The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 26, 1866.

THE CITY PRISONS.

Mr. Alderman and Sheriff GIBBONS Mado a report to the
court of the number of prisoners at present confined in the
City prisons, by which it appeared that there are at present
in Newgato, 97 ; in the Debtors' Prison, Whitocross-street,
105 , and at Holloway, 293 prisoners.

Mr. Alderman GIBBONS at the same time said he thought
it right to bring before the court a subject in connexion with
some proceedings at the Central Criminal Court that had
attracted a good deal of public attention. At the July session
of that court, in consequence of public business, only one of
her Majesty's judges was able to attend, and Mr. Avery,
the Clerk of the Court, in consequence, sent a communica-
tion to Mr. Commissioner Kerr, apprising him of the fact,
and requesting him to attend and preside in one of the
courts on the following morning. In order that there might
be no mistake Mr. Avorygave this letter to the messenger of
the court, and paid him specially to deliver it, and upon his
return he stated that he had done so. Mr Kerr did not
attend to perform the duty, and some very severe remarks
appeared in several of the daily journals in consequence of
this supposed neglect of duty. Mr. Avery did not have an
opportunity of communicating with Mr. Kerr until some
days afterwards, and in consequence of what he then stated
the messenger was again questioned on his original state-
ment that the letter had been duly delivered. During the
last session of the Central Criminal Court, the matter was
again inquired into, and the messenger at last admitted that
he had not delivered the letter personally, but had posted it
and kept the money that was given to him for delivering
it. The sheriffs considered it was due to Mr. Commissioner
Kerr that these facts should be made known, and they had
felt it their duty at once to suspend the messenger from
his office, and they now reported the facts to the Court, in
whom the appointment was vested, and they would take
what steps they thought proper in the matter.

The matter was referred to the General Purposes Corn-
mittee.

THE NEWLY APPOINTED ALDERMAN.
Mr. Alderman Cotton, who, it will be remembered, was
unanimously elected as alderman in the place of Mr. Mechi,
who had resigned, was introduced to the Court by his pro-
poser and seconder, Mr. C. White, jun., and Mr. J. Chap-
man, for the purpose of taking the usual oaths required
upon taking the office.
Mr. WHITE said he had the honour of introducing tothe
Court William James Richmond Cotton, Esq.,who had been
unanimously elected Alderman for Limo-street Ward. Ho
was not a stranger to them, and the great services he had
rendered in the matter of the Lancashire Relief Fund, and
more recently in that of the cholera relief, made him most
favourably known to the public. The inhabitants of Lime-
street Ward felt that in electing such a gentleman as Mr.
Cotton as their alderman they were not only electing one
who would perform all the duties of the office in the most
zealous and efficient manner, but who would at the same
time do all in his power to uphold the privileges and the
dignity of the greatest corporation in the civilised world.—
(Hear, hear.)

Mr. CHAPMAN also made a few complimentary observa-
tions to the newly-elected alderman; after which that gen-
;Malan took the usual oath, and subscribed the formal sta-
,utory declaration.

After this Mr. Alderman Cotton was introduced to all
the members of the Court, who were presented by Mr.
Sewell, the sword-bearer, and he then took his seat on the
bench with his brother aldermen.
The TOWN CLERK read a letter from one of the relatives
of the late Mr. Cope, who was for many years engaged in
the service of the Corporation, originally as City Marshal,
and afterwards for many years governor of the gaol of
Newgate, announcing his decease.
The Court shortly afterwards broke up.