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A preliminary meeting was held, at the London Coffeehouse, on Wednes- 41ay, to consider a proposition to be laid before Parliament by Mr. Charles Pearson M.P., for establishing a system of prison discipline. The Reve- rend Dr. Rice presided; and the meeting was very well attended. Mr.
Pearson expounded his views as they have already been stated in our co- lumns; calling attention to the synopsis of a lecture which he proposed to give. He deehed the formation of a committee to take the management of the future meeting entirely out of his own hands, that they might in- sure by the fair distribution of admission-tickets an impartial and respect- able audienelsomd that gentlemen willing toengage in the discussion might have the fullest assurance that their opinions, however adverse to his own, would be treated with every mark of deserved respect. Mr. Pearson having concluded, Dr. Rice read the synopsis, which filled eight closely-printed octavo pages, setting forth the opinions which Mr. Pearson had promulgated upon the subject of secondary punishment and prison discipline. Captain Maconochie then rose, and said he coincided with nearly all the statements contained therein. He had at one time been so firmly impressed with the merits of the solitary system, that when he was Governor of the penal colony at Norfolk Island, he built a prison to carry it out; but after observation and reflection he was induced to abandon it, for many of the reasons sug- gested in Mr. Pearson's paper. He believed that by the " mark " system a reformatory effect upon the moral character of prisoners would be far more easily and effectually achieved than by any system of solitary confinement. Mr. Peter Laurie said he would cheerfully lend his aid to further the main object; and proposed a resolution to the effect that a committee should be formed in accordance with Mr. Pearson's views; which was seconded by Mr. Bennoch, and carried. Mr. Toulmin Smith proposed that the pro- ceedings should be published in the usual manner; which also was carried; and with the usual compliment to the Chairman the meeting broke up.
The High Bailiff of Westminster, on the requisition of many house- holders in Westminster, has called a public meeting at Wil is's Rooms, King Street, St. James's, " for the purpose of taking into consideration the unprecedented number of mechanics and workmen now thrown out of em- ploy, and the extent of existing destitution and distress; and for the pur- pose of devising means of providing employment of the poor, and diminish- ing the privations and sufferings endured by the labouring classes." The day fixed is Thursday next, and "the chair will be taken at one precisely."
Mr. Alderman John Johnson died on Saturday morning, at his resi- dence, Milbank. Alderman Johnson and his surviving brothers inherited large fortunes from their father, and they have been long considered as at the "head of the stone trade." The Alderman was a Protectionist Con- servative.
At Judges' Chambers, on Monday, an application was made to Mr. Baron Platt for the discharge of the Earl of Oxford from the Queen's Bench Prison. The Earl was imprisoned for debt as the Honourable Allred Harley, commonly called Lord Harley; but he has become a Peer of the realm, by the death of his father the late Earl of Oxford. He claimed his discharge under the privilege which ex- empts Peers from arrest for debt. The application was opposed by a barrister, who appeared for several creditors; contending that, at all events, the privilege did not attach to the Peer till he had taken his seat. Baron Platt overruled this point, and made an order for liberation. On Wednesday, Thomas Millisent was tried for discharging a pistol at his wife, with intent to murder her. The couple had separated; the man went to his wife's lodgings, and had some words; a sort of scuffle seems to have ensued, and a pistol was discharged, but the woman was not hurt ; two pistols, one charged, were found on the prisoner. The man defended himself. Be said that the pistol went off by accident, his wife having struck his arm ; and he remarked that the shots would not have been found on the floor if he had aimed at the woman. His wife and her brother had ruined him: he carried the pistols to take away his own life. The Jury found a verdict of "Not guilty." At Southwark Police-office, on Monday, Joseph Henry Kellerby, the young man who already had an infamous notoriety for sending threatening letters and poison to various females, was charged with threatening the life of Miss Ward. Two imprisonments of a year each and a whipping, seem to have had no in- fluence on his propensities. Miss Ward keeps a school in Trinity Square; merly, Miss Spriggs, a young lady to whom Kellerby had sent letters and pois had been one of Miss Ward's pupils, but the prisoner's persecution of her had rendered it necessary to remove her from the school. Of late, Kellerby has re- peatedly applied to Miss Ward to learn where be could find Miss Spriggs; and as information was denied, he sent many letters of a threatening nature, some inti- mating that the lady should be murdered. One note declared that the writer would be on the watch for Miss Ward in Trinity Square last Sunday night: he was on the watch; and as the lady came home from chapel, he posted himself before her house; but policemen were on the spot, pounced on him, and, after a fierce struggle, secured him. Upon his seizure, he attempted to draw something from beneath his coat—it was a sharp-pointed knife. Before the Magistrate, the culprit declined saying anything ; and he was remanded for a week. A very clever robbery of jewellery was effected last week. On Wednesday even- ing, a genteel-looking man, clerically attired and about forty years of age, entered the shop of Messrs. Lambert and Rawlings, goldsmiths, in Coventry Street. He said he wanted to make wedding presents to some female friends at the Bishop of Winchester's, in St. James's Square. He made a selection, announced himself as the Reverend John Coulson, and requested that a shopman might accompany him to the Bishop's. The clergyman and the shopman went to St. James's Square, with bracelets, watches, and chains in a bag. On arrival at the Bishop's residence, Mr. Coulson got out of the cab, knocked at the door with easy assurance, and asked the servant, "Has the Reverend Mr. Flint arrived?" The servant said he had not. "Oh, don't mind," said the false clergymen: "is Mr. Sumner [theBish- op's son] in?" The servant answered in the affirmative, but added that Mr. Sumner was at dinner. "Never mind; do not disturb him. I will take wine with him by and by. I want in the mean time to write a note to him." He was then shown into the waiting-room, the shopman entering with him. He immediately commenced writing a note, but suddenly stopping, and addressing the shopman, he said, "By the by, I want some signet-rings; I forgot to order them. You e back, and bring me some rings of that sort." The shopman, completely off his guard, went, leaving the property behind him in the bag. The other finished the note to Mr. Sumner, which he left with directions to the servant to deliver it, and then quietly walked away. When the shopman returned, he found that Mr. Coul- son had not taken away the bag—but be had emptied it. Immediate notice of the robbery was given to the police; but the thief had made good use of his time, for he had already pawned a portion of the valuables for 7W. A reward of 501. is offered for his apprehension. The number of fires in the Metropolis in 1848-805—was greatly above the average for the last fifteen years. The deaths resulting were fourteen, including two of the firemen.
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