old gentleman fired very erratically. He did not raise the gun to his ehomder—he was shaking too much. Acting-Police-Sergeant Henderson said when he told Mr Guillemard he would be taken into custody he replied, "They run over my children, and I shoot at them." Oh being searched seven loaded cartridbes and one spent cartridge in his waistcoat pocket were found. Mr Frank Cox, the driver, said that when he saw that the man was going to fir© he put on speed, and the shot missed them. Mrs Ellen Griffith, wife of the stationmaster of Faversham,, one of the occupants of the car, said had it mot been for the increased speed the shot would have taken her shoulder. Nine witnesses were called for the defence, the evidence" being that Mr Guillemard did not fire until the car had passed some distance by his gate. He high in the air. The accused wag committed for trial in his own recognisance of .£SO, and his brother. Mr Arthur Guillemard, who is a solicitor, as a surety in £SO.