The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-13
THE FORREST AND WILLIS AFFAIR.

THE FORREST AND WILLIS AFFAIR.
JANUARY 10th, 1851.
DEAR SIR Having seen statement in your
paper of recontre between Mr.. Forrest and
Mr.. Willis, at the Opera House, on Monday
night in which my name is incidentally men
toned, am requested by my husband TO put
you in possession of the facts as they occurred
Monsieur de Marguerittes and myself were a!
the Opera on Monday evening, with Mrs. Voor-
hees only. Mrs. Forrest was not with us; and
though, on an average, we have been once a
weeS to the Opera during the present season,
and Mrs Voorhees, has always been with US, on
no occasion has Mrs. Forrest been of the party
Indeed, can positively affirm, Though this is
unimportant in the matter,) that Mrs Forrest
has never once been to the Opera this season.
About a quarter Of an hour after we were
seated on the evening referred to, much to our
surprise Dir. and Mrs. Willis came in and occu-
pied the seats next to us AT the end Of the
first net, Mr., w. left TO pay visit to some other
OF his numerous Appropriateness who were in the
house. Mons. de NJ. also left. On Mr.. W..
return, was told that gentleman standing on
the right hand entrance to the balcony sofas was
Mr.. Forrest, (or until then had never seen Mr.
F. He remained some time looking poinedy
toward us, but neither by word or deed annoy
ing us in any way there was scene, nor was
the audience in any way disturbed. Mr.. and
Mrs. Willis left few minutes before us; and
when NJ. dc NJ, Mrs. Voorhees,. and myself left
the theatre, we passed close by Mr. Forrest, who
did not in any way modest us, or indeed take
any notice of u.s.
heard from Mr.. Willis that he had been
p irsued by Dir. L. in the lobby, during his alb
sc ce from us, and that Mr.. F. had used violent
ID abusive language; he appeared very much
I,,tI ,,-,a 4, \
stand that there was no sort of excitement or
noise amongst the audience, and that Mrs. For
rest was not present.
May beg Of you to give correct statement
of these facts, which, as they seem of import
ance enough TO interest the public so far as t o
be put in the papers, may as WELL in justice to
all parties, be given as they happened.
remain, dear Sir, truly yours,
JULIA DE MARGUERITTES
To Mr. ii. FULLER, Esq
The following "Card" is published in the
New York papers:
Mr. N. r. Willis takes this means suggest
ing to +. Forrest that the innocence Of a lady
(the vindication of the honor of Mrs. Forrest)-l
is a cause now pending in the courts Of law
aud submits this question to Mr. Forrest, ,ohethcr
in proper Difference to woman. as well as to
justice--boih he and Mr.. Willis being necessary
parties to the coming tria--the right of de lady |
should not be first attended 10, without the risk of
being delayed or defeated by lesser differences
between Mr. Willis himself
Mr.. Willis suggests to Mr.. Forrest that the
profane, abusive, and low language, with which |
he assaied Mr.. Willis on meeting him recently |
in public street.-the di .tnrbance ofun audience
Of crowded theatre, OF the same evening, BY |
l. 4. 4
gestures and hefd-hakings-and ths thus annoy
ing and terrifying Mr. Willis's wife, (the only |
ldy who had accompanied him in the theatre
or who was under his charge at the time)--are
needless infections upon the public, and upon
those innocent of offence against Mr.. Forrest |
Mr.. Willis suggests also, that although the
term for which Mr. Forrest was "bound over TO
keep the peace" has just expired, yet the above
mentioned unprovokcd hostities are steps very
close uron crimes punished bg the penitentiary--
out of which, it il important TO Mrs. Forrest that
Mr.. Forrest should be kept, il possible, till his
accusations against her have had fair hearing.
and her innocence a fair defence.
January 5, 1851.
MIR. Forest has published csrd In reply to
the above, in which he SAYS
II is false that I used towards him, in the |
false that the audience at the theatre was dis
turbed by any loud talking of minefor spoke
in an ordinary tone Of voice--or by any gesii- !
culatons on my part. Bot it is true that, on
Monday afternoon last, ] met N. p Willis, on
the Fifth avenue, and there addressed him
in these words "You Internal scoundreI, liar. I
and coward, this is the first time have seen YOU
since the horsewhipping gave you in June last |
Don't turn pns; ] viii moi lay violent hands
upon You" And he snaassd away, without
making n reply Conscious that he ssss The Vi
o.a,or Of my domestic hearth, and had desecra.ed
and desoiated once happy and cheerful home.
On Che evening Of the same dry again met
him in the lobby Of the Opera House, and, re-
speating the just epithets applied to him the same
day, | expressed my asionshment that one so de
graded and infamous should show himself in a
respectable assembage. Ar. Willis then walked
into the dress rirnle. and then. for the first time