18 DECEMBER 1847, Page 7

Abe flattropolts.

A Court of Aldermen was held on Tuesday, mainly for the purpose of receiving a return of the election of an Alderman for the Cordwainer's Ward, in the room of Mr. Thomas Wood. Alderman David Salomans was introduced by Mr. Lott, one of the principal Common Councilmen of the Ward, with a complimentary address; and having shaken hands with the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and principal officers of the Corporation, Mr. Salomans took his seat. Some routine business was subsequently disposed of including a report from Mr. Alderman Moon on the sanatory condition of Portsoken Ward; which he strongly condemned.

A Court of Common Council was held on Wednesday, to consider Mr. Anderton's motion for a petition to Parliament praying for the removal of Jewish disabilities. Mr. Anderton introduced his motion with a long speech. Mr. Deputy Corney moved the previous question, in a speech whidh provoked much laughter. The motion for a petition to both Houses Wasearried by a great majority.

The Common Council met yesterday, by special appointment, and pre- Mated the freedom of the City to Major-General Sir George Pollock.

The Health of Towns Association had an effective demonstration on Saturday, in the Hanover Square Rooms. The Marquis of Normanby pre- sided; he was supported by a large number of influential gentlemen of all parties—tords, Members of Parliament, and leaders in the sanatory move- ment. The chairman insisted on the necessity of agitating the subject of sanatory reform. The first of the resolutions, which were adopted unani- tamely, declared it "imperative that sanatory legislation should be imme- diate "- the next expressed satisfaction at the indications of official activity; the third was,

"That all past experience and the nature of the case enforce the necessity of combining in any sanatory measure an efficient local adminharation responsible to the ratepayers, with the superintendence of a Government department, dilly re- ptesented in Parliament," Towards the close of the proceedings, Mr. Charles Cochrane, the late candidate for Westminster, came forward and addressed the meeting in a personal strain; blaming the Health of Towns Association for want of moral courage "to beard the Corporations," and declaring that the office Was left to him. At the suggestion of the chairman, however, Mr. Coch- rane withdrew his offensive expressions, and nothing came of his inter- vention.

At the Central Criminal Court,. on Tnesday, Brewer, Ralph!, and Barr, were indicted' for having conspired to defraud Mr. Kerie of a large-sum of money by false play at cards. Mr. Kerie is the West India gentleman-who was so merci- lessly plucked" by the three prisoners and one Lewis. The latter informed against his associates, and his evidence convicted them. He described how the gang went to Cremorne Gardens to " pick up fiats "; and there enticed Mr. Kerie, who seemed a promising. subject,. to London;. the other knaves following BAIT. When the gentleman was induced to play at whist, Lewis substituted a " stacked" pack of cards for the true one with which the play had began; and Mr. Kerie was fleeced. The same plan was afterwards repeated. The cheats thought they had the "flat" so secure that they speculated on getting 4,0001 from him which they had ascertained he would shortly possess. But Lewis, defrauded of some of hia share of the spoil, informed against the others. The Jury returned a verdict of "Guilty" against all the prisoners. On Thursday, the sentences were pro- nounced.: Barr to be imprisoned for fifteen months, and pay a fine of 5001.; Brewer, twelve months, and a like fine; Rolphs, six months, and a fine•of 1001.; and further imprisonment in each case till the fine be paid. On Wednesday, the Court was employed all dap in the trial of the boy Alloutt, for poisoning his grandfather, Mr. Nelme. During the trial, the boy remained seated, his few buried in Lands, apparently absorbed in grief. The particulars of the case have been related before, and the evidence added nothing new. The poisoning was proved circumstantially; and evidence was repeated as to the insa- nity of the boy's father, with signs of it in the son. While Allnutt was in New- gate, on the 224 November, he wrote a. letter to his mother, confessing his guilt. There was a discussion whether this letter was admissible, as the writer spoke of the Ordinary's exhortations to him to confess his sins, as if from doing so some worldly benefit would arise. But the Reverend Mr. Davis having been called, de- posed that be had only prompted the boy to confess his sins to God, and that some of the remarks attributed to him in the letter he had never used. The letter is fall of religious remarks and Scripturalquotations: and the writer declares that he has had two dreams, in one of which Setae tried to make him not confess, so as to secure his soul to himself; while in the other, he had appeared before the judgment-seat of God. This lathe confession- , I now confess that I have done what I am accused of. How I got the poison was, that on the 20th of October grandfather went to his desk for the key of the wine-cellar to get some wine up and to look over his accounts ; and whilst he was gone I took the poison out and emptied out some of It into another paper, and put the rest back; and then, after dinner, I put it In the sugar-basin : and why I did it was, I had madegrand- father angry with something I had done, and lie knocked me down in the passage, and my head went up against the table and hurt it very much ; and he said the next time I did It he would almost kill me."

Mr. M'Murdo, the prison Surgeon, had never seen anything in the boy's conduct that denoted insanity. For the defence, Mr. Ballantine criticized the evidence, declared it insufficient, and maintained that the boy was insane. To support this view, a number of surgeons were called; who all gave an opinion that Allautt was partially insane when be committed the crime. Dr. Conolly thought him " imper- fectly organized ": his brain was diseased; and he considered that as he advanced

in life, his insanity would become more apparent; but be was of opinion that he would exhibit it more by a deranged conduct than a derangement of intellect.

In summing up, Mr. Baron Rolfe warned the Jury not to pay " a slavish obe-

dience " to the medical evidence about the boy's state of mind. After deliberating for a quarter of an hour, the Jury returned a verdict of " Guilty," but earnestly

recommended the culprit to mercy on account of his tender age. Mr. Baron Rolfe said be was rejoiced that the Jury had returned such a verdict—he rejoiced because the Jury had not shrunk from the discharge of a duty which men of

weaker minds have recoiled from, and that they had not returned a verdict which they felt their conscience would not sanction. The Jury had treated the defence of insanity that had been set up in his behalf as trifling with their judgment: for the prisoner well knew what a clime he was committing. In accordance with the recommendation to mercy, he should make a representation which would have the effect of sparing the boy's life; but it would only be that he might pass the rest of his existence in ignominy.

On Thursday, the five men accused of the murder of Mr. Bellchambers were trial. There was nothing new in the evidence. No witnesses were called for the defence. Lloyd and Davis were acquitted by direction of the Court, there being little evidence against them; and, after consulting for some time, the Jury found Sale and M'Ooy guilty, acquitting Doyle. Sentence of death was passed on the convicts.

Yesterday, Doyle, Lloyd, and Davis, were placed at the bar charged with the robbery of 51r. Be/lchambers; but no evidence was offered against them, and they-' were released.

William Stuart Sheridan was tried for the murder of his mother Frances,' by ,poison, and acquitted; the medioal testimony showing that Mrs. Sheri- dan's death might have been caused by cholera acting on a frame weakened by habitual intemperance.

At the Middlesex Sessions, last week, a judgment was pronounced by the Gotta impugning a right assumed by the Court of Aldermen. Certain watermen had been fined by the Thames Police Magistrates for navigating steamers on the Thames without being licensed according to by-lawrs made by the Court of Alder- men; for this licence a fee of a shilling is exacted. The men appealed. Mr. Sergeant Adams pronounced judgment, quashing the convictions: the Bench were of opinion that the Aldermen had not the power to legislate which they had assumed; more especially they had no power to impose taxes on the lieges, each as the shilling charged for the licence: the by-law was clearly illegal.

At Marlborough Street Police-office, on Tuesday, Lord William Vane Poffiett was accused of having stolen two embroidered slippers, odd ones, from the shop of

Mr. Stahl, in Burlington Arcade. On Friday sennight, Lord William went to the shop to purchase a pair of boots. The shopman went up stairs twice to endea- vour to find a pair which would suit, but he could not; Lord William was then

measured; the boots were made, sent home, and paid for. But two slippers were missed from the window: they were there when the accused was in the shop. In- quiry being made of Lord William Ponlett, he admitted that he had the slippm; said that he would not have had the thing occur for fifty pounds; and declared that he had taken the shoes to ascertain which would fit him best, on which he would • call and have the pair. He said Mr. Stahl was in the shop when he took the articles: but this was contradicted. Lord William Ponlett declared to the strate that he had no intention of stealing the slipper,. Mr. btahl's foreman who attended to make the charge, observed that it was rather singular for a nobleman to carry away slippers in his' ocket. Mr. Bingham, the h.istritte, said that it appeared to him, that, considering the prisoner had given his correct address, had paid for the articles he ordered, and, above all, that two odd slippers could have been of no use to any one, the probability was, that there had been some oversight or misapprehension, rather than that a person of the station of the accused shotild have taken the slippers without any assignable motive. It was a question, how- ever, to be decided by a jury, if the prosecutor thought fit 'to proceed further. The foreman said his original impression of the case was in some degree altered by the view taken by the Magistrate of the whole affair: in the absence of instruc-

tions from his employer, he should not be disposed to go further. Lord William Ponlett was then discharged.