gin Aftetropolis.

An unusually full attendance of the Committee appointed by the Con of Aldermen to investigate the charges against Alderman Thom Wood, with respect to the affair of the Talacre Mining Company, too place at Guildhall, on Saturday, for the purpose of prosecuting further their inquiry. Much angry discussion arose ; the Alderman insisting that the Committee should bring forward the charges in a distinct shape, and the Committee hesitating to take any step of that kind. Eventually, at the suggestion of the Common Sergeant, and on the motion of Sir Peter Laurie, the Committee resolved, " That all docu- ments with respect to any charge to which reference had been made in the Court of Aldermen should be put in and accepted by the Commit- tee ; Alderman T. Wood having power reserved to him to refer to any other matters as occasion might require."

At a meeting of Middlesex Magistrates, on Thursday, the following resolution was moved by Mr. Laurie-

" That, having taken into consideration the reports of the Visiting Justices and the Resident Physician of the County Lunatic Asylum, laid before the Court on the 27th October last, the Court desires to record their opinion, that, after a trial of three years, the advantages of the total abolition of personal restraint in the treatment of lunatics as maintained in that asylum are fully established on the firm basis of practical experience ; and to express their gra- tification at the success which has attended so great and beneficial a scheme for the amelioration of the condition of the most afflicted class of the community." The resolution was strongly advocated by Mr. Laurie— He had for a long time been only a very lukewarm friend of the system, if not an actual opponent of it ; but he had for some time been a thorough con- vert, because he had been an anxious and vigilant watcher of its progress ; and he was very desirous for the Court to give its full sanction to the system, in order that they might do all in their power towards its extension to all other asy- lums. The system of introducing amusements among insane patients, although not new, had never been tried on so large a scale as at Hauwell, nor had it any- where been so successful. Mr. Laurie made an elaborate comparison of the mortality in the Hauwell and private asylums, which he stated to be as 9 to 25.

The resolution was supported by Sergeant Adams, the Chairman, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Armstrong, and Sir Peter Laurie, who " recanted his former opinions ": " he was now fully convinced of the immense bene- fits of the new system, and he would never again either scoff or jeer at any statement of the learned Chairman with regard to Hauwell." It was carried unanimously.

An Anti-Corn-law meeting for the district of Hoxton was held on Wednesday ; Mr. Warburton in the chair. Mr. Charles Villiers, M.P., was the chief speaker. The Chartists moved an amendment to one of the resolutions, recommending the Charter as the panacea.; but the amendment was rejected by an overwhelming majority.

In the Court of Bankruptcy, on Wednesday, Mrs. Mary Edmonds, lodging-house-keeper, of Arlington Place, was examined. The bank- rupt's name was lately brought forward in connexion with those of Colonel Copland and Lord Huntingtower, in whose bill transactions she was implicated. The petitioning creditor was Mr. Smart, a gaming- house-keeper of St. James's Street ; who sought to prove for 2,350/., money lent. One of the other creditors asked Mr. Smart whether he was not aware that his own son was at present living with Mrs. Ed- monds? With a very coarse expression, he declared that he did not know. The Court—" This is not the proper line of examination." The creditor —" Were you not tried at Doncaster ? " Mr. Smart- " Yes, and honourably acquitted. Will you allow metto put a few questions to you?" The Court again interposed to check these inde- corous recriminations. Mrs. Edmonds stated that she had simulta- neously kept up residences at St. James's Place, Park Place, Herne Hill, and Arlington Street ; she left them about eighteen months ago: the Herne Hill house was the best, and the best-furnished ; several gentlemen had lodgings there. She had told her creditors that she thought if they would give her two years she could pay 20s. in the pound, as her securities would realize that : among the securities were bills of Lord Uuntingtower andeolonel Copland for 15,0001. In 1839- 40 she had about 30,0001. in money and good bills, but all is now lost : of that amount about 12,0001. or 14,Q00L was in cash. " I had no interest in any gaming-house with Mr. Smart, the petitioning creditor. The way in which 1 had transactions with Mr. Smart was this; gentlemen who had lost at play would come to me and say they had a certain sum to make up by the morrow or in the morning, and would ask me to ad- vance it to them on a bill of exchange or their promissory-note. Mr. Smart used to assist me with money when I wanted to carry out these negotiations." She was now living in furnished lodgings, and bad merely a bedroom. Among her other claims, were 4,5001. under an assignment from Count d'Orsay, 1,0001. on a bill of the Earl of Lichfield, for which she had been arrested and which she had paid, and 3,5001. on Colonel Copland's commission. Ultimately, Mr. Davis, a wine-merchant, was appointed assignee to the estate.

On Tuesday, the recognizances of Patrick Leith Strachan, against whom a true bill was found at the last sessions of the Court for misde- meanour, were estreated; neither the prisoner nor his bail answering when called upon.

Henry Belstead pleaded " Guilty " to some of the charges in an indict- ment for embezzlement and forgery. He had for thirty years held a commission in the Army, having attained the rank of Captain ; and latterly he bad been Secretary of the Savings Bank at Richmond. On the part of the Directors, who prosecuted, Mr. Clarkson said— They for a long time bad entertained the highest respect, and indeed he might almost say regard, for the prisoner at the bar; but when they found these irregularities in his accounts, they felt that they had no alternative left to them, in their duty to the public and to the depositors, but to prefer this indictment. At the same time, they knew the prisoner to be a man with a large family, and they were anxious to recommend him to the mercy of the Court. He was free to admit, on the part of the prosecutors, that the prisoner had given all the information in hie power in reference to these transactions ; and also, that if the managing Directors of the institution had been more atten- tive to their duties, these unfortunate transaction. would not, in all probability. have taken place. Colonel M`Dougal and Colonel Fox testified to the high character borne in the Army by Captain Belstead, from 1813 to 1827; and Mr. P. Garrick, a Magistrate at Richmond, gave similar evidence respecting

the prisoner's conduct for the eight years that he had been acquainted with him. The Recorder addressed the prisoner in this manner-

" It is most painful for the Court to be called upon to pass any sentence upon a person in your situation, much more so that sentence which is imposed by statute for the offence to which you have pleaded guilty : but I must inform you, that although the offence subjects you to transportation or a certain period of imprisonment and that for not less than two years, the only discre- tion left with the Court is with respect to hard labour : it will be my duty, therefore, to pass upon you a sentence of two years' imprisonment; but, al- though the hands of the Court are to a certain extent tied, still an application may be forwarded on your behalf to the Secretary of State; and I hope that the circumstance of your having fought many years in your country's cause, and down to the period of these transactions maintained an excellent character, will have their full weight. It is the attribute of the Sovereign alone to grant mercy under such circumstances ; and I have no hesitation in saying, that in any application which may be made on your behalf the Court will willingly acquiesce. It remains only for me to pass upon you the sentence of the Court; which is, that you be imprisoned in the House of Correction for two years, but without hard labour."

John Garner, a porter, aged nineteen, was indicted for robbing Ben- jamin Colts. Garner first outraged Mr. Coils as he was looking in at a print-shop at the corner of 'Southampton Street, on the 6th instant, and afterwards demanded money under a threat of giving him into custody. Mr. Coils gave him threepence ; but that did not satisfy the extortioner ; the other was alarmed, and followed the man to a pawn- broker's shop, to raise money on his watch. Garner waited outside ; and Mr. Coils explained the circumstance to the pawnbroker, who pro- cured assistance, and the man was seized. He then denied all know- ledge of Mr. Colts. The Jury found him guilty ; and Baron Gurney sentenced him to transportation for life : but afterwards the prisoner was recalled; and the Judge, saying he was surprised to find that the Legislature had reduced the punishment for such offences, sentenced him anew to three years' imprisonment with hard labour.

Stanhope Winkworth, described in the indictment as a labourer, was tried on Thursday, convicted, and sentenced to be transported for life. His wholesale robberies and seductions have been recently described.

At Bow Street Police-office, on Tuesday, Mr. Lewis Knight Bruce, son of Sir James Knight Bruce, was charged with having wilfully broken two squares of glass, value 4s. each, in the shop-window of Mr. Patterson, a bookseller in Holywell Street. Placards, speaking of things held sacred in very indecent terms, were hung up in the window : Mr. Brace, in passing, felt his disgust moved ; he took some dirt up from the street and smeared it over the windows ; and w hen a shop-boy desired him to desist, he smashed the panes with his stick, and took out one of the placards, snatching at a second which the boy succeeded in taking away. From the evidence of a bystander, it appeared that Mr. Bruce had insisted that the placards should be taken down, and then declared that he should do so himself. Mr. Bruce avowed in court, that he was glad at what had happened, particularly as he saw some poor ignorant persons drinking in such putrefaction. Whatever the damage was he would willingly pay, if the Court thought proper. Mr. Jardine, the Magistrate, did not pronounce a very severe sentence— He was not at all surprised at the course the defendant had taken, for which every excuse might be made. He was exceedingly glad Mr. Bruce had acted in such a manner, because it helped to bring the matter immediately into court ; for which the public ought to thank him, as through him there would be no difficulty in bringing. the case home to the parties who published such placards. He hoped Mr.ftruce would have no objection to lend his assistance in following up the prosecution : and for what he had done be would inflict no fine, but direct that he should pay for the damage.

Mr. Bruce paid for the damage ; said he would at any time:gladly come forward and give his evidence should the proper authorities take pp the matter ; and having thanked the Magistrate, left the Court. The evPning papers announce, that communications have passed between the Bishop of London and the Attorney-General, which will he followed up by a prosecution of Patterson and another.

An alarming and fatal fire happened on Wednesday night, at a house in Little Prescott Street, Minories, inhabited by no fewer than twenty- five persons. It was occupied by Mr. Shackleton, a green-grocer, who let out the greater portion in lodgings. Among them, in the first floor, was one Younker, or Vandyke, a dealer in "Dutch drops " ; which are a compound of oil, turpentine, spirits of wine, and sulphur, used as a cure for cuts and bruises ; and it was at first supposed that he was employed in adulterating some, to increase the quantity, when the fire broke out in his room, a little after ten o'clock. The fire was perceived by Mrs. Shackleton, the landlord's mother, and by persons in the street : and Mrs. Shackleton tried to shut Younker's door : but her bands were burned, without success ; and the flames soon spread to the upper part of the house. Shackleton dragged his mother out of the house; Younker and his wife escaped ; two young women named Hol- land jumped out of the second-floor window, one being killed by the fall: and they left a mother and two younger sisters who perished in the flames. Proudfoot, a lodger, was returning home with his wife just after the fire began ; and he rushed in to save his four children, whom he found huddled together in a corner of the room : he carried out two, but on returning for the others, the smoke hid them from his sight, and the beat forced him back. Two children of a family named Sumner were missed, until their bodies were found after the fire. Mr. Braid- wood and the Fire Brigade were speedily on the spot ; but the flames were not got under till midnight. A Coroner's inquest on the bodies was opened on Thursday, and ad- journed.

On the continuance of the inquest yesterday, Younker was examined. He said that he could not account for the fire ; which broke out while be was drinking coffee with his wife, a customer, and a woman who came with the customer. He supposed that a spark from the fire fell on the back of a dog which had just ran from the fireplace to some straw behind the bed, where the flames first appeared. Yonnker's wife thought that a spark from some crackling wood which was in the fire might have flown directly to the straw. Yonnker said that he tried to give the alarm ; but he did so in Dutch, and was not understood. He had in the roomj ry ewelle worth 2001., 501. in money, and two trunks full of new clothes ; all which were lost, except some pieces of diamond that he had found. The suspicion which had existed as to the origin of the fire was now quite removed ; and the Jury returned a

verdict " That the deceased persons perished by fire ; but that there was no evidence to show its origin."