Star.
London, England, 1830-05-01 00:00:00

D'OYLY'S DIVORCE BILL.

Mr. Sergeant SPANKIE appeared at their Lordships' bar, on be.
balf of the petitioner, Mr. J. H. D'Oyly, a gentleman holding an
official situation in the Civil Service of the Past India Company,
now residing in Bengal, and stated the facts of the case.
The standing order of the House, requiring the attendance of the
petitioner, was in this case suspended, on account of his necessary
absence in India.

On a former day when this Bill was brought in the proceedings
in the Ecclesiastical Court, as usual, were laid on the table, as well
as the judgment obtained in the Court of King's Bench, in the ac-
tion brought by Mr. D'Oyly against Lieutenant Beville, an Officer
of the sth Dragoons, for criminal conversation with Mrs. D'Oyly,
in which 1,0001. damages were awarded by the Jury.
Mr. Montagu proved the marriage of Mr. D'Oyly with Miss
Thompson, which took place at Calcutta, in the year 1818, accord-
ing to the rites and ceremonies of the Established Church.
The Rev. Mr. Snow—l live in Dorsetahire, at Langton, near
Blandford. The petitioner, Mr. D'Oyly, is connected by marriage
with my family. I married his sister. Since the marriage I have
been in the habit of corresponding with him. I saw Mrs. D'Oyly
on her arrival in England, from India, in the spring of 1828. She
was sent by her husband to my care. She brought three children
with her. When under my roof she expressed great attachment
to her husband. In the following year she left my house, for
London. She then went to reside at Gloucester. She had re.
moved to Malvern. I went to the latter place, but found that
she had gone to reside at Leeds. I followed, and there found her.
I did not know under what name she passed there. She was
living in lodgings. She was then enceinte. This she acknow-
ledged to me. This was in 1828. She entreated me to take
charge of the children, and said she could never again see her'
husband. The scene was a most distressing one. She lay on the
floor during the time I was with her, and was greatly agitated.
The children are now living with me. I have had several let-
ters of instructions from Mr. O'Oyly. When Mrs. D'Oyly came
from India ample allowance was made her by her husband. I be-
lieve about 1,0001. per annum.
Mr. Brownrigg said that he had been in India, holding in midi-
tion to his situation ass Captain in the Army, the office of Military
Secretary. He was now a partner in the house of Cochrane and Co.
'sir. D'Oyly was a younger brother of Sir C. D'Oyly. Witness,
when in India, had frequent opportunities of seeing Mr. and Mrs.
D'Oyly together. They appeared to be living in a very happy
manner. Mr. D'Oyly's conduct towards his wife, was of a
most affectionate description. She seemed also much attached to,
him. In the early part of the year 1825, Mr. D'Oyly received an
appointment up the country, which required his constant attendance.
Had he left India with his wife, it would have been nearly his ruin
in a pecuniary point of view. The provision which he made for his
wife in India, witness considered to be most ample, considering the
circumstances of Mr. D'Oyly ; it was from 7501. to 1,0001. a-year
Mr. and Mrs. D'Oyly were as happy a couple as witness ever saw.
Mary Ann Tracy proved that Lieut. Beville was in the habit of
visiting her mistress, Mrs. D'Oyly. Witness being the nurse-maid
when they resided in London. On one occasion he remained a fort.
night on a visit.
Mrs. Mary Kay examined-.. 1 reside at Wakefield.—ln the year
1828 I was living at Leeds. Mrs. D'Oyly and Lieut. Seville oc-
cupied apartments in my house. They lived together as man and
wife, under the name of Mr. and Mrs. Ilevilic. In answer to a
question put by Lord WYwrortn, she said she had seen them in
bed together. Mrs. D'Oyly was brought to bed of a child when
under her roof. Mr. Seville appeared to be very fond of it, and
behaved like a father to it. The regiment to which Mr. Seville
belonged was removed from heeds in that year. Mrs. DOyly left
on the same day.
Mr. Sergeant SrArriciz said, that he would not trouble the house
I with further testimony, but would now proceed to read the following
letter, dated in April, 1828 :
‘. Have mercy on me, D'Oyly, for the sake of your loved and in.
nocent children : and if it be possible to you, conceal their mother's
shame ! Ido not deserve mercy from you, yet for them I sue, and
let it not be in vain. Let them not, on enters tg the world, have
that hardest trial to struggle with, a mother's infamy. But, for
their sakes, spare your too just anger! For the sake of Him who
came into the world to teach us Heaven's holiest attributes.—mercy
and forgiveness. In His name who forgave sinners, forgive me--
and then forget me. I should not wish to meet you again, my in-
jured husband. lam too unworthy, and should die with shame.
You were always too good for me; but, Oh my GOD, the con-
sciousness of your love and fidelity, and of my faithlessness, kills
me ! Only, if it be possible, conceal my shame, for our children's
sake and my poor old father's; for the knowledge of my guilt would
bring his gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.' 1 have not neg-
lected your children, D'Oyly."
The Learned Sergeant, who was reading from the original letter,
on which some of the words were partly defaced, as if tears had
fallen when it was being written, said that it was with difficulty he
could make out the writing.
Lord WYNIODD said, that quite erough had been read to show
the state of feelings under which the writer laboured.
Mr. Sergeant SPANRIE observed, that it IVY obviously written
under great remorse and agitation.
The letter was then put in as evidence. These are the con.
eluding sentences :
" Whatever have been my faults, they (the children) have been
minded and cared for. Not a night or morning passes without your
little George being taught to pray to GOD for his absent and dear
father. Leave them to ine, and trust to a mother's love to bring
them up in the paths of virtue and religion, with the assistance of
the great GOD in Heaven, to whom I will pray for strength to fulfil '
my duty to them, and to follow any plan you will deign to mark out
for me. May He incline your heart to mercy. May He support
you in the sore trial your guilty wife has brought upon you, is my
prayer ! And may you show pity to the repentant.
" CHARLOTTE.
" Addressed to T. Hadley D'Oyly, Esq. care of Messrs. Palmer
and Co. Calcutta, Bengal.
" Endorsed per Prince Regent.—. Registered 23d Sept. 1828."
On the motion of the Earl RosILYw, the bill was then read a
second time, and ordered to be committed.

On Saturday morning last a dreadful explosion took
place in the colliery at Pemberton, near Wigan, belong-
ing to H. B. Hollinshead, EN. by which nine persons
lost their lives. This accident was occasioned by a door
having been left open on Friday night, the 23d ult. by
which the foul air had been admitted into that part of the
pit where the men were employed, and, on their proceed-
ing to work on Saturday morning with a light the explo-
sion instantly took place.—Leeds Intelligencer.
On Thursday night, as Serjeant Furlong, of the letter
L division, was proceeding round his beat, in passing
along Devonshire-place, in the Oval at Kennington, he
heard a rattle sprung, and on going to No. 22, he ob-
served a Gentleman suspended by the neck with a hand-
kerchief from the balcony of the first floor windows. A
policeman, who had observed the circumstance in the first
instance, was standing underneath the balcony, which
was a low one, and supporting the Gentleman's legs up,
as well as he could, so as to take the strain off his neck.
This was accomplished by great hazard on the part of the
policeman, the unfortunate man using all the strength be
possessed, in order to free himself from restraint, and ef-
fect his death. The serjeant lost no time in ascending
to the first floor, and, with the assistance of another man,
succeeded in rescuing him; and the moment he was taken
into the drawing-room, he ran to the sideboard, and
snatching up a case-knife, was in the very act of drawing
it across his throat, when the serjeant sprang forward
and seized the weapon from his hands. The infuriated
man, on being prevented in the second attempt to destroy
himself, became quite outrageous, and it was at length
found necessary to place the handcuffs upon him,—a
restraint which, however, was not effected until he had
nearly demolishetilhe whole of the glass and ornaments
in the room, besides inflicting severe kicks and bites on
those who were instrumental in saving his life. Shortly
afterwards a medical man was called in, who ordered the
application of a strait waistcoat ; and, at the departure of
the policeman, the unfortunate man was pronounced to
be labouring under a paroxysm of madness of the most
serious kind.

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