The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-09 00:00:00

LANBET'H

For the last two days this oourt.has been turned into •
relieving office, and Mr. Elliott has been almost wholly
engaged in awarding the different sums to the applicants.
110 numerous are the applicants that it has been found
quite impossible to make the necessary inquiries respect-
ing the truth of their statements or the justice of their
claims, and the consequence is that very many of them are
regular " cadgers" or " mouchers," who make it • practice
year after year to be claimants on this benevolent fund,
and many, by change of dress and variety of statements,
manage to get several doles out of it. That many of them
are of the most wretched class, and come from the filthiest
localities in the metropolis, is evidenced by the filthy
odour which their presence creates, and which is positively
dangerous to the health of the officers who have to attend
on them. There is also further proof of the dirty state
of the applicants in the fact that the officers who have to
take down the names and pay them the money find them-
selves troubled nightly with • species of live stock any-
thing but agreeable. Amongst the applicants there were •
number of men who, as mechanics and labourers, up to a
few weeks ago had been earning most liberal wages, but
are now, with their families, perfectly penniless. One
wretched woman said that her husband had been in the
employment of the respectable firm of Messrs. Mandalay
and Co., who always gave liberal wages, and was on that
(yesterday) morning without the price of a loaf of bread.

Tag NEW LAW COURTS.—Yesterday, the place
erected in New-square, Lincoln's-inn, for the exhibition
of the plans for the new Law Courts was visited by •
number of barristers. It will be opened for the reception
of the plans inn few days, but the public inspection will
not commence, it is understood, till the 16th of February.
THE SUSPECTED DEATH PROM POISON IN SLACK-
PRIARS.—Mit. Parke, the City 001.02101., resumed last even-
ing the investigation, at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, re-
specting the death of Mrs. Anne Edward', aged 42 years,
who was alleged to have died from the effects of poison,
under the circumstances already reported. The evidence
of the medical men was to the effect that the symptoms
of death and the app earsnce of the body favoured the sup.
position that death resulted from poisoning, but no poison
was found in the stomach. The !jury returned the follow-
ing verdict :—" That the deceased came by her death by •
corrosive poison, but how the laid poison got into the sys-
tem there is no evidence to show." The Foreman—That,
sir, is an open verdict, and it leaves it open to take any
steps afterwards that may be deemed necessary.
A MAGISTERIAL DIFFICULTY. —Yesterday Liver-
pool was without • stipendiary magistrate to transact the
business of the principal police court. The " vacancy"
has °centred in this way. Mr. Thomas S. Raffles has for
some years past meet efficiently discharged the duties of
that office. A few days ago the finance committee of the cor-
poration, in consideration of Mr. Raffles' long and labo-
rious services and the ability and zeal with which they
have been characterised, recommended the town council to
advanx his salary from 1,2001. to 1,500 f. per annum. At
its meeting on Wednesday last the council confirmed this
recommendation, and, nonsensical as it may appear, this
increase of his " worship's" salary has actually necessitated
his resignation. Accordingly, on Monday evening, Mr. Rattles
forwarded that resignation to the Home-office,so that yester-
day he was merely • justice of the peace for the borough
of Liverpool, his special function as stipendiary Magistrate
of adjudicating alone upon all cases brought before him
was abrogated, snd in each case where • conviction under
the Criminal Justice Act took place he was obliged to call
in the assistance of one of his " lay " brethren of the bench,
in order to render that conviction legal. Mr. Raffia'
appointment was expected to arrive from London last
night, and, should that be so, to-day the whole form of
swearing him in, he., before the mayor and corporate
officials will be gone through, just the same as if he had
sever had a seat upon the bench at all.