The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-16 00:00:00

Court of Aldermen.

Yesterday a meeting of the aldermen of London
was held at Guildhall ; the Lord Mayor in the chair.
In reply to a question by Sir JAMES DUKE,
Mr. Alderman COPELAND, president of Emmanuel
Hospital, stated that the Metropplitan District Rail-
way would in all probability pass through a portion
of the hospital, and that, if it did, an opportunity
would be afforded the corporation of removing the
institution into the country, which he thought would
render it more advantageous to the public, and espe-
cially to the poor of Westminster and Middlesex.
He added, that the property likely to be taken by
the railway was valued at £24,000 by the hospital
authorities, but that the railway people had only
estimated the value at £2,260, which sum they had
paid into court—a shameful proceeding, as he
thought.

Mr. Alderman HALE presented a petition from
Mr. Charles Wilson Macbryde, praying that under
circumstances therein stated the court would reopen
the inquiry into the conduct of Mr. Robert Eykyn,
stockbroker.

The matter gave rise to a short discussion ; and
in the end the court declined to comply with the ap-
plication, having already inquired into the matter,
and decided by a unanimous resolution that the
complaint against Mr. Eykyn was unfounded.
The TOWN CLERK read a letter from Sir George
Grey, containing a recommendation made by one
of the inspectors of prisons that in the Capital
Punishment Bill now before Parliament a clause
should be inscribed authorising the City authorities
henceforth to bury the bodies of all murderers after
execution at the Old Bailey, within the precincts of
the City prison at Holloway. This recommendation
proceeded upon a consideration of the very limited
area allowed for the interment of murderers after
execution in Newgate, consisting of only a narrow
passage, in which already 42 had been interred since
the passing of the act of William IV., directing that
murderers should be executed and buried within the
precincts of the prison in which they happened to
be confined at the time of conviction and sentence,
in addition to the remains of four or five persons
who were executed for high treason before the pass-
ing of the act. There was only an average of 18in.
between the bodies, not to speak of the possible
effect of such an arrangement on the health of the
inmates of a large prison like Newgate. The subject
was referred to the gaol committee for consideration
and report.
The Court, on the motion of Mr. Alderman
Waterlow, then proceeded to consider a report from
the general purposes committee, delivered in on Feb.
23 last, on the reference to them to consider and re-
port upon the opinion of the law officers of the cor-
poration as to the right of the aldermen to present
children to King Edward's School under the scheme
propounded by the Court of Chancery for the go-
vernment of Bridewell Hospital. He quoted the
prayer of the citizens of London in 1552 to King
Edward, upon which the charter to the hospital was
granted in the following year, and other documents,
to show that • the institution was mainly, if not en-
tirely, founded with the merciful view of receiving
for a limited time, as a place for reformation, per-
sous, and especially young persons, who, though
not convicted of crime, were yet tainted with it,
and were likely still more to fall into temptation.
He put it to the Court whether they were now
prepared to retain or to surrender one of the most
important privileges which the aldermen of Lon-
don* had exercised for centuries in connection
with the administration of justice—namely, that
which enabled them to give practical effect to con-
siderations of mercy in the hope of rescuing persons
of both sexes and of tender age, who might other-
wise go to swell the criminal population of the City.
He moved the adoption of the report, and that it be
referred back to the committee to take counsel's
opinion as to the extent to which the regulations of
the governors of Bridewell of January last were
binding on the magistrates, and to report to the
Court before taking further proceedings.
The motion, which was seconded by Mr. Alder-
man Stone, led to a discussion, in which Messrs.
Aldermen Copeland, Sidney, Besley, and Gabriel
took part, Mr. Alderman Bosley contending in effect
that under the regulations of the governors young
persons of the description mentioned by Mr. Alder-
man Waterlow would always be admissible, and that
it would be unwise for the court to raise any ques-
tion with the governors about what were called
" rights and privileges."

The motion was eventually put and carried.

Areport from the general purposes committee was
presented on the reference to them on the 17th of
April last, to consider the desirability of appointing
a public prosecutor, and stating that the committee
were of opinion that it was not desirable to enter-
tain the question at present.
Mr. Alderman COPELAND, the senior member of
the court, moved a resolution in effect, "That hav-
ing regard to the long services of Mr. Henry Win.
Sewell, the sword bearer in connection with the
court, it be referred to the general purposes com-
mittee to take the subject into consideration, and
do therein as they may deem fit." He said the ser-
vices of Mr. Sewell had extended over the long
period of 39 years, and he bore testimony to the zeal
and fidelity with which he had discharged his duties.
The motion was seconded by Sir James Duke,
who also spoke to the same effect, founded on a
knowledge of the sword bearer for many years.
And Mr. Alderman SIDNEY having suggested an
alteration in point of form, the motion was carried
unanimously.
The court then adjourned.