Zbe Alftetropolis.

The polling at the Guildhall, for the nomination of candidates in the election of a Lord Mayor, terminated on Tuesday. Up to the last day, Alderman Wood nearly maintained his position on the poll; but at the

• final close Alderman Sir George Carroll headed him by a few votes. Much amusement was produced on Saturday by the announcement that Alder- man Moon had beaten Alderman Farncombe, having attained the high number of three polled votes.

There seems little doubt that Alderman Wood's defeat was due to the pertinacity with which certain charges were pressed against him by Mr. Anderton. The main charge, which has been reiterated in letters to the newspapers and in speeches on the hustings, is thus put in a letter by Mr. Anderton—" On the 10th of June 1843, Mr. Alderman Wood was paid by the Irish Society a sum of 5001. for the express purpose of his paying to counsel and their clerks their fees for refreshers and consultations, during the hearing of an appeal in the House of Lords, in a case between the Skinners' Company and the Society, which had been appointed to be heard on the 12th of that month. Instead of paying them, as he was bound to do, he appropriated the money to another purpose; and allowed a commu- nication to be made to the Society In March 1846, that the fees for which he received the 5001. in 1843 were then unpaid, and that after repeated ap- plications had been made to him for the payment."

This statement was met by another put forth by Alderman Wood's Com- mittee, to this effect. In December 1844, the Irish Society made a pay- ment of 5001.; leaving then due to the Alderman, as their attorney, a ba- lance for costs to the amount of 8301.; which was subsequently augmented, by a further bill of costs, to 1,280/. On Saturday, the 7th of February 1846, Alderman Wood received the taxed costs from the Skinners' Com- pany, amounting to 2,8071. 13s. 9d.; out of which he retained the above balance, and on Monday, the 9th of February—within forty eight hours— he paid over to the Society 1,5271. 83.5d., as the balance of the taxed costs received and due. Out of the sum of 1,6001. received by Alderman Wood from the Irish Society in February 1843, towards counsels' fees, the sum of 1,5981.15s. was, on that same day, paid over to them—namely, Sir Thomas Wilde, Mr. Kindersley, and Mr. W. P. Wood." And the Committee declare, " That 1,3291. 15r. 8d. was in December 1843, due to the Alderman, after giving credit for the before-mentioned sum of 1,6004 and 5001. subsequent- ly paid." The Committee also state that the subsequent fees charged by Counsel have been paid, as appears by the receipts produced to them. Mr. Anderton, however, stuck to his charge, with the declaration that the fees to which he originally referred had not, even when he wrote, been 1! Theelection over, and Mr. Anderton's Marge having done its work, that gentleman and some members of !Err. Alderman Wood's Committee carne before tife-lord MaYor, on Wednesday, apparently by mutual under- standing, arts want through 'the form of an investigation. It appeared that the checks for the counsels'Aes, although delivered at the chambers on the Monday, did, not in one instance reach the proper party till after twelve on Tuesday; the barrister's clergy being absent. It thus turned out that both were right and both wrong; and the Lord Mayor acquitted all par- ties from any imputation of baying made false statements. He regretted the mistake, but remarked that no difficulty would have arisen if the money had been paid at the proper time.

A Common Hall was held on Thursday, in order to the declaration of the poll. The numbers were—for Carroll, 1,653; Wood, 1,644; Hooper 323; Moon, 3; Farncombe, 1. The Sheriff pronounced the candidates nominated by the Livery to be, Alderman Sir George Carroll and Alder- man Thomas Wood. The Sheriffs and other officers then retired, to make the return to the Court of Aldermen.

In that assemblage there was further discussion on Mr. Wood's case, with reading of more letters and papers; but the question was not ad- vanced at all.

After an interval of more than three hours, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and high officers, entered the Common Hall, and the Recorder declared that the election of the Court had fallen upon Alderman Sir George Carroll, citizen and spectacle-maker. The Lord Mayor Elect and the de- feated candidate both addressed the Livery, amid great confusion; dis- claiming personal competition, and thanking their several supporters; and with thanks to the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, the Hall was dissolved. _ In the Court of Common Council, yesterday, Mr. Ashurst, Chairman of the Freedom Committee, presented a report on the referred question whe- ther wholesale dealers, not engaged in retail trade, were liable to penalties for carrying on business without being qualified as freemen. On this point, the opinion of the law-officers, which had been taken by the City Solicitor, differed; and the question was again brought before the Court for further direction. After a somewhat vehement discussion, the matter was sent back to the Committee for their reconsideration.

An official investigation having been ordered by the Poor-law Commis- sioners relative to the treatment of the poor of St. Pancras parish, Mr. R. Hall, the Assistant-Commissioner, accompanied by Dr. Arthur Fane, attended at the workhouse, on Friday the 2d instant, for the purpose of conducting the inquiry. Having visited the strong-room, the " oakum= room," the feather-room, and the "shed," Mr. Hall closely questioned several members of the Board of Directors; who are stated to have answered " in a satisfactory manner." He then examined the Master, Mr. Lee, and Miss Stone, the Matron; both of whom were sworn. In reply to one question, the Master stated that Buckenham was placed in the refractory ward, be- cause of his improper interference in behalf of a man ordered there for confinement. Mr. Lee placed persons there at his own discretion, but " generally " brought the matter before the Board at their next sitting. The Matron had likewise put violent and refractory persons into confine- ment, and afterwards informed Mr. Lee; although when he is on the spot " she never attempts to do it." Speaking of the refractory wards, Mr. Lee said, " I do not often visit those wards. The storekeeper visits them, and' they have religious instruction in the oakum-rooms once a week; but the minister does not go there. He preaches in the chapel, and visits the sick. It was formerly our custom to allow the refractory paupers to attend the chapel on a Sunday; but from their vitiated habits, robbing the poor people, and conducting themselves otherwise disorderly, it became necessary to discontinue the practice of permitting them there." With reference to the rations exhibited at one of the meetings of the Directors, Mr. Lee, as- sured the Commissioner that the rations produced were a fair sample, ex- cept a buttock of beef. He was serving the same to the oakum-ward that day, it having been left from the Sunday previously. He further stated that the inmates of the house always had supplied to them the true weight and quality of every article in precise accordance with the dietary table. He was quite certain that the sample of the porridge and broth exhibited to the Board were of the same character as that usually allowed to the paupers. The porridge would necessarily become thicker when cold. 111 her examination, the Matron stated that in cases of female paupers' be- coming disorderly, she invariably applied to the Master in reference to their punishment. The Commissioner—" Do you mean to say that you never, on your own responsibility, placed females within the strong-room?" The witness admitted that she had, but only on a few occasions. If the Master were at home, she generally referred the matter to him. She had confined the girl Develing there on her own responsibility. The Assistant-Com- missioner having directed the preparation of some returns, declared the in- quiry to be closed.

The rate-payers of St. Pancras met again on Monday, at the Exmouth Arms, Exmouth Street, to adopt measures for ameliorating the condition of the perish poor. Mr. C. E. Wagstaff, junior churchwarden, occupied the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed after a sharp discussion. Mr. Whitford moved the appointment of a committee of Vestrymen to inquire into the conduct of all the officers of the workhouse, and especially to consider the propriety of adopting Mr. Howarth's sug- gestion not to allow any pauper to hold office. The motion having been seconded by Mr. Daniell, Mr. Douglas moved as an amendment, that the first portion of it be left out, so as to read without the sentence, " to appoint a committee to inquire into the conduct of all the officers." An angry and stormy altercation then took place. At length, the motion and the amend- ment were put to the meeting by the chairman—For the motion, 21; for. the amendment, 7. It was then moved and seconded, that a copy of Mr. Whitford's resolution be forwarded to the Vestry. Mr. Douglas pressed for a division, which took place; and the motion was carried by a majority of nearly four to one.

At another meeting, on Thursday, after a fierce discussion, a vote of censure on the conduct of Mr. Lee was affirmed by 24 to 19.

A stormy meeting of the inhabitants of St. George's-in-the-East was held on Thursday evening, to consider the establishment of baths and wash-houses according to the recent act of Parliament. There was a strong opposition to the measure, on the ground of increase in the local taxation; and, ultimately, the motion was lost by a large majority, on the show of hands. A poll was demanded; and it will take place on Monday and Tuesday next.

Active measures are now being taken for the formation of a Currency Reform Association in London. The prospectus which has been put forth is founded on the principle enunciated by Mr. John Taylor.—Miel- land Counties Herald.

Among the deaths announced this week is that of the Baron de Bode, well known in London for his claim on the British Government. He died suddenly on the 2d instant, at his residence in St. John's Wood. After taking a glass of water he was observed to look pale and be tremulous, and in a few moments more fell down and instantly expired. He had been complaining of illness for nine or ten days previously, brought on, it was supposed, by mental anxiety in connexion with the further hearing of his case, which is appointed for next month; but the illness was not at any time deemed such as to cause any anxiety, and he had so far recovered on the day previous to his death that his medical adviser suggested to him the propriety of taking an airing in the carriage. He was in his seventieth year, and has left three sons; the eldest of whom has been abroad for some time, but is on his way home. The late Baron's case is interesting: we copy a summary of it given by the Daily News— His father was a German nobleman, possessing, in the district of Alsace, an extensive and fertile estate called Soultz-sons-Forst. At that period Alsace was under the French dominion: the territory has since passed, by virtue of treaties, under the sway of the Austrian Emperor. The Baron died, leaving the recently deceased nobleman, who was born in England, and consequently entitled to the rights of a British subject. The French Revolution annihilated feudal and seignorial privileges, and deprived all English holders of property of their French p=sions. Amongst those persons was the Baron de Bode, who suddenly found b. If deprived of the estate which his father had left him in Alsace. When Louis the Eighteenth was restored in 1814, on the abdication of Napoleon, the French Government despatched to England, in virtue of a particular compact, seven millions sterling for the purpose of indemnifying those British subjects and citizens who had lost their property in France in the manner just mentioned. Commissioners were appointed by the English Government to Investigate the claims and settle the amounts due to individuals. The Baron de Bode claimed a compensation of 500,0001. The claim was, however, rejected by the Commission- ers, on the ground that the Baron had not folly proved his right to be considered a British subject Matters remained almost in abeyance with respect to this nobleman's case until the year 1818, when he addressed a memorial to the Privy Council. After many tedious delays and numerous hearings, involving of course enormous expenses, the claim was rejected. Conscious of the justice of his case, the Baron petitioned the House of Commons; but this assembly soongot tired of the business, and adjourned its discussion on all occasions by the process of " counting out." The Baron then addressed himself to the Court of Chancery by means of a " petition of right." The result was a trial at bar in the Court of Queen's Bench, in the month of June 1844, when a verdict was found by a special itiry in favour of the Baron for 364,266L, with interest from lst January 1819. The hope, however, that the verdict of a jury had settled the proceedings was fallacious; for issues had arisen upon pleas on the part of the Crown that the action had not been brought within six years from the date of the occurrence on which it was grounded; in other words, the Crown was made to defend itself by pleading the statute of limitations! In December 1845, another trial took place m the Queen's Bench; and on this occasion Lord Denman pronounced against the Baron, on the ground " that he had not shown that his property, which was con- fiscated in 1793 by the French Revolutionary Government, had been unduly con- fiscated." A writ of error on this subject has been allowed; and notice thereof was served at the Treasury on the 17th August 1846. It was presumed that the case would be argued before the Judges of the Common Pleas and the Barons of the Exchequer in the coarse of the ensuing term. Meanwhile, death has decided the question, so far as the unfortunate Baron was concerned; although it will of coarse be contested by his executors. During some of the time the Baron was prosecuting his claims he was reduced to positive poverty, and was a prisoner for debt in the Queen's Bench. Up to the day of his decease his means were com- paratively limited.

An inquest was held on Monday, before Mr. Mills, the Deputy Coroner.

Evidence was given of the instantaneous way in which death seized the Baron. Mr. Augustus Wilkins, one of the sons of the deceased, stated that his father had been under homoeopathic treatment by Dr. Epps; it had worked wonderfully for his benefit. He had never threatened to destroy himself; but when Government baffled him, he has said, " Well, I am tired of my life." He was always highly sensitive in his feelings, and latterly had been in high spirits. Mr. Wilkins be- lieved that the papers having taken up his case so kindly, gave him better hopes. He appeared perfectly happy on the morning before his death, believing his cause at length to be in good train for settlement. Dr. Shute, who was called in on Friday night, and who made a post mortem examination of the body, stated the cause of death to have been long-standing ossification of the coronary artery, which was nearly obliterated. Great pleasure or pain, producing excitement, might have been the immediate cause of death, by accelerating the circulation of the blood. Dr. Epps coincided with Dr. Shute. He had always dreaded the Baron's ultimate success in his cause, lest the sudden joy might prove fatal. Dr. Epps believed that pleasurable sensations arising from the favourable notice recently taken of his case in the Times, had produced the excitement which was the im- mediate cause of the Baron de Bode's death. Mr. Mills—" I am very loth to have the Times newspaper charged with killing the Baron de Bode. When did the article appear? " Mr. Wilkins—" On Wednesday. My father read it on that day." A gentleman present said that the Baron was also much elated at an ar- ticle which appeared in the Horning Advertiser. Mr. Mills (to Dr. Shate)— " Supposing neither article to have appeared, was not his death imminent from the state of the coronary artery? " Doctor Shute—" I could not say that he would have died at that moment." Mr. Mills—" It would not have been possible to sustain life under such circumstances for a long period? " Doctor Shute—" It is quite possible that with care and tranquillity he might have lived for some years." Mr. Mills—" Well, we cannot disturb the facts." Doctor Epps further stated that deceased had told him that be had been kept in a state of great anxiety and irritation, in consequence of expecting the article in the Times. Its publication had been delayed much longer than the Baron had expected. Mr. Mills ob- jected to this as secondary evidence, and remarked that in his opinion death from natural causes had been sufficiently established. A Juror—" And the cruelty of the Government." Mr. Mills—" Yes, but you cannot send the Government to the Old Bailey. They are already at the bar of public opinion. You may append an opinion to that effect, but you cannot embody it in your verdict, unless you are prepared to point out some particular member of the Government." The Foreman then put the question, and the Jury unanimously gave this verdict—" Death from natural causes."

The following addition was afterwards made to the verdict—" We find that the deceased died on the 2d of October last, from ossification of the coronary ar- tery; but we believe his death to have been hastened by anxiety of mind conse- quent on the state of his affairs." Mr. Mills begged to state in addition, that the Foreman of the Jury requested him to say that their opinion, although not enter- ing into details, was intended to imply a great deal more than it expressed.

In the Insolvent Court, on Saturday, a somewhat novel proceeding took place on the case of the Reverend Charles Wetherell. Mr. Cooke moved for a rule to show cause why the vesting order should not be declared null and void, although

the insolvent was still in custody, upon the ground that the petitioning creditor, John Mynde Cooke, consented that It should be discharged, as he had been in- fluenced in obtaining it by other parties acting from vindictive motives. This curious avowal, however, did not seem to move the Chief Commissioner; who re- fused a rule.

The sentence on Private Matthewson, of the Seventh Hussars, lately found guilty by a court-martial of insubordination and improper language to his Ser- geant, was announced to him at Hounslow Barracks, on Wednesday afternoon. He is condemned to six months' imprisonment, with solitary conhnement at various periods of that time, not exceeding two months. The man objects that his trial is illegal, as he was not arraigned by his proper Christian name; but as the soldiers are now known by numbers, it is supposed that the objection will be overruled.

At the Thames Police-office, on Monday, Mr. Staples, one of the trustees of St. George's in the East, Mr. Rainer, another trustee, and Mr. Finlay, the parish- constable, attended to complain of a burial-ground nuisance. Mr. Finlay said that there was a graveyard to the rear of the road in Cannon Street, abutting in Walbury Street, which was a source of great and general complaint to the in

habitants. It existed there for forty years; and was now so overcrowded that coffins had to be smashed and bodies broken up to make room for new occupants.

The effluvia from bodies decaying so near the surface produced a most dangerous miasmatic effect. Mr. Ballantine, the Magistrate—" How can I help you in the matter? I see no remedy but by indicting the proprietors, or the parties who, by turning the bodies out of the earth, commit the nuisance." Mr. Staples—" The scenes which occur there daily are horrid. Bones, with the flesh adhering to them, are dug out of the old graves. They are poked into holes opened near the

grave, and afterwards removed, for I know not what purpose. Some were removed last night, and the effluvia was terrible." Mr. Ballantine--" I do not know how you are to proceed, except by indictment; and then the question remains whether the account would be passed." Mr. Staples said be was sure the auditors would make no objection to such an item. Mr. Ballantine—" Then let it be done.

have no power to assist you."

More carting away of human remains to form the roadway of new streets is re- ported at Islington. "In Albion Street, a new street running from the Wharf Road, Maiden Lane, to the Caledonian Road, a cart-load of earth, &c., was shot on

Saturday in the middle of the road, which is in the course of construction ; it emitted a most disgusting effluvium, but was not noticed to contain the remains of human beings. The stench caused an examination to be made, and several por- tions of coffins, half-rotted, and human bones, were found. In Bath Street and River Street, two new streets in the course of formation on the North side of the Regent's Canal, a more disgusting proceeding has been resorted to—upwards of two or three waggon-loads of black earth, intermingled with human bones, have been deposited in these streets, and men have been employed to sift the eartlr for the purpose of mixing portions of it with lime. The hones left in the sieve, com- posing all parts of the human frame, were thrown on one side and partiallyburied under clay. The stench arising is of a most dreadful description. No one can tell where the bones, &c., have been brought from, nor who are the parties con- cerned." It is said that two cart-loads of the black earth were shot in River Street very early on Sunday morning.

An alarming accident happened early on Monday morning to the Cork steamer Promethea. On arriving at kenning's Wharf, in Tooley Street, 801110 difficulty oc-

curred in mooring the vessel, and it drifted against London Bridge; the foremast caught the crown of an arch, and snapped, falling on the deck; the funnel then fell, knocking down the mast behind it, and plunging into the river. There were a number of Irish labourers and their families on board the steamer; but they were ordered off the deck before the disaster, and, though greatly terrified, were mat hurt; nor was any of the crew injured.