THE REV, FITHER LARKIN.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 14 September 1881, Page 2

THE REV, FITHER LARKIN.

(From the Commercial Advertiser ) The Rev. W. J. Larkin, who took his departure per Zealandia on Monday, the Ist inst., will long be remembered a* an illustration of the petty tyranny of persecution that can in a small country like th ; s be sometimes carried out by officials with comparative impunity. We have not a single reason to be Father Larkkt's adyocate or defender, and no motive except our strong desire lor (air play, and we must say that the reverend gentle* man did not have fair play here at the bands of the authorities, without speak* ing of other parties. About one year ago Father Larkin arrived in Honolulu from New Zealand. He proposed to establish a large school or college for the technical education of Hawaiians. He called on merchants and others for con* tributions, and he obtained a long list of influential names, and a contribution of about 2500d01. He negotiated the purchase of the Armstrong premises for the sum of lO.OOOdof, of which amount his Bishop paid 4500d01, there beinp now 5500d0l due on the premises. The Father then obtained the consent of his Bishop to erect a new school building on these premises, and engaged Mr Wall an architect, to plan and erect the building. It was constructed with an unusual broad fiat roof, and after standing about six months fell down, and caused the death of a boy by its fall ; the reverend pro* jectorof the institution narrowly escaping with[his|own HfeJlFather Larkin and Mr Wall were both arrested for manslaughter ; but the latter, though the principal, was ignored and ps s<ed by an* molested, and only the priest suffered arraignment and imprisonment in eonse* quence of the alleged misdeed. The prosecution of Beverend Larkin was popularly regarded as a persecution— and why P This priest had established, apparently, friendly and confidential re* lations in the place ; he was at one time a frequent visitor to the palace grounds. He was supposed to be in a way to gain an influence antagonistic to prominent parties in office : and they sought to crush hi», or get hint out of the wsy. This is current opinion, with a great amount of evidence in its support. At any rste Larkin, accessory, was pnrsneJ, whilst the principal, the architect, was dropped. Larkin was* compelled to find bail, whilst Wall wa« allowed to go without a word. And after a former trial of Larkin before our Supreme Court, when a jury disagreed} and' failed to render a verdict a second trial was not ordered ; yet Larkin wa« held in bail. He received assurances that be would be allowed to go on bis own recognisances ; but as this was not made good Larkin, of his own accord, surrendered himself, would not accept bail, and went to prison, where he remained from a Saturday night till the Monday morning, the day of the departure of the steamer Zea* landia, when he was allowed to depart on bis own recognisances. At the same time a nolle prosequi was entered in Wall's ease, which had been refused in that of Larkin. If jastioe and the welfare of the community demanded a trial and con* viction, why was it not pursued til! a result was obtained ? But neither justice nor the welfare of the community were sought by the prosecution in this matter. Father Larkin is now gone, and let bis memory be treated justly. He was ac« cosed of an endeavor to induce the venerable Bishop Maigret io convey to him in fee simple the St. Louis College property, which simply was not true. A deed signed by Louis Maigret seta forth that W. C. Larkin should hold his pro* perty " upon trust, and to hold the same for the purpose of a school " ; " and upon the incorporation of the said St. Louis to convey the whole of the said premises by deed in fee simple to the said corporation. Thus Larkin was not to gain a dollar's worth of property for himself by such conveyance in trust ; yet an attorney-general thought proper to notify all the notaries of this city not to take any acknowledgement of the signa* ture of this trust conveyance. However, the deed was handed to Bishop Herman, now taking charge of the temporalities of the Catholic Church. He presented to Father Larkin, at the time of his depar* ture. the turn of 600 dollars ; and the venerable Bishop Maigret also handed Father Larkin s dismissorinj letter, or credential, of the most satisfactory character for a Catholic ecclesiastic to receive on his leaving his diocese.