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At a special Court of the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers, on Thurs- day, a letter written by Mr. Baker, Coroner for Middlesex, to Sir George Grey, was read by desire of Sir George for the information of the Com- mission and for their consideration. The letter alluded to a resolution passed by the Board of Guardians of the Whitechapel Union, in relation to 'inquests held by Mr. Baker and to proceedings of theirs which seemed to obstruct inquiries for the preservation of the public health. In the course of the discussion raised by the communication, Dr. Southwood Smith said that he knew of no inquest that had been held that had not resulted in eliciting abundant evidence showing the evil to have arisen from remove- able causes.

He was not surprised at this opposition of the Board of Guardians of White- chapel, for at the outbreak of the cholera in 1848 they would do nothing as pre- cautionary. At an iaquest held on a person dying of cholera a verdict was returned of great neglect against the Board, and, but for the persuasion for two hours by Mr. Baker, the verdict against them would have been one of "Man- slaughter." Therefore be was not at all surprised at their objections to inquests. The letter was referred to the Works Committee.

At the Insolvent Debtors Court, on Saturday, Charles Throsby, an Under- Graduate of Exeter College, Oxford, came up for his discharge. The young man is the son of a gentleman of property in Australia. His allowance was 250L per annum. He entered college in 1843, when he was between eighteen and nine- teen years of age; and was arrested on the 18th May last, at the suit of Mr. Randall: his debts are 763L Mr. Throsby's father had written to offer 600L to liquidate his son's debts; but the same post brought another letter reducing the offer to 3001., in consequence of an adverse decision of the Privy Council which had made Mr. Thresh), senior liable for a very large sum in connexion with a bank. An attempt was niade to induce the creditors to take a corn lion: the answer was, that Oxford tradesmen never take a composition. T e principal witness examined was Mr. T. Randall, hatter and haberdasher, High Street, Oxford, a detaining creditor.

From 1843 to 1846, the insolvent had incurred a debt with him for goods and interest of 621. 9s. 6d. Witness's charges were such as he was in the habit of making, and were precisely the same as would be made at the West end of the town. The supply of goads was each as an Under-Graduate in the insolvent's circumstances might fairly require.

To Mr. Cooke—. I have been in Oxford since my birth, and have kept a shop there twenty-five years ; and have found it a good business, having had a large share of patronage. My plan is to charge equitable prices, according to the value of the articles and we risk I run. The reason why I charge 11. 5s. for a velvet hat is that I hold an agency from Lincoln and Co., of Saukville Street, and I agree with them to charge exactly the same prices as they do, 23s. cash and 25s. credit. Interest is charged upon goods after two years' credit. A notice to that effect appears on the heading of my bills, and is also written across my shop."

Mr. Cooke—" Is not that notice a great encouragement to credit ?" Witness—" It is only a protection against fraud. The insolvent began to deal with me in 1843. I did not send in my bill that Christmas, but the next one, at the end of 1844. Insolvent did not pay, but still went on dealing ; and the bill was doubtless sent In again at Christmas 18-45; and after the two years I charged 5 per cent interest." The witness then went on to state that he called upon the insolvent in prison, last Mon- day, and offered to discharge him if he would pledge his word to pay at any time that it was in his power to do so ; and that the insolvent replied, he considered his imprison- ment an equivalent for the debt.

The Insolvent, to the Commissioner—. When I went to reside in Oxford, in October 1843, I was about nineteen years of age." The Commissioner—" Then, Mr. Randall, just when he went up to reside, you began to give him credit ?"

Mr. Randall—" Yes, Sir."

Commissioner—" Did you make any inquiries about him ?"

'Witness—. He was an independent member of the University, paying his own ex- penses, and not enjoying any exhibitions or benefits from his college.'

Commissioner—" I see that he had hats, scarfs, and gloves, with no inconsiderable rapidity. Did you at any time interpose any check to his proceedings ?"

Witness—" delivered him his bill. I can't say that I pressed him for the money at the time • but allusion was frequently made by him to it, hoping that he would soon be able to bring me some money. I regarded him as a gentleman and a man of honour. Be did not, at the time, tell me the position of his father, nor had I any means of ascertaining; but it Is possible I might have inquired among the insolvent's friends, or of his tutor. I never Inquired of the college tutor respecting the situation of the In- solvent's father as a matter of business. There Is written across my shop—. A liberal discount for prompt payment, and 5 per cent interest charged beyond two years' credit." Commissioner—" From your experience, do not you think the ordinary Interpretation of those words would be, that any amount of credit might be had on paying 5 per cent interest ?"

Witness—" No, Sir. A large proportion of the gentlemen who come to Oxford have their bills paid after they leave the University, instead of the money passing through theft hands, having only a certain sum allowed them for necessary purposes."

rs ceprio,..,,ner_" When he first came to you as a mere boy and asked for things, you lialkave them without inquiring anything about him ?"

' Yes, the general inquiry as to who and what a gentleman is goo; through V! hernias; and I consider that when a gentleman who lass paired the bitc me a member of the University, I have a right to hold him a gentle-

man and a man of honour. I never stopped any of the insolvent's orders. After the first year he got more sparing in his orders, and only had what was necessary." Commissioner—" Then, without ascertaining who a young man is, or what his friends are, or for what purpose he is sent to-the Uttiveralty, you suppose him to be a gentle- man and furnish him with whatever goods he may want ?"

Witness—" Not with whatever he asks, but with what may be necessary for a gen- Haman. I never expostulated with the insolvent, because he never had anything ma. necessary."

After the counsel on both sides had commented on the circumstances of the case, the Chief Commissioner postponed his judgment to Monday, to see if any arrangement could be made. On that day, the Commissioner inquired if the 3001. offered by the father wonld be paid into court if the insolvent were discharged? The counsel answered in the negative. The altered position of Mr. Throsby senior, and other circumstances in the case, precluded such an offer now. The Commissioner then pronounced.judg- meat. He said, he did not feel that the creditors were entitled to any special con. sideration ; but on the other hand, young men must be taught that they are not to get into debt without any regard for the consequences. He condemned the Oxford system of long credit. In strict justice to 41 parties, he ordered that the in- solvent should be discharged on paying 2501. into court. .

In the Bankruptcy Court, on Wednesday, Mr. Commissioner Holroyd gave judgment in re Craikshank, Melville, and Co., the great East and West lIglj merchants whose affairs were at first put in the hands of private administrators, but were afterwards thrown into the Bankruptcy Court by the Directors of the Bank of England, "as a public duty." On thelst of January 1845, the firm of Craikshank and Co. were indebted about 396;0001.; and had assets beyond that amount in value about 36,000/. But in realizing those assets there was a loss af 190,0001., owing, it is alleged, to the depreciation of West India estates and pro- duce. The firm were indebted to Messrs. Trneman and Cook about 89,0001.; and in July 1845 they assigned for the benefit of that firm property then valued at 131,0001.: on being realized, however, that property entailed an absolute loss, so that the debt which it secured was increased. After making this assignment, a bill for 7,8001. was drawn on Messrs. Trneman and Co, and discounted by the Bank of England ; the Bank giving.credit primarily to Messrs. Crnikshank, in ignorance of the secret assignment. Soon afterwards, both firms fell; and the Bank of England, holding nearly 60,0001. of Messrs. Trueman's bills, learned with surprise the secret assignment to that bankrupt firm. The Commissioner has now adjudged that the certificate of Mr. Street, who drew and negotiated the bill for 7,8001., should be suspended for twelve months; and those of Mr. Cruik. shank and Mr. Melville for six months; granting, however, protection from arrest.

" Lola Mentes," alias " Countess of Landafeld," who was so recently married to Mr. Heald, has again appeared before the public in no pleasant position—on a charge of bigamy. She was brought in custody before the Marlborough Street Magistrates on Monday. Her husband was seated beside her in court.

"The lady appeared quite unembarrassed," says a reporter present, " and smiled several times as she made remarks to her husband. She was stated on the Pollee-sheet to be twenty-four years of age, but she has the look of a woman of at least thirty. She was dressed in black silk, with close-fitting black velvet jacket, a plain white straw- bonnet trimmed with blue, and a blue yell. In figure she is rather plump, and of mid- dle height ; of pale, dark complexion ; the lower part of the features symmetrical, the upper part not so good, owing to rather prominent cheek-hones, but set off by a pair of unusually large blue eyes, with long black lashes. Her reputed husband, Sir. Heald, is a tall young man, of jtivenile figure and aspect, with straight hair, and email light brown downy mustachios and whiskers. The nose, being turned up, gives him an air of great simplicity. During the whole of the proceedings, he sat with the Countess's hand clasped in both his own, occasionally giving it a fervent squeeze, and at particular parts of the evidence whispering to her with the fondest air, and pressing her hand to his lips with juvenile warmth.' Mr. Clarkson for the prosecution, stated that it was at the instance of MSS Heald, Mr. Heald's aunt, formerly his guardian; his father, Mr. George Heald, of the Chancery bar, being dead. The lady now before the Court—Eliza Rosa Anna, or Rosanna James—was the wife of Thomas James, a Captain in the In- dian Army, who is believed to be still alive. Mr. Heald came of age on the 21st of last January; be had some 6,0001. or 7,0001. a year. He was married to Mrs. James on the 19th July. The lady was first married in July 1837, in Ireland, as "Rosa Anna Gilbert." Subsequently, the parties were divorced by the Eccle- siastical Court, a mensii of there; but the marriage had not been annulled. The present proceedings were contrary to Mr. Heald's wishes; but his aunt felt it was her duty to take them. Mr. Clarkson asked for a remand till witnesses could be brought from India to complete the case. Witnesses were called to prove portions of the counsel's statement. Miss Heald, the aunt, was among them. A clerk from the Consistory Court produced a copy of the sentence of divorce. The Countess, with an impatient gesture, said, " I don't deny it." A clerk from the East India House proved by documents that Captain James was alive on the 13th June last. The parish-clerk of St. George's Hanover Square deposed to the marriage on the 19th July—between "George Trafford Heald" and "Maria Tores de Landsfeld." Police-Sergeant Gray de- scribed his arrest of the accused that morning. The lady said she had been divorced from- Captain James by act of Parliament: she added—" I don't know whether Captain James is alive or not, and I don't care. I was married in a wrong name, and it was not a legal marriage. What will the King say? Lord Brougham was present when a divorce was granted, and Captain Osborne can prove it." Mr. Bodkin appeared for the Countess. He commented on the unprecedented nature of the proceedings; as neither of the alleged husbands appeared against the accused. If she had done anything wrong, she would meet the consequences; and he did think enough had been stated to warrant further inquiry. The lady was first married when fifteen or sixteen years old ; a divorce took place; she was under the impression that a divorce bill had passed the Legislature: that might be an error ; but there had been no time to inquire. He asked that the lady should be merely held to bail to appear again. After consulting with Mr. Hardwick, Mr. Bingham remarked, that in this case the present husband made no complaint: then as to Captain James, there was no proof that he was alive; he might have died in India subsequently to the lath June. The law presumes innocence till some proofs of guilt are adduced; and he felt great reluctance even to hold the accused to bail. He merely called for two sureties in 5001. each and the prisoner's own bond for 1,0001. Bail was imme- diately given, and "the Countess" left the court with her boy husband. A shocking tragedy has occurred in Henry Street, Hampstead Road. In the first floor of number 19 lived a bricklayer named Chapman, with his wife and three children; the man had been out of work for some time, but last week he obtained employment; the family had suffered much, and had got into debt. Early on Saturday morning, Chapman went to his labour. About eight o'clock, another lodger heard a child exclaim, "Oh don't, mother ! " and afterwards there were faint groans; the woman tried the door, and found it locked. She raised an alarm, and the place was entered. The mother bad strangled her children and than herself; she was quite dead, and the two elder children nearly so; an infant still moved. The woman who had entered immediately removed the ligatures that were round the children's throats; they were taken to the hospital, and were subsequently pronounced out of danger. A handkerchief drawn tight round Hrs. Chapman's neck was removed, and it was then found that she had attempted to out her throat with a table-knife; which was too blunt to do it effectually.

When the eldest child was questioned, she said her mother tied a pinafore round her neck, and when she began to cry she told her not to cry or she would beat her. She then saw her mother tie the handkerchief round the neck of bez-sislsr; and afterwards the baby ; "but she then became so bad she could not see any more.' A surgeon thought that the poor children would have perished had the discovery teen five minutes later. The deceased bore an excellent character: for the last fortnight she had complained of pains in the head. At the inquest on Monday, the Jury found that she had destroyed herself during temporary insanity, brought n by poverty and distress.

At Guildhall Police-office, on Tuesday, John Lee, cashier to Mr. Thomas Wright, a cheesemonger of Giltspur Street, was charged with embezzlement It was-his duty to pay Into Loyd's bank all monies received for his master; but on divers occasions he paid precisely 201. short of the cash he had in hand, in each instance entering in the books the full amount as paid. The case was fully made out, and the accused offered no defence.—Committed.

Joseph Boukett, a German emigrant residing at a lodging-house in Ship Alley, his lost his life through somnambulism. He rose from his bed in the night, opened a window; got out; fell some thirty feet, and died from the effects of the fan. There seems no doubt that he was unconscious at the time.