'be jiiletropolis.
The Common Council have so far advanced on the question of abolish- ing Smithfield Market, as to debate it for two days and examine witnesses upon it. On Tuesday, Mr. J. T. Norris supported the following resolu- tion with a temperate and well-spoken recapitulation of the arguments in his favour— "That a market for the sale of live cattle in the midst of a city is incompatible with the convenience of persons resorting hither for the purposes of business; that the present market of Smithfield is insufficient in apace as well as objectionable in situation; that the safety and health of the inhabitants demand its immediate re- moval; and that, therefore, a special Ward Committee be appointed to consider what steps shall be taken to remedy the existing evils, by providing a suitable market-place."
Mr. White was the seconder. Mr. Deputy Hicks moved " the previous question "; and was supported by Mr. Auderton, Alderman Lawrence, and Mr. Lambert Jones. The debate was adjourned; and on Thursday more speeches were made, petitions presented, and witnesses examined on their allegations. The previous question was carried by " a considerable majority."
The annual meeting of the proprietors of University College was held on Wednesday; Mr. Henry Warburton in the chair. The report states that the students in all the College classes of Medicine and Arts had in- creased in the past session to 315 and 252 respectively. The pupils in the Junior School have somewhat diminished. The amount of fees received had been 15,3021.; of which sum the shares of the Professors and Masters had been 9,5721. A donation of 5,0001. had been anonymously presented through the late Lord Auckland, which was to be called the Andrews Fund. Three new scholarships of 501. each have been decided on, to be even to the best proficients in Latin, Greek, Mathematics, and Natural Philosophy. Lord Brougham and Earl Fortescue were reelected Presi- dent and Vice-President.
Mr. Flood, a magistrate of Chelsea, has presented to the church trustees of St. Luke a deed of gift for 2,5001., the dividends on which are to be dis- tributed to the deserving poor of the parish on the 13th January " for ever."
At the Central Criminal Court, on Monday, Joseph Killerby, who was con- victed at the last sessions of having sent threatening letters, was brought up for judgment. This is the young man who had twice before been convicted of similar offences: on this occasion he had threatened to murder Miss Ward, a schoolmistress, and he was found lurking near her residence with a carving-knife concealed under his coat. The Recorder sentenced him to be transported for fifteen years.
On Tuesday, Robert Duncan, his wife Mary, and Pierce Wall O'Brien, were tried for conspiring to obtain money from the North-western Railway Company by false pretences. The particulars of this case have been already mentioned. Dancau made application to the company for compensation for hurts received by his wife and by O'Brien from a collision at Leighton Buzzard on the 5th Sep- tember last. There was an accident on the railway at that time and place, but no passenger was supposed to have been hurt. On an investigation, it was dis- covered that the whole affair was a fraudulent one. Duncan had offered to com- promise the claims for 601. in each case. At the close of the evidence, the Re- corder directed that the woman should be acquitted, as she was under the con- trol of her husband. The men were found guilty; but the Jury recommended O'Brien to mercy, on the ground that Duncan had made an instrument of him. It was stated that the prisoners obtained 701 from the proprietors of the Cricket steamer, on the false pretence that they had been hurt by the explosion on board that boat. Duncan was sentenced to be imprisoned for a year; O'Brien for six months.
On Wednesday, a batch of Post-office cases were tried. Two postmen were found guilty of stealing money-letters. A third, George Elton, was put on his trial for stealing a letter containing coin. He pleaded "Not guilty"; but when the prosecuting counsel had finished his opening speech, desired to withdraw his plea: as this was not usual, the Judge directed the case to go on. The Jury were not so well convinced of the prisoner's guilt as he was himself, and acquitted him!
Holliday, the Stratford policeman, was tried for stealing a letter containing a five-pound note. He declared that he found the note in the road near the post- office. The Jury convicted him of the offence he admitted—that of appropriating property found. Sentence, imprisonment for three months.
On Thursday, Saniuel Cooper, a soldier, was tried for feloniously accusing the Reverend Mr. Sellers, with a view to extort money. The evidence lett no doubt as to the vile character of the accuser; he was convicted, and sentenced to fifteen years' transportation.
The Grand Jury returned four true bills for manslaughter against Mr. Drouet.
At the Mansionhouse, on Wednesday, William Wilkinson was charged with uttering two forged checks of large amount on Messrs. Hankey. Wilkinson ut- tered the checks by the device so often used of late—pretending to hire a man, and then directing him to take the checks to the bank. One Kirkman was hired as barman by the prisoner, sent to cash country notes, and then to pass the checks. The bankers paid one; but a second check coming on the same day, suspicions arose, and Kirkman was detained and interrogated. The checks pur- ported to be signed by Mr. Lemmon, a banker of Brentwood: this gentleman do. posed that they were forgeries, and that he bad never seen Wilkinson before he was in custody. The man was committed on both charges, but will be brought up again to meet additional ones.
Early on Wednesday morning, the corpse of Dr. Crook, of Bayham Street, Cam- den Town, was found in a field in the Caledonian Road, Islington, lying near a paling. A little dog sat by it, and its whining attracted a man's attention. The throat of the deceased had been deeply gashed; there was a pool of blood twenty feet from the body; an empty purse was on the ground; in the mud of a pond hard by there was found the blade of a razor, partly bound round with string so as to enable a person to grasp it. Dr. Crook was about sixty years of age.
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