- The Bombay Press of June 17th, contains a long
report of the trial of an action for damages, brought by Sir. Larkins against Mr. F. C. Lewis, for' criminal conversation with Mrs. Larkins. The guilty parties had
eloped from Bombay to lushly° in the same vessel, and lived together
as - man and wife. The adultery being undisputed, the interest of the trial lay in the circumstances which had tempted the wife to abandon her husband and children. Mrs. Larkins, an Englishwoman, and the daughter of Captain Andrews, was young, beautiful, and accom- plished: she attracted much attention, and led a gayer life than her husband, who professed to be "serious," approved of This seems to have been the only cause of quarrel; for the lady would not give up her parties and her Italian music on Sundays, and preferred visiting to praying. Lewis appears to be a portrait-painter; at least we find him employed in painting Mrs. Larkins. This is the statement of the lady's maid— "I left England with Mrs: Larkins, and from her arrival in Bumbay until she left it I lived with her constantly. I am aware upon what terms she and Mr. Larkins were, as I had frequent opportunities of observing. Almost im- xnediately after Mrs. Larkins's return from England, Mr. Larknis behaved with great unkindness to her, although I heard Mrs. Larkins promise to forego all gayety in the way he wished for. His unkindness consisted in the tyranny he endeavoured to exercise over the mind of his wife, forbidding her to read any books but those lie should select or approve—religious books. Mrs. Larkins did not read novels; she wished to read other literary works ; but Mr. Larkins considered all knowledge except that derived from religious books as superfluous. Mrs. Larkins did not agree with Mr. Larkins on those points. This caused disagreements and altercations between them, and I was present at several of their quarrels. On such occasions, Mrs. Larkins would so demean herself as to prevent a recurrence of them ; but Mr. Larkins would, insist on Mrs. Larkins giving her opinion. She did so ; which had a tendency to create further discusssons; which generally terminated by Mrs. Larkins crying and leaving the room. Neither parts- recanted the opinions they had, given. On other than religious subjects :qrs. Larkins and her husband agreed, but on religious ones they never did, I remember when Mrs. Larkins had been very poorly all day: site lay on her couch in the dressing-room, and was conversing golf her own family, expressing a wish that Mr. Larkins possessed but halt' the affection for her her brother had. Mr. Larkins observed, that he knew Mrs. Larkins thought him a fool, and that lie' had heard while she was in England she had said she did not care whether he was dead or alive. Mr. Larkins, when speaking to her ou such subjects, expressed himself in a very savage manner. 'When Mr. and Mrs. Larkins disputed on religious subjects, he wished to make her say that she wished to die; but Mrs. Larkins ever ex- pressed a wish to live ; Mr. Larkins observing that her heart was estranged from God, and that she preferred living in this sinful world to the enjoyments of a future state. For about half an hour Mrs. Larkins was in hysterics after she left the room. The discussion was kept up until she left it."
Mrs. Dickinson, wife of Colonel Dickinson, thought that Mr. Larkins and his lady lived happily together ; and described Mr. Larkins as not particularly austere, though more serious than he once was- " Mr. and Mrs. Larkins resided with me for some time. They did not ap- pear as public professors of religion. Mr. Larkins was not particularly fond of • gayety, but always entered into any thing that was proposed. They certainly lived on terms of happiness together ; and Mrs. Larkins was very anxious about the state of Mr. Larkins's health. The last time I saw Mrs. Larkins was at her own house, abont a month previous to her leaving Bombay : I dined and spent the evening there, and observed nothing particular in the conduct of either. Mr. Lewis was not there on that evening. Mrs. Larkins, I should say, is an accomplished woman, and I think more so than the generality of ladies. Her society was courted, and she was considered an attractive person and con- sequently admired. Mrs. Larkins sung very well. Never observed thing extraordinary on Mr. Larkins's part when she sang. Never observed any rude display of temper on Mr. Larkins's part when gentlemen addressed Mrs. Lar- kins. I regretted that I did not see more of them, as formerly."
Mr. George Smith King's evidence showed, that Mrs. Larkins and her seducer, Mr. Lewis, were in the habit of taking part in religious meetings- " I had often met Mrs. Larkins when meetings of that nature were held at lir. Larkins's house. She invariably attended them, caul jidned.hi, the deve- • • il"-- tional exercises of the evening; and it struck me she entered into them with pleasure. I know Mr. Lewis; repeatedly met him at Mr. Larkins's house, sue was on intimate terms with him: Heamet Mr. Lewis at praver-meetings held at Mr. Farish's and Mr. Larkins's. He was in the constant habit of attending those at the latter person's house. The last meeting held at Mr. Larkins's was on the Saturday before Mr. Lewis and Mrs. Larkins eloped. Be was there. The meeting generally assembled at seven and closed about nine. Mr. and Mrs. Larkins and myself sometimes took upon ourselves to expound Scripture. The defendant joined in the devotional exercises of that evening. Mr. Lar- kins's motive in inviting Mr. Lewis to attend these meetings, I understood to be with the view to incite Mrs. Larkins to withdraw herself more front gay society. Mr. Lewis told me, the reason why he courted religious society was, that he received more real kindness at their hands than from other portions of the community. I should say flint Mr. and Mrs. Lar- kins lived happily. When visiting there, I generally had dinner, and re- mained during the evening. My visits were not so frequent after Mr. Lewis went to reside at Mr. Larkins's. Mr. Larkins was not particularly austere with Mrs. Larkins, and I should add that Mr. Larkins was a very fond and indulgent husband. I was invited to dine at Mr. Larkins's the day Mr. Lewis and Mrs. Larkins eloped. I arrived at Mr. Larkins's house about six o'clock.. On entering the dining-room Mr. Larkins said, 'King, they're gone.' Mr. Larkins was extremely excited, and I then thought lie had lost his reason, , remained there the whole of the night at Mr. Larkins's request, and stayed there for a ffirtnight. During that time, most of his conversation was about his wife. Mr. Larkins was very ill for the first three or four days after the occurrence."
The Reverend George Candy said-
" I have been on intimate terms with Mr. and Mrs. Larkins since December 1837. I generally attended a Saturday evening meeting at their house, and I once spent a week there. I had sufficient opportunities of judging that they lived happily together. Mr. Larkins appeared to be a kind and indulgent hut. band. I never saw any thing to the contrary. There did not appear to me that any kind of restraint was placed on Mis. Larkins by her husband : she was ever cheerful. I have been frequently present at devotional exercises is their company, and the part she took in them was not that of a person labour- ing under any restraint. In fact, Mrs. Larkins always took part in religious con versation ;."
Other witnesses gave similar testimony. Letters from Mrs. Larkins to Mr. Lewis were read : they were written in a very tender strain, She entreated him to hasten their departure front the" inhospitable awl never-to-be-endured residence of her husband."
The Jury found a verdict for the plaintiff, with 2,000 rupees damages: the damages had been laid at 50,000.
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