{Accessary before the fact} (Law), one who commands or
counsels an offense, not being present at its commission.
{Accessary after the fact}, one who, after an offense,
assists or shelters the offender, not being present at the
commission of the offense.
Note: This word, as used in law, is spelt accessory by
Blackstone and many others; but in this sense is spelt
accessary by Bouvier, Burrill, Burns, Whishaw, Dane,
and the Penny Cyclopedia; while in other senses it is
spelt accessory. In recent text-books on criminal law
the distinction is not preserved, the spelling being
either accessary or accessory.