The New York herald., 1850-12-27
The FORREST DIvORsE CASE.
Supreme Court.
SPECIAL TERM.
Befora Chief Justice Edmonds.


following document, which he had partly got
through at the adjournment of the court, on Saiur-
day LAST W
AFFIDAVIT OF cATHARINE y. FORREST.
Ctfy a~d Cs,tnty of Neic York, IS. s.;--Catharine
N. Forrest, the plaintiff in this action, oeing duly
sworn, deposes as follows, that Is 10 say 81 have
mot, IN this action, chargea MI. rorlest WIN
leyant 10 the present case TO make such charge,
or rt fer 10 such offence by him But as he, or his
counsel, thinks Otherwise, TIT Il may be proper Tor
marked "Copy charge and answer" contains
The charge on that subject, made by me in
another action (omitting the numbers OF houses
and names Of female parlcPatoIs,l and also con-
tains Mr Forests answer in that action. am
advised, and believe, that such answer is virtual
admission of the inidelity charged. He denies the
fact, at the particular times or places charged bat
has not ventured to deny the fact itself. may
have been misinformed to those particulars, but
the principle fact remain undenied by him. My
affidavit made in this action, on the second day OF
September last Qs5O), was prepared by one OF my
counsel, under my instructions. was present at bis
office during nearly all the time he was writing it,and
prepared three copies of il with my own hands,
al my residence, before deposing to II. was un-
der no earthly influence in the preparing or the
and reason; though, OF course, from time to time,
] received the advice OF counsel, and now re-
affirm the truth of said affidavit, IN all respects.
deferred this action against Mr. Forrest TO the
latest practicable moment and thereby afforded
hm lime and opportunity to recede from his pur-
suit OF extreme measures against me- Both in my
protest 10 the Legislature OF Pennsylvania and my
said former afiida n Istudiously avoided reference
IN irrelevant topics and censures upon third persons
] also abstained from any imputatlon against Mr..
Forrest, except 10 the extent which was absolutely
necessary 10 the mainiainance of my action. and
seemed necessary 20 the vindication of my own in
nocence. / annexed copy of my said protest, and
now confidently refer TO the same, aud TO my for
mer affidavit, 10 chow that | have hitherto alb
GIn fafIu 81 IA
sary TO the case, which was dlscreditabe to Nj.
Forrest, or TO any one else. The protest is dated
March the fourth, 1880, and contains not word
against him, except what may be implied from the
circumstances adduced 10 show my innocence.
My affidavit which is dated September 2l, 1850,
indeed, asserts that he knew his suit 10 be ua ust,
and, in connection herewith, shows that he prac-
Used an aridce (Which he has not ventured to
deny), in order TO entIap me into an Implied ad-
mission of guilt. In impugning the motive of his
proceedings against me, and denying his belief in
the impuation OF crime, | conceived myself To be
fully justified, as well by the necessity of the case
as by truth; for if he believed me 10 be guilty,
such belief, coming from one who knows my cha
raeter so well, would afford some presumption
against me- Ii. therefore, seemed TO me proper To
deny that Mr.. Forrest believed me TO be guilty, as
/ had satisfactory evidence that he did not was
embodened to do so by conscious innocence, by
faith in Divine protection, and reliance upon the
nslice OF my country, and have not yet felt the de-
sire expectation of an acqulttal from the charges
Of impuTty brought against me, unless i shall be
those charges are preferred in ilfath, as that they
aie unfounded in fact. My defence must in future,
take afirmerione. When perused Mr.. Forests alf-
davit, evidently framed by himself for publication,
imputing 10 mt every grossness and crimnalIy that
fancy could suggest, and involving my aged father,
my sisters, all that are near and dear TO me, be-
came convinced that further forbearance was not
my duty, and thar, thenceforward, as FAR as truth
would warrant, honor and duty required M 10 re-
pei ell Mr.. Forests imputations, 10 present his
proceedings against me in their true colors, and to
deny his seli-praise, whenever II was unfounded in
fact, and reflected even indirectly upon me or
mine. True il is, am woman and wife, aud it
may be thought that defend too hrmly. True II
is, that Mr.. Forrest isyet my husband and submis-
sion TO him may be thought obligatory upon me
but none can deny that in him must also now re-
cogRise bitter and relentless enemy; one who
took me from my fathers hearth promising to che
rsh and protect me, and now, after wearing out in
his service ell the bright years OF my youth, seeks
10 cast ME forth, covered with mfamy, and 10 en-
sure my utter destruction is prosecuting all, even OF
my nearest kindred. who venture to afford me the
thghISs ST counienance.
discovery Of my unworthiness, he quoted me as
saying that he treated me with compassionate
kindness" lie also asserts that he treated me
with the consideration and gentleness due TO
woman :; that he is of an unsasPcious disposition;
that he had ''always, in his relations with me, been
afieciionate and happy !" that he has "fully CON-
iion my constant and affectionate companion; uni
formly attentive, teader and indulgent that We
lived harmoniously, in a spirit Of kindness and
confidence, until such discovery and that his con-
duct has been generous and kindly" My affidavit
cen ains no such idea as that quoted, nor did
ever say anything of the kind and the rest OF Mr.
Forests assertions above referred to- are essential
ly untrue in all respects They are most deeply 80
August, in the year one thousand eight hundred
and forty.sx, more than two years before he found
the Consuelo letter. lie speaks OF habit OF wr-
ting " from her lover and husband, Edwin For.
res
write, TO my knowledge The exiravaqan cha
racter and manner Of Mr. Forests charges against
Inc lead many TO suppose that he is insane and
Others, perhaps, believe that he is the victim of
MISREPRESENTATION. think know that he is not
insane, and have good reason to be confident that
he is not in the least misled. arm quite sure that
he s himself the immediate originator and instiga-
tor of all the charges he advances, and that the
agency OF others s in mere obedience 10 his Will.
My conception Of the issue between myself aad
him, will be seen from this and trust the court,
in view of the wide detail Of gross and evil impua-
tions in his affidavit, will excuse me for fully en-
tering upon its refutaton. deeply lament that the
practice Of the courts permits Mr.. Forrest, by his
affidavit, 10 draw into review, in this case, his
troversy with Mr. Macready, and our private inter-
course in relation thereto More deeply still do |
lament, that in his rage against me, he should be
privileged TO publish his rude inyectives against my
sister, for having sflecuonately stood by me
throughout my trials.
Mr. Forrts st never found me standing between
the knees of Mr. Jamison, or with his hands upon
pcrSOn, or IN any lmnlOdest position WnateNer,
nor did he ever ask what any such transaction
mesnt, nor did !, on any such occasion, change my
position or reply with perturbation, or otherwise,
that Mr.. Jamison had been examining my phreno-
logical Developments. 1neither know nor believe
that Mr.. Jamison, on the occasion referred 20 by
MIR. Forrest, or on any other, precipitately with
drew, or that he was then, or at any other time,
diligently searched for, or that on any such occa-
sion he was party to any engagement TO make
visit, or had been invited or expected TO accompany
Mr. Forrest or myself to any place. never wrote
to Mr.. Jamison after Mr. Forrest found the Con
tuelo letter. Mr.. Forrest never said a word to me
at any time in his life about the peculiar position,
any position, in which he had found me, or in
which had been with Mr. Jamison, at Cincinnati,
nor anywhere elsa. Mr.. Forrest never asked me II
had written TO Mr. Jamison, nor did ] ever call
God TO witness, or cay that had not so written.
AL that 10 said by Mr. Forrest in his affidavit,
and herein above denied, concerning Mr. Jami-
con acts or mine, IN reference 20 said Jamsen, at
or where else, is absolutely untrue in
very resnfcf and my hrst knnwlnhre nf any snch