The ease of Alderman Scales versus the East London Water

Works Company, which has been pending five years, was brought to trial on Friday last, at the Court of Common Pleas, Westminster, before Chief Justice Tindal. As the case was a very long one, tied a great number of witnesses and accounts to be examined, the Judge recommended an arbitration ; which was at once acceded to by both.parties, antra verdict was taken for the plaintiff by consent, for 10,000E, subject to the reference. Mr. Dundas, the barrister, was appointed arbitrator by the Court ; which has met with the entire approbation of both parties.

It was decided, in the Court of King's Bench on Monday, that the houses on Richmond Terrace are in the parish of St. Margaret, and that the occupiers are liable to the payment of poor-rates ; from which they have hitherto been exempt upon the plea that the laud on which the houses are built was extra-parochial, being the site of an old Royal Palace. The decision of the Jury was received in court with loud applause.

At the Middlesex Sessions yesterday, Mr. Charles Pitt, surveyor, of the Adelphi, was found guilty of causing John Edward Martin to be imprisoned on a false charge of embezzlement; and was sentenced to a week's imprisonment in the House of Correction, and to pay a fine of ten pounds, with liberty to speak to the prosecutor.

At. the Surry Sessions, yesterday, Francis Burton was convicted of embezzling eight guineas, the property of his master, Mr. John Wilson Croker.. The prisoner, who had been in the service of Mr. Croker upwards of four years as head gardener, in his defence said he was, when he committed the act, involved in many difficulties ; his wife had only a few days previously died, and he was without the means to bury her. He was sentenced to seven years' transpbrtation.

On Monday, a man and a boy were brought before the Lord Mayor, on suspicion of being concerned in this robbery. There was some evidence to show that the man, named Brown, instigated the lad; and that the latter hid himself among the packages in the day-time, and broke the window to get out at night. Both the prisoners were re- manded.

A criminal lunatic, who had been confined in an asylum in Suffolk, was brought up in custody before the Lord Mayor on Wednesday. He had escaped from confinement, and was apprehended in Camberwell. The prisoner said that be was perfectly sane now, and willing to work for his own maintenance.

The Vestry Clerk of Lambeth, stated, that the prisoner belonged to that parish ; and that he had been, in the first instance, sent to Hoxton, where he perfectly recovered from his malady. The authorities had then applied to pro- cure his liberation ; but they were informed that persons handed over as criminal lunatics were never allowed to be at large.

The Lord Mayor—" Certainly not. The Government are responsible for any future mischief a dangerous person may commit ; and no reliance is to be placed in a man who has tried to commit murder."

Prisoner—" I have got my faculties now, my Lord, and am disposed to make a proper use of them; but if it please his Majesty to keep me confined, why I must go back and stay there. I admit that I escaped; but my object was to get into work for myself."

The Vestry Clerk—" He is chargeable to the • parish, and the Secretary of State can remove him to any lunatic asylum iu the county, but he remains still chargeable to us." The Lord Mayor asked how it was ascertained that the prisoner had escaped ? The Officer said, that his (witness's) brother happened to have been in the same place, and sent word that the prisoner had escaped, and that there was a reward of 201. offered for apprehending him. The Vestry Clerk said he was not aware that any reward was offered. He knew that none was offered by the parish.

The Officer—" Oh yes, there is." The Lord Mayor-4 If? you did not think so, we should not have the man here."

The Officer—" Certainly, I should have brought him here, my Lord. I did'nt go after him for gain."

The Lord Mayor—" Oh, nonsense. You took him for the 201. If the reward had not been offered, you wouldn't have stirred an inch after him. Where's the use in pretending to all this disinterestedness? It won't do here." The Officer—" I assure you, my Lord, I'd take up any man of the kind." The Lord Mayor—" I dare say you would ; but you won't tell me that you would object to do so, because you were to get 201. for it.

The prisoner was then ordered to be taken to the place from which he escaped. He has, it seems, been perfectly sane for years.

A woman was charged at Marlborough Street Office, on Thursday, with obtaining money under false pretences. She appears to have been an accomplished swindler. The Policeman who apprehended and searched her, found a " character" in her possession, signed " John Burke." This was the signature of Sir John Burke, Baronet ; who was present at the examination of the woman; and in reply to a question from the Magistrate, said— He knew nothing more of the prisoner than that she called on him at the Quadrant Hotel,, and related a very distressing tale of her seduction, and her de- sire to return to her uncle, Mr. Morrison, an hotel proprietor in Dublin.

Mr. Chambers produced the written character found at the lodgings of the prisoner, and inquired if it was his handwriting ?

Sir John Burke acknowledged that it was; and in explanation, observed, her story had so imposed upon him, that out of pure humanity he had been induced to give her the false character, for the purpose of helping her to a situation. Mr. Chambers read portions of this character; from which it appeared that the writer recommended, in the strongest manner, Mary Morrison, alleging that she had lived in the service of his sister for a length of time, and that she had left her place with an irreproachable character. Mr. Chambers asked Sir John Burke if the prisoner had ever lived in any capacity in the service of his sister ? Sir John Burke replied, that she had not, to his knowledge.

Mr. Chambers kindly refrained from pursuing the inquiry as to the character; but placed the lying document in Sir John's hands, with a remark, that it was better in his hands than the prisoner's. [ So much for being a Baronet in this country, where the law is no respecter of persons.]