1 MARCH 1845, Page 8

be _Metropolis.

A Court of Aldermen was held on Tuesday, for the despatch of business. Mr. Knill, Common Councilman for the Ward of Billingsgate appeared before the Court, and complained, as a Roman Catholic, that he had been called u • n, at the last election, to take the " obnoxious " oath of abjuration; which he re- fused to do. The Court concluded the discussion on the separate clauses of the by-laws to regulate the navigation of the Thames; and copies of the laws were ordered tube laid before counsel. The Court then proceeded with closed doors, to discuss a motion by Alderman Sidney, relative to the state of the City prisons.

A Court of Common Council was held on Thursday. It was resolved to pay 1,0501. to Mr. Russell Gurney (newly promoted to be Queen's Counsel) on ins resigning the City Pleadersh9; an office which he purchased for 1,0001 from the -lath Baron Selland, .paying also 501. in fees. The Lord Mayor produced papers relating to an application from the Commissioner of Police for an increase of salary. A committee of Aldermen had reported that the question of salary belonged to the Court of Aldermen: this was angrily denied by several speakers; and the Lord Mayor having moved that the papers be referred to the Police Com- mittee, the "previous question" was moved, and carried by a large majority. After a long discussion, the Court agreed to a motion, originating with Mr. Ander-

" That an application be made to Parliament for an act to amend the statute 11th Geo. Leap. 18; and that it he referred to a Committee to prepare a bill accordingly, and submit the same for the consideration and approval of the Court."

A numerous meeting of Finsbury electors was held, at the White Conduit Bowe, on Wednesday, to consider the statement that letters addressed to Mr.

Thomas Duncombe, Member for Finsbury, had been opened at the Post-office. Mr. Richard Taylor presided; Mr. Wakley, the other Member for Finsbury,. Sir Charles Napier M.P., and Mr. Blewitt, M.P., were present: but Mk:- buncombe sent a letter excusing his absence, on the ground that, in a matter so, peculiarly personal, it would be indelicate for him to attend. Resolutions de- nouncing the secret spy-system at the Post-office, and demanding inquiry into the case of Mr. Duncombe, passed unanimously; as well as a petition embodying the resolutions, which Mr. Wakley undertook to present.

In the Court of Queen's Bench, on Monday and Tuesday, Mr. Douglas was de- fendant under an information brought against him by the Crown, for having un- lawfully received money from the Rajah of Tanjore and the Rajah of Poodoocottab, two Native Princes of India, contrary to an express provision in the act of the 33d Geo. Ill. c. 52. From November 1839 till the beginning of 1841, Mr. Douglas was the British Resident at the Court of Tanjore. His salary from the East India Company was about 1,400 rupees (about 1401) a month; and one charge was that he had received from the Rajah a regular allowance of 2,000 en- pees a month as "table-money," or 32,000 rupees in fifteen months. He also had an advance of money to buy furniture. There was an affray at a village, in which some of the Rajah's relations were implicated; and Lord Elphinstone, Go- vernor of Madras, went to Tanjore to investigate the matter; taking up his abode at the Residency. Mr. Douglas applied to the Rajah for an advance to defray the- expense of entertaining Lord Elphinstone; nd he received 50,000 rupees. He- also performed the duty of Resident for the small contiguous state of Poodoocottah ;-

and from the Treasury of that state he received 5,000 rupees; but, fearing dis- covery, that sum was returned. The defence was, that the receipt of such allow- ances was quite usual, the salary being insufficient for the expenses of the Re- sidency. The visit of Lord Elphinstone was really to the Rajah; but the religion of that Prince forbidding the residence of an European at his house, the Governor took up his lodging with the Resident. Mr. Bayley, who Receded Mr. Douglas at the post, was called as a witness for the prosecution. lie stated that he found" coaches and horses provided for his use at the Residency; but he uniformly re- fused all allowances. There were few visits in his time, but he found the Ace a loss to him. The Jury returned a verdict for the Crown; the Court reserving some technical points of objection raised by the defendant's counseL From some preliminaries in the Court of Exchequer, on Saturday, it appears that Messrs. Smith have begun actions of trespass against the officers of Excise who made the seizure of their stock, utensils, &c., upon the distillery premises at WhitechapeL on the 2d November last.

No indictment against Miss Osborn for shoplifting has been presented to the Grand Jury at the Middlesex Sessions, which sat this week; for the witnesses were not forthcoming. The Judge said the proceedings were extraordinary, sue ordered the recognizances of the witnesses to be estreated; observing that the prosecutor could, if he pleased, press the indictment at the next Sessions. The Morning Chronicle hints, that the ostensible prosecutor was more than passive in the defeat of justice.

At the Clerktmwell Police-office' on Tuesday, Mr. Watt, an inhabitant of Clerkenwell, complained of the disgraceful state of Spa Fields burial-ground. The grave-yard is two acres in extent; it has been used for fifty years; and thou- sands of bodies are interred yearly. According to the report, it reeks with cor- ruption; though strange practices are carried on to get rid of coffins and half- decayed remnants of mortality., it is supposed by burning them, to make room for fresh shoals of bodies. The evidence was of the most disgusting character. The Magistrate said he had no jurisdiction, and recommended the complainant to apply to the Board of Guardians.

A livery-servant, named Smith, has been committed for robbing his employers, Messrs. be Lisle and Company, merchants in Devonshire Square, to the extent of above 500/. The safe from which the money was taken had been deposited in a well; and Smith broke through a brick wall to get at it.

The Coroner's inquiry into the death of Mr. Montague and his wife., who were_ killed at Camberwell by taking arsenic in their tea, has resulted in a verdict merely stating the cause of their death; there being no evidence to prove how the arsenic got into the tea.

Quiet Hampstead has been put into commotion by a startling and mysterious- murder which was committed there on the evening of yesterday week. Shortly after seven o'clock, Mr. Hilton, a baker, while serving bread in Haverstock Ter- race, heard repeated screams of " Murder !" At first he did not think that they meant anything serious; but they were repeated, and then he hastened to inform s Policeman of the fact, and search was made in the neighbourhood: on a path near a stile by the roadside, in a field not far from Bellsize Park, midway between the Swiss Cottage Tavern and Haverstock Terrace, the body of a man was dis- covered, lying with the face upwards, in a pool of blood. Life was extinct, but the body was still warm. There were several wounds on the bead made by - some who has examined the body attributes death to a concussion oidttrbrain:. some blunt instrument, it is supposed with a crow-bar or heavy bludgeon.

the skull was not fractured, but it 'bore the marks of many blows. The man. appeared to have been robbed, as nothing of any value was found him. No

weapon of any kind, except a walking-stick, WU lying near the y; neither

were any marks of struggling discernible, the ground being hardened by frost.. The corpse was removed to the Yorkshire Grey public-house, and steps 'were taken to discover the authors of the crime. Rumours of all kinds were imme- diately in circulation; and the newspapers made statements of facts, and uttered ,innumerable surmises, only to contradict them each succeeding day.

An inquest was commenced, before Mr. Wakley, on Monday. It then ap that the murdered man was Mr. James Delarne, a teacher of music, residing in Whittlebury Street, Euston Square. He was unmarried. His brother said, be had no suspicion of any one. The hat was broken in several places, as if by heavy blows. In one of his pockets was found a letter signed "Caroline," requesting him to meet the writer at the place where they had spent so many half-hours to- gether, as she had something of the first importance to communicate. The inquest was adjourned till Thursday: part of the proceedings were held with closed doors. A man was arrested at midnight on Monday, who was supposed to have been one of three men who were seen prowling about Hampstead on the, day of the murder; but he was soon afterwards liberated On Wednesday, at the Marylebone Police-office, Thomas Henry Hocker, a young man living at Portland Town, who is a teacher of music, was charged with being- concerned in the murder. Rocker was an acquaintance of the deceased: having a good deal of money in his possession the day after the murder, he was sus- pected of being accessory to it; and on Tuesday night the Police arrested him in his lodging. He opened the door to the officers; and when they said they must take him into custody for the murder, he merely remarked that he knew Dela- rue. The Police went up to his room, where they found his brother in bed. When he knew that Thomas was a prisoner, the brother said, "Tom, tell the Policeman all you know about it; for he can see that you are telling him a lie I" Hecker then took a watch from under the pillow, and gave it to an officer, saym "It is Delarue's : he gave it to use last Friday morning, about ten o'clock,to

for him." He also gave up three duplicates of property belonging to Delarue which had been pledged in September and October last. Little money was found in his possession. Seventy-six letters written by a female were discovered in the room. It was proved that Mr. Delame left home at ten o'clock on Friday morn- ing; and Inspector Shackell said he had learned that he was seen with his watch and a chain attached to it so late as two o'clock on that day. When asked by the Magistrate what he had to say to the charge, the prisoner replied—" I can bring witnesses forward to prove that I did not leave my house on Friday evening till ten minutes or a, quarter to eight: that is all I have to say today." He was re- manded till Tuesday next. •

The inquest was resumed on Thursday. . James Hecker, the brother of Tho- mas was present in custody, having been arrested on the Coroner's warrant: but Thomas Hoeker was not forthcoming, and Mr. Widdey refused to go into the in- instigation of the rharge against him in his absence; complaining bitterly of the .obstruction which was continually raised to the bringing prisoners before him in similar cases. It does not appear who prevented Thomas Rocker from being brought before the Coroner. The inquest was again adjourned to Saturday; Mr. litakle,y threatening to resign if he were thwarted in having Hecker brought be- lore the Jury.. -

It is annotmied that serious evidence has been obtained against Thomas Hecker, ielithes belonging to him being found covered with blood. A pair of trousers, stockings, and a mackintosh, all bloody, were discovered at his Judging, and also a ahoemak-er's pincers stained with blood. Blood was also observed on the shirt - and coat in which he was dressed; and on his person a purse which belonged to Delarue has been found. He pretends that a woman gave him some money on Saturday; but this she denies. It is rumoured that " Caroline" has been dis- covered. The curiosity-hunters have already made havoc with a hedge, in cut- ting slips as mementos of the murder; and some have even made a hole in the wall near the spot, by taking away the bricks! It is stated today, that an exact copy of the letter signed " Caroline" has been found at Thomas Hocker's lodging, bath being in his handwriting; and also that the woman supposed to be the Caroline" will be examined today.