The Massachusetts Spy

[From a late London Paper.]

On Sunday last, at Palmer's Terrace, Holloway, Miss Mary Radford, a young lady, 24 years of age, after coming in from church, retired to her dressing-room on the first floor back room, and whilst standing before the window taking off her bonnet, she gave a sudden scream and fell backwards, and on inquiring into the cause, it was discovered she had been shot in the eye by a ball fired some distance. We are sorry to learn that the ball, which is lodged in the head, cannot be extracted. On inquiry, it was discovered that two young gentlemen, brothers, one of whom is a clerk in the Bank of England, and who resides on the opposite Terrace, were amusing themselves in the garden by firing at a target 200 yards distant. On Wednesday they were brought up to Hatton Garden office; Dr. Hunter, of Islington, was examined as to the state of the lady; other witnesses were also examined; after which the two prisoners were ordered into the custody of the officer. This young lady, we are sorry to learn, lies in a hopeless state. The ball, after perforating the glass and passing through the five folds of the window curtain, lodged in her head, from whence it is impossible ever to extract it without endangering her life. The melancholy circumstance has thrown the friends of both parties into the greatest distress imaginable, particularly as the surgeon holds out no hope of recovery. On Wednesday evening, at eight o'clock, after being in custody of an officer all day, the two young gentlemen charged with being the unfortunate instruments in firing the pistol, were again brought before the sitting magistrate at Hatton Garden; and, as the young lady is not dead, and they at present cannot be charged with manslaughter, nor with maliciously and feloniously firing with intent to kill, or do some bodily harm, they were permitted to give bail to answer the charge themselves, in £200 each, and four sureties in £200 each. It cannot be ascertained which of the gentlemen discharged the shot, as each fired several times at a hat which was elevated on the top of a gate-post, and they were unconscious of the accident for a considerable time after it had happened.