The Court of Queen's Bench, on Saturday, decided that the
Church. wardens of St. Margaret's, Leicester, were bound to supply the Select Vestry with esthnates of the sums wanted, and an account of the in- tended appropriation, before the Vestry could be compelled to make a rate. This the Churchwardens had refused to (to; and consequently a writ of mandamus which they had obtained, calling upon the Vestry ta make a rate, was set aside, and judgment given for the defendants.
The persons charged with the gold-dust robbery have been on their trial in the Central Criminal Court every day this week, and there is no prospect of a conclusion to-nigla. There is a great array of counsel for and against the prisoners. The evidence appears to have been got. up with much industry.
At the Lambeth Street Police-office, on 'Wednesday, William Napier a young man who has held a confidential situation in her Majesty's'. Customs, was charged with defrauding the revenue of a very consider- able amount—sonic say of 10,000/., and others five times that sum. It appears that a system of fraud almost unparalleled in its extent had been carried on by the prisoner and other parties, some of whom were employed in confidential situations in the Customs. The means by which they effected their purpose were these. They purchased brandy and rum, but principally the former, from different merchants and im- porters ; and, having paid the shorter price, obtained the regular orders. for their delivery, but subject of course to the payment of duty, amount- ing on brandy to 22s. ad. per gallon. They then forged a document similar to that given by the receiver of duties, and signed by him, pur-
porting to be a receipt for the duties ; and upon this obtained a permit far time final removal of the property from the docks where it was placed
io bond. In this way they have succeeded, it is said, in carrying off font seventy to eighty casks of brandy alone ; but since the discovery of the plan upwards of twenty of them have been seized and brought. back to her Majesty's stores. The prisoner was remanded.
An ingenious mode of smuggling has been detected by the tide-waiter stationed on board the Long Strangford; arrived from Hamburg, and. now discharging at Brewer's Quay. Eight square logs of timber,
sixteen feet six inches long, and each perforated like a pump, the bore being 6,1; inches in diameter, and plugged, so as to render discovery
almost impossible, were, in consequence of the wood warping and showing the marks of the plugs, suspected to contain contraband goods, and sent to the Queen's warehouse to lie examined. They were found to contain a considerable quantity of tobacco, cigars, brandy, sad e An inquest, which excited sonic interest in the medical profession, on the body of a young man who died front improper application of the air-pump, was brought to a close yesterday, by a verdict of "
Acci- dental death." The deceased was very deaf : he had frequently been relieved by air forced front a pomp up his nostrils, by a Dr. Turnbuli:. on the last occasion of the application, which was repeated four times, by one of Dr. Turnbull's assistants, he fell back in the chair senseless,. and never spoke again.
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