The Collaborative International Dictionary
Accessary \Ac*ces"sa*ry\ (277), n.; pl. Accessaries. [Cf. Accessory and LL. accessarius.] (Law) One who, not being present, contributes as an assistant or instigator to the commission of an offense.
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.
Wiktionary
n. (plural of accessary English)
Usage examples of "accessaries".
Buyers and receivers of goods taken by way of robbery or larceny, knowing them to have been so taken, shall be deemed accessaries to such robbery or larceny after the fact.
Prison-breakers, also, shall be deemed accessaries after the fact, to traitors or felons whom they enlarge from prison.
As to strangers breaking prison to enlarge an offender, they should, and may be fairly considered as accessaries after the fact.
If the principal offenders be fled, or secreted from justice, in any case not touching life or member, the accessaries may, notwithstanding, be prosecuted as if their principal were convicted.
Capital cases not being mentioned here, accessaries to them will of course be triable for misprisions, if the offender flies.