The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-12-17
THE FORREST DIVORCE CASE.
Superior Court
Before Chief Justice Oakley.


enc hundred special jurors summoned aud on be-
ing called over only twenty answered to their
Both parties in court and ready for the trial and
. large concourse Of persons present anxious to
hear this long ntgsted and long pending cause.
Chief Justice -Gentlemen, only twenty-four jurors
have answered to their will wait little longer
to others will Unless you consent 10 take
jury from the twenty-four Probably We had better
wait few moments. Two or three gentlemen wish TO
be sxcased am willing TO hear them nov:
Several Jurors then excused for various
The list was again called aud some few answered
The list then contained twenty three names whe answer
ed and were excused.
Lhief Jusce-Procesd to the snpsnellng of the jury
Mr. I'd. II Mann excused on the ground Of illness
In bic family and hi. residence being out of town.
The names of twelve jurors were then drawn from the
ballot.
Chief Ju.tce-Is here any desire to ask these jurors
Mr. Van Buren said tina, probably it would be well
to ask them II they had any prejudices.
The Chief Justice then told the Jury the nature of this
action which Of peculiar Circumstances; and
IL any Of them had formed any impression the mat
ter such as to render them preudced they should say
1t is an action between Edwin Forrest and his wife
bach party brings charges against the other and seeks
divorce on the ground of adultery
Mr. l. Batee Ia Juror said he bad often expressed
opinion on the subject He directed to stand
aside Mr. W. & Corey was excused on the same
Mr Elias A. Day said he read the history of this cause
an the newspapers AID had expressed an opinion on it.
lie also excused.
Mr. Daniel Edssn said he had read the charges and
r-uatons but he could give verdict according to the
chisf Justics-rnder that declaration sir, you are
eligible Take your seat
Thrse other jurors were then called in lieu Of these
excused
Mr. Nathaniel Sawyer ssid-I beg to be excused, for
the sane reasons that the other gentlemen expressed
Chief Justice-Hsye you formed an opinion in the
Mr. sswyer-I must confess my mind is very much
pr,judiced Mr. Sawyer was excused and the Jury then
i~stspasn " Mech 5-Pe.tiah P. Page,
Ea-I n
3-Horscs Besles s-Meigs d. BenjAmi
a-Theodore De WITT, l0-John Errestputsch,
s-csarn h', Ser ia-5dsn cs = sSn'shsef
Chief Jus,ice-Gentleren this cause will be tried in
the Of the Oyer and Termner, in the other
building which hss cen obtsined for the purpose
rush vss here made to the door and the crowd Of
person, al mace for he appointed place
escorted by M Howl&rd of the firm Of Rowland Chase
her attorneys and accompanied by her sister, Miss Viz
sIpa Sinclair avery mild and interesting young lady
about ete@n year, Of age. Mrs Psrke Goodwin also
9th MIS- Forrest.
Nc Forrest al.s in court seated his counsel
DIR ] Van Buren, and Mr. Robinson.
The Chisf Justice 'sd he observed by the papers
handed to the Court that there number of issues
which lad been settled by the Court lie wished to
kncv how they were to proceed and If they were to con-
Mr. e'conor replied that be supposed they were to
Try the whole case, and IL nay be well that the jury
should psss specifically each.
Chief Ju,ticsI suppose from the nature Of the
trOgcrsy u would Be to have IL In that form
Mr. 0Conor then 70 open the case fer the
p.antG He said-Gentenen Of the jury, the action
which gu are about TO try is one which, as you have
already learned in the proceedings Of this court has at
tTseted small degree CT attention, by it's publicity
through the perhaps differing
In Instances according 10 The views OF the writer
You gsatlsmsp, are called upon to bring public opinion
TO the test, air, impartial, and just inquiry and
whatever may have been sad out Of DOORS or pu 5shed
in the newsp yoo called upon stamp the seal
OF Jour approval what true and 70 stamp the seal
Of yoIr rrprdstion on what IL false II was desirable
In all Of such importance that the facts should 60
before the public in the shape Of testimony Of Witnesses
but unfortunately th&. the 10 this instance
and family secrets have eeen .eremouiously laid be-
fore the public fou not here for the purpose OF cir
enlssios family secrets and family disccrds trust
that We shall De sbl= TO have this case spread fully and
fairy before you that VIXEN your verdict shall have
beeE rendered that doubt that 1t has been
according 70 n. evidence and to truth This suit
IL brought by Catherine " Forrest azsinst Edwin
Forrest for dyorceto rss hsr from the bonds Of
trlmor by reason q h dcn gCency That is TIE legal
description q tie suit. BIT n mint more properly o.
called 40 action Of Eds in po-s.t Tor divorce frou hts
witt, 10 cast her OF from rs rejection aud in addition
blastirg her epuAtoz and Der fame thu, ne could
never raise up her head sncrEst women She j. not
here voluntary plaintB-hsr whoe course OF life has
been such az 70 induce her q shnz from hss
life hss bvea altogether prvse vhstsvsr nsy have D.
the of the Ctks' parry Il viii be nsc.ssl NJ,
ntlsusn, 20 give you detail q these circas.an ,e'
stating the fscs expect they will come out in evi
5snce b. fore you In 1871 NJ. Forest By prJfss
zion he now Is tFaeedlau AID as such h. bssans
During Mr. Forrest &C Ers1rt {. was no, sinzu.Nr
that be ss introduced 70 NJ John sinclair VIII, va
.nr and in way ccrns.sl Wi.h che profession q
Mr. Forrest Mr. s.ncls-s family consisted Of his wifi
and three dsughtert-.shC zine Sinclair then nine
years ofsge) another dsr hts- some years youn
and the third a yolng lady sb,ut fOurtees
years % age. A narrisge Tex place between Mr.
FORREST aEd Miss siacis,r ~ 1857 ard Ia lssS
thy 20 New York established Themselves here
p.rUspsnty, " vas hopso NJ G1d Mrs Forrest be
warranted IA saying 81 sr a. re svi3snc. Will lived
Together In A. much Bile, srt In grea; state Of har
rnory any married co-.ie anti; the lo.h OF January
1879 period Of about twelve ysG-s II may b. npor-
date i that time Is.s II, Forrest va. in IN. haSi,
81 visiting the house % Deg nisht shs
party there, and r.ts5nnd Zone a. late hour-Psr
haps IL c'closk Mr. terrert va In the habit
81 going 20 pArtie, OF thai End where sriends
srr assembsd-9nione OF 20 inions as they ar. called
was no, thor though many q; pie friends were. IL
saked srs Forrest, wtsn G.s fsufnsa hsms who wers
he persert ~ the aty snd Der could ,. have
o.sa enssti.fae.oTy &c ". fcrrss, they we're hi.
Of intimacy. HE asked her Il Ir Stevens was there
br 5ssysns gentleman VIC wiz fgure In this
sjsvrisr Ia Broadway q Forfest wa to,t by Trs
Fotfsst thst NJ stsyas va ro a. tas party Mr. Fos
fes tnso reese one ~ ss orr,sts re.aves-s LADY
MAJ not Be- proved Mr., Fcffss; som.vhat annoyed
ard she nsily eontrsdic;ee hin VII the term
called firth To this Mr.. Fore sid that he would
not tvtisI s1y man to soy he 70 him and iv. b.
MR. Fogres, rtirsd 70 led IA: ght Mr FORREST tos
her that she should ssJartte Nrm him. snd ,his
soon rUmoted amongst tbs- lends No in'ividasl
n contact r..h %. Forrest; -ho lld net
admire her for her good ard sus-s quslitic. have
never found psrsop sx,tl: prhaf. s'me wi'nssses
zbo msy be brought frrlT4 Esss % s-sk dispAagrgy
81 her Neither party ssaEsc rsssCn az this time fOr
the aeparaton hrs fcrrrf- ret called upon f1r
Mr. Forrest Postponed tte srtrain ron Day = day e
suit biz ovn cow rienco Ae va th-a residing ami
keeping houxe Ia Twenty secose and b. ri.h-d 10
dposs q his hous. IN Nay % .s operation actually
took piso, The last day ifrl 1872 The flratur-
wac removed o Nr. f-r-afts country residence
aud he tooS Mrs Tors,. b. csrriAx. % tss
house % his fIiszd. ~. rafks gpdsin. AMI
isft her thcrc-this being re srsfs'ion Prom bic 81
l-nce there wss no escae cl 10y tesiy acts ~
part Of Mrs lCfrusf tse -rn-rsry his aca would
lead r. chefent ccrclsI-r -wc three day. hsfrr
this separation Re presen I'd 10 With copy q W.
I suTpcse IL fEs own treasured t0rk shaoTasrs--aa
wrote her rAme on TIE u'tnE rage Ia IN rarriacs
also be brl aht portrait 20 kifrtf whe b. srrsrrs
g. ne, 1ore treasured msmsnto. vtIeh she har yst
got though have had B.t-ss hat would b. taSsn
frcm her u sse-,ion rhis ~ a. al reniiarnsa ~
Forrest took vi-h hin q be residence In W-strtests
county the portrait q Mrs -rrest Tie TislatT "a