1!Lbe liftttropolis.

A public meeting was held at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, on Tuesday, to oppose the intended coal tax of 5d. per ton, in addition to the existing tax of Is. ld., to defray the expense of embanking the river Thames. Mr. John Masterman, M.P., was the Chairman. Let- ' ters of concurrence were read from several Members—Lord Howick, Mr. Paulson, Mr. Lyall, Mr. Duncombe—and other gentlemen. Mr. Hawes, M.P., proposed a resolution, declaring that the additional tax on coal, the cheapness of which tends so much to the comfort of the poor, and is so essential to the prosperity of the various manufactories esta- blished in the Metropolis and its environs, is unjust and impolitic. The proposed embankment was unnecessary, and would be highly injurious to the trade of the Metropolis and to the navigation of the river. He had attended the various meetings of the Commissioners at the re- quest of many of his constituents, and very few of the witnesses ex- amined before them were in favour of the proposed embankment. The Commissioners were desirous of making the city of London like Flo- rence and other Continental towns, so fine were their ideas of archi- tectural display ; but they appeared to have forgotten the trade of the city of London. The cost was estimated at 366,0001., the payment of which would come out of the pockets of the working-classes, who could ill afford it. Mr. Ord, M.P., supported the resolution ; opposing the plan on behalf of persons interested in the Newcastle coal-trade. Mr. Cope moved an amendment approving of a coal-tax as a means of effecting Metropolitan improvements ; which was seconded by Mr. M'Gillivray, and lost. The original motion was then put and carried. Colonel Wood, M.P., moved, "That the purpose for which this tax is proposed to be applied does not justify so obnoxious an imposition"; which was seconded by Captain Rous, M.P.; supported by Sir Charles Napier, M.P., who ridiculed the " ditch " that formed part of the plan; and was carried unanimously, as well as a petition founded on the resolutions. Thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.

The Anti-Corn-law League resumed its weekly meetings at Covent Garden Theatre on Wednesday. Mr. Cobden was called to the chair. He reported meetings at which he and some of his coadjutors attended during the recess : at Bristol, where more than 600/. was subscribed in the room towards the League-fund ; at Wolverhampton, where 6201. was subscribed ; and in an Amphitheatre at Liverpool, where Mr. Fox Mettle, heir to 60,000 good acres under the plough, came to bear his testimony to the merchants that free trade is as desirable for the agri- culturists as it is for the manufacturers and traders. Several electoral vacancies had occurred, but the chapter of accidents had not been very favourable to the League ; for, if they had chosen the field, they would not have gone to Horsham, Huntingdon, or Woodstock. However, in every instance of a vacancy occurring, a contest would be fought if a local man could be found to be put up by his own voters, even if he should poll only 20. Mr. Cobden declared that the League did not seek to dictate to constituencies, but only to cooperate with them ; and that they did not spend the funds in boroughmongering or bribing, but in preventing bribery and in educating the constituencies. He announced a new project. The Council of the League intended to comply with the wish of several ladies and to hold a bazaar in Covent Garden Theatre before the close of the seasou- " I am anxious to have a collection of specimens of every manufacture in this kingdom brought to this focus. We will have every thing in metal, from a steam-engine to a needle ; we will have a specimen of everything in silks, from the richest embroidered garment down to the humblest riband; we will bare specimens of every thing produced in England in linen and in cotton goods ; we will bring together everything which the manufactures of England produce at the exhibition in this theatre ; and when we have brought these materials together, we will invite the monopolists—we will invite the re- strictionists to come and see this collection. We will point to it as a proof of what the unguarded, the unaided, the unprotected skill of England can do, without the protection or the help of the Duke of Richmond or the Duke of Bucking- ham ; and having brought them to view this exhibition, we will put this question, and this question only, to them= Do you think that the hands which produced these ingenious articles ought to be hanging idly by the sides of men who are pining for want of bread ? "

This announcement was much cheered. The meeting was addressed at considerable length by Mr. Ward, Colonel Thompson, and Mr. George Thompson ; and then broke up in the usual good order.

The trial of William Henry Barber, Joshua Fletcher, and Georgians Dorey, for uttering a forged will purporting to be that of John Stewart, was resumed on Saturday. Mr. Wilkins addressed the Jury on behalf of Barber ; whom he declared, in spite of the desertion of friends and the almost destitute condition to which he was reduced, to be innocent. Mr. Wilkins made some long introductory remarks, endeavouring to raise an impression that his client had been harshly treated, because he had not been allowed a separate trial, and because a witness, the Reve- rend Mr. Coxswell, of Marlow, whom he had intended to call, appeared on the opposite side ; with some other such pleas. He read a lecture to the Jury on their duty of deciding by the evidence, without submitting to dictation from the Bench. He had heard from the Bench in Courts of this description, that which was nothing more than an able reply of one raised to the Bench on account of his talents as an advocate to the argument of a counsel in the case not so able as himself; and thus Jurors, if they did not exercise the utmost vigilance, were liable to be misled. He contended that there was nothing in the evidence to show that Mr. Barber had acted otherwise than as a professional man regu- larly engaged. Fletcher went down to Marlow in May 1840, and made inquiries about John Stewart ; and in June be wrote to Mr. Strode; but in that letter he made no mention of Barber. The witness Hyatt, a dull and obstinate man, said that Mr. Barber went to Marlow two or three weeks after Fletcher ; but it could be shown that he did not go down till October. Hyatt said that Mr. Barber gave the name of Clarence Peckham,—most likely mistaking the words "My clerk Peck- ham "; for Mr. Barber had a clerk of that name. Now Mr. Barber was a gentleman of literary attainments, and it was inconceivable that if he meant to deceive Hyatt in that way he could be such a fool as to invite him to write and go to his house in Nelson Square, where his own name was on a large brass plate, and where letters addressed to a Mr. Peckham must have been opened by his clerk, and the whole matter disclosed. If Mr. Barber believed that Stewart had a sister living, that would account for his application to Mr. Strode for the receipts of stock. There was no evidence that Mr. Barber had been seen at Mrs. Rich- ards's lodgings in Rathbone Place; that he had visited the lodgings at Camberwell; that he had been consulted by any one of the parties ; that he had done any thing but act under the directions of Fletcher, or that he knew that person at all except as a client ; and in fact he had known him as a wealthy and valuable client. Miss Stewart's age and appear- ance were such as to induce him to put faith in her representations. That he had not concealed or destroyed any of the papers connected with the affair, which were found in his desk tied up and marked in the usual way—that he had not hastily repaid the money which had been over- paid at the Bank, to hush inquiry—and that he acted throughout openly and fearlessly, proved his conscious innocence. It had been admitted in evidence, that he had got nothing by the transaction beyond what was fair professional remuneration ; and the very delay which he had suffered to occur in the payment of the stamp-duty proved that he was still a needy man, as well as that he was not anxious to shun inquiry. Mr. Greaves defended Fletcher. He was charged with aidiug and procuring the forgery of an administration-bond ; and to make out that charge it was necessary to show that he so aided and procured with a guilty knowledge, which the Crown had failed to do. Mr. Greiayes represented his client as acting in the faith that Miss Stewart's 'claim was good. It might be true that John Stewart had not mentioned having a aister ; but the witnesses described him as a close man, and he might have a reason for mentioning a brother but none for mentioning a sister: he had a father and mother, but he made no mention of them. There was no evidence to show that Fletcher came in contact with the old woman until after she was at Camberwell, or that he ever knew her by any other name than Stewart. There was indeed nothing to prove that the old woman at Camberwell was the same that lodged at Wyhrow's or at Hawke's, nor that Fletcher ever visited her there : if Fletcher visited her a good deal at Camberwell, how was it he did not do so at,Wybrow's, if she were the same person ? It was Mrs. Richards and her daughter who procured Griffin to become a surety. There was, in short, nothing to show that Fletcher encouraged or aided at all in the forgery, or that he was at all an accessory before the fact. The evidence of Griffin and Christmas, the Bank clerk, was rendered of small weight by their admitted complicity ; and, according to esta- blished rule, it could not be credited unless supported by other testi- mony, which it was not.

Mr. James contended for Georgiana Dorey, that it was necessary to show not only participation in an offence, but participation with a guilty knowledge. The Jury must consider whether Mrs. Dorey, act- ing under a fearful influence exercised over her by Fletcher, had taken psrt in the transaction knowing that a forgery was to be committed ; and with respect to Griffin, the money was paid to him by Fletcher and Mrs. Richards, an old woman of seventy, who died almost with a lie upon her lips.

Evidence was called on the part of Barber. James Morris, the gar- dener and beadle of Nelson Square, deposed that if any one had asked for Mr. Peckham, he would have been sent to Mr. Barber's clerk. Henry Peckham said that he was managing-clerk to Mr. Barber, in whose office there were five clerks. Every clerk in the office kept a diary, and the business of Stewart's case was conducted in a perfectly open way. Mr. Barber had transacted some very heavy business for Fletcher. He had never seen Mr. Fletcher in Mr. Barber's company except as a client. The money to pay counsel in this case had been subscribed by a few benevolent persons. This evidence was corrobo- rated by James M`Namara, another of Mr. Barber's clerks ; and some professional gentlemen gave testimony to his high and honourable cha- racter. A tavern-bill was produced, showing that Mr. Barber visited the Greyhound Inn at Marlow in October 1840.

In reply, the Attorney-General commented upon Mr. Wilkins's irre- levant observations, and upon the several courses of defence,—Mr. James saying that Mrs. Dorey was imposed upon by Fletcher ; Mr. Greaves that Fletcher had been imposed upon by Richards; and Mr. Wilkins that Barber had been imposed upon by all the other parties. He pointed out the active part taken by Mrs. Dorey in procuring the help of Griffin, and the fact that she had received 50/. from Fletcher. And he asked, if Mrs. Richards was not the "Miss Stewart" of Camberwell, why was not Miss Stewart produced ? At the close of the Attorney- General's reply, the Court adjourned.

On Monday, the Attorney-General's pWce was supplied by Mr. Erie. Mr. Greaves took a technical objection against the form of the indictment; but it was not entertained by theBench. The proceedings were somewhat interrupted by the indisposition of Mrs. Dorey, who hinted; but she recovered without removal from the dock.

Mr. Baron Gurney summed up ; commenting at considerable length upon the evidence. Barber's case, he said, was different from that of Fletcher, inasmuch as he had not given a false address; and unless the Jury believed that he went down to Marlow in May or June instead of October, there was nothing to connect him with the other parties until after the execution of the administration-bond. As to the precise time of Barber's visit to Marlow, Mr. Hyatt might very probably make a Mistake after the lapse of four years. It was not an unimportant fact, that Mr. Barber had not received more than the usual professional re- muneration. As to Mrs. Dorey, she was cognizant of all that Mrs. Richards had done under the name of Stewart : if any doubt occurred as to her case he would gladly suggest it, bat he was sorry to say that it was not so. The part taken by Fletcher was much more active than that of any of the others : he had given a false address; he was found in connexion with a clerk in the Bank, whose conduct was blameable, but it was too much to say that that person was an accomplice ; in short, the testimony against Fletcher was very strong, and nothing was Stated to explain any part of the transaction so far as he was concerned. The Jury retired to consider their verdict ; and after an absence of about a quarter of an hour, they returned into court, and pronounced Barber" Not Guilty," Fletcher and Georgians Dorey "Guilty." Mr. Barber was quite overcome on receiving the congratulations of his friends ; Fletcher appeared to be unconcerned ; Mrs. Dorey was removed from the dock in a state of poignant suffering.

The trial in the next case, that relating to the forged will of Anne Slack, was commenced on Tuesday. The accused were William Henry Barber, Joshua Fletcher, William Sanders, Lydia Sanders, and Georgiana Dorey. Barber was remarked to have gained self-possession. Mrs. Dorey wept bitterly, and looked more unwell than ever. The in- dictment charged some person unknown with forging the will of Anne Slack, Lydia Sanders and Barber with uttering the forged will, and the others with procuring it to be forged: one of the counts also charged Barber as the principal in forging the will, and the others as accessory before the fact. Mr. Erie stated the case— In 1815 the father of Miss Anne Slack died ; and he left as his executor Mr. Finkle, a partner in the house of Jones Loyd and Co. Mr. Slack bequeathed Ms property to his children; but his affairs were not wound up till 1829; when Mr. Hulme invested, in the name of Anne Slack, of Smith Street, Chelsea, spinster, 6,600/. in the Three per Cents Reduced and 3,5001. in the Three per Cent Consols: the present charge referred to the latter sum. Mr. Bulme allowed Miss Slack to draw for what money she wanted, giving her no specific account ; and when he died, in 1832, she was not aware that the sum of 3,5001. was invested in her name: the dividends on that BUM therefore remained unclaimed ; and in July 1842, the amount of the Stock was transferred to the Commissioners for the Reduction of the Na- tional Debt. In 1842, Christmas, then a clerk in the Bank, and also Wing the office of librarian, told Fletcher that the 3,500/. standing in the 'lame of Anne Slack was to be transferred. Soon after Mr. Hulme's death, Miss Slack went to reside with her sister, the wife of Captain Foskett, at Abbot's Langley ; and in September 1842, Fletcher appeared at the railway- station in that neighbourhood, making inquiries about Miss Slack, of Mr. Apsley, the railway-clerk, and his wife. In October 1842, Mr. Barber, writing in the name of his firm, Barber and Bircham, began a correspondence with Captain Foskett, desiring some particulars respecting a Miss Anne Slack, and especially her signature. The correspondence continued in November and December, and Mr. Barber had some interviews with Captain Foskett ; each

trying to draw information from the other, but without much success. In the

course of conversation, Mr. Barber asked passing!), if Miss Slack had nerve enough to learn that she was entitled to 10,000/.? Captain Foskett had early

taken the advice of his solicitor, Mr. Baxter; and Barber was allowed to have

the signature of Miss Slack, in the shape of a note which she purposely ad- dressed to Mr. Baxter. This signature Christmas compared with the signa-

ture of Anne Slack in the bank-books ; and he reported to Fletcher, that there

were some points of re3emblance, but that the letter was written in a lighter and younger hand. In January 1843, Mr. Baxter received a letter from Messrs.

Barber and Bircham, stating that " the signatures [which they had to compare] did not correspond," and consequently they Lad arrived at the conclusion that the identity could not be supported. In February 1843, Fletcher went to Mr.

Jordan the Registrar's office in Belgrave Square, and proposed to register the death of Anne Slack, of No. 8, South Terrace, Pimlico. The Registrar told Fletcher he did not know such a place as " South Terrace," and asked him if he meant " South Place." Fletcher replied that he did. lie said that he was present when Anne Slack died, and that the cause of her death was gout, from which she had long suffered. Mr. Jordan then registered the death of Anne Slack, of South Place or South Terrace, Pimlico ; Fletcher signing the name of " Robert Hart, 4, James Street, Comtnercial Road East." There is, in fact, no such place as South Terrace, Pimlico, or James Street, Commercial Road East. On the 8th March, Messrs. Barber and Bircham advertised in the Times, offering a reward for information respecting the representatives of " Miss Anne Slack, formerly of Chelsea." Mr. George Gilley, a solicitor, wrote them a letter, describing Captain Foskett's sister-in-law ; to which they

replied that they had already learned that lady to be no connexion of the Anne Slack mentioned in their advertisement. On the 9th March, Georgiana Dorey hired lodgings, in the name of " Emma Slack," at the house of Mr. Neville, a

tailor, at No. 7, Francis Street, Tottenham Court Road. Lydia Sanders went there as Emma Slack, and remained there till the 7th April. She always wore a bonnet and boa in the house ; and, although she wore a profusion ot flaxen ringlets, the hair in her hair-brush was observed to be quite black. On the 14th of March, a woman in deep mourning called upon Mr. Jordan, and ob- tained a copy of the register of " Anne Slack's" death. On the 16th, Mr.

Barber took Lydia Sanders, as Emma Slack, to Mr. Wills, a proctor ; and they produced a will, appointing her sole executrix and legatee of Anne Slack ; 011 WhiCil Mr. Wills obtained probate : the property was sworn to be under 5,0001.;

the 3,500/. forming the greater part of it. In a letter written by a clerk in Barber's office, but signed by Emma Slack, application was made for a re-

ti roister of the Stock to her IMMO hiCil was effected ; and the Stock was

afterwards sold, on the 7th April, by Mr. Philpotts, a broker : Emma Slack previously receiving 1,100/. of unclaimed dividends : of the dividmuls, 600/. was

obtained in gold ; and of three 1,000/. notes paid to Barber or Fletcher (both being present) for the Stock, they decided that one should be changed fur gold. On the 7th April, Lydia Santhrs did not return totter lodging in Francis Street, but passed the night at Mrs. Derey's in Oxford Street ; where a 1,000/. note was displayed as a curiosity. Next day, Mrs. Sanders went out, returned with •

bag of gold, and left town for Bristol, where her husband was a fishmonger.

Sanders had brought his wife up to London in February ; and on her return he lodged 1,000 sovereigns at his banker's. In November 1643, the authori-

ties at the Bank suspected that Anne Slack's w.11 had been a forgery; and the

Bank solicitor, Mr. Freshfield, called on Mr. Barber to make inquiries about "Emma Slack." Mr. Barber replied that she was a most respectable woman,

living in a street leading out of Ilolborn, and that the matter had occurred in

the regular course of business. Mr. Freshfield demurred to that statement, as Mr. Barber had been making inquiries respecting Anne Slack in the autumn of 1842, the death of Anne Slack was registered in February 1843, and the will was proved next March. Mr. Freshfield asked who had introduced Emma Slack to Mr. Barber?:Mr. Barber said that he had forgotten. He was arrested; examined at the Mansiouhouse ; arid there he brought forward Fletcher as the introducer of Emma Slack. [It was this arrest which led to the disclosure of the other cases, and the whole scheme.]

Mr. Erie's statement was corroborated by the evidence of several witnesses, including almost all the persons whom he had named, and others ; which occupied the remainder of Tuesday, and was continued on Wednesday and part of Thursday. According to Mr. Christmas's de- position, Fletcher did not let that person quite into his confidence, but

told him that the Anne Slack of Abbot's Langley was not " the real Anne Slack," as she had never lived at Chelsea. Mr. Christmas had

been fifty years in the Bank, and he had given information to six or seven other persons in relation to unclaimed dividends : only two gave him money,—one who gave perhaps soot ; and Fletcher, who gave 100/. when Anne Slack's money was drawn out. That sum Fletcher asked for when arrested, and Mr. Christmas returned it to him.

Early on Thursday, Mrs. Dorey was allowed to withdraw her plea of "Not Guilty" and plead " Guilty" ; which was recorded. Subsequently, the Jury intimated that they acquitted Sanders, without hearing any speech on his behalf. Ins defence of the other three prisoners, counsel were heard at considerable length. For Barber, Mr. Wilkins insisted that he had only acted as a professional man : the will was scrutinized

by the Bank lawyers without any flaw being detected, and therefore it was not surprising that Mr. Barber failed to perceive any thing wrong

when it was brought to him by his regular client, Mr. Fletcher ; Cap- tain Foskett had said that his sister was about twenty-seven years of age, and Barber knew that the real Anne Slack must at least be forty ; and there was not a tittle of evidence to show that he concocted a for- gery, or knew Mrs. Sanders except as "Emma Slack." Mr. Greaves for Fletcher, and Mr. Stone for Mrs. Sanders, directed their efforts to discover weak points in the evidence ; Mr. Greaves contending that no concert to commit a forgery had been proved.

Yesterday, Mr. Erie replied; Mr. Justice Williams summed up, elaborately analyzing the evidence ; and at a quarter to five o'clock the Jury retired to deliberate. At ten minutes past six, they reentered the

court, and pronounced a verdict of " Guilty " against Barber, Fletcher, Lydia Sanders, and Georgiana Dorey. Barber, who had been in good spirits throughout the day, but had manifested some anxiety during the absence of the Jury, now turned deadly pale. Ile exclaimed, " I am not guilty, my Lord ; and Mr. Fletcher knows it." Fletcher took no notice of this appeal.

The Court adjourned till Monday ; and it is understood that the case then taken will be that of Thomas Hunt's will.

On Tuesday, Mary Farley was tried for the murder of George Furley her infant son ; whom she had attempted to drown, with herself, in the Regent's Canal. Her defence, stated by herself, was the following wretched tale. She had been in Bethnal Green Workhouse, where her child was ill. Its head was shaved by a drunken barber, who cut away pieces of flesh. Afterwards an eruption appeared, which she imputed to the hard fare of the Workhouse ; and she asked for mutton for the ohild ; but it was refused. She therefore left the place, and obtained employment in shirt-making at lid. a piece. As she could only make three shirts a day, however, she resolved to buy some ribands and make some fancy caps for sale. She collected a little money for the purpose ; but when she got to the shop, she found that she had lost her purse ! In a fit of despair she threw herself into the canal. The child was drowned, but she was picked out. Her defence did not avail ; for Mr. Justice Maule sentenced her to death.

At Marlborough Street Police, on Saturday, George Hanwell and John Freire were charged with attempting to incite a breach of the peace at the Italian Operahouse on the previous Thursday. A person was observed to throw some bills down on the gallery-stairs; Police. Sergeant Mumford was desired to detect the man ; and, after the per- formance of Don Pasquale, Mr. Hanwell was seen to drop some more bills on the gallery-stairs. He was seized ; and he went into the treasury of the theatre, accompanied by Mr. Freire. At first, Mr. Hanwell denied that he was the person who threw down the bills ; but eventually, he took a bundle of them from his pocket, and Mr. Freire produced three more. They said that they had distributed the papers without reward, to oblige Mr. Uvedale Price, of 85, Jermyn Street. The bills, which bore no printer's name, ran thus-

" Salvi—the first tenor of the Italian Opera at Paris—why is he not en- gaged ? You are requested to demand the reason of the Manager ; and if every thing else should fail, adopting the words of the memorable Tamburini demonstration in 1840, ask, Will you engage Salvi—yes or no ? "

In defence, Mr. Chambers the barrister contended, that the public have a right to express their approbation or disapprobation in a peaceable way, and that the distribution of such a bill could not lead to a breach of the peace. Mr. Lumley observed, that on the occasion of the "me- morable Tamburini demonstration," there was actual breach of the peace, and considerable destruction of property. Mr. Hardwick, the Magistrate, ordered the defendants to find bail to answer any indict- ment for conspiracy that Mr. Lumley might think fit to prefer against them at the Sessions.