The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-01-24
DOUBLE SHEET.
THE FORREST DIVORCE CASE.
Continuation Of the Argument on
the Fart of the Plaintiff.
Superior Court.
Before Chief Justice Oakley.
CArHARiyy n. FoRREsT va. EDWIN FORREST.

JANUARY 2c.-Mr. and Mrs Forrest In Court, A.
companied by their respective friends
Mr.. OCopor arose and continued his summing .,
this morning He said:-I had arrived at the stst. o.
some OF the circumstances occurring about
period of the case-upon the day Of their actual
lion the 1st May, 1919 have there shown you t1as
Mr Forrest was anxious at that period OF adoptn,
cheap mode Of dispospg Of his ady-a mode cheap in
one sense according TO his views and very dear in
other view snd should say very costly mode of
posrg tue fact of the marriage desecration to general
eoeefsation lie desired 10 place her in boarding.
house, at moderate rate OF charge. advert this
10 ssabliah-thet at ,hi, period Mr. Forrest had be
lief OF any guilt on the part OF his wife, and had
&c doubt OF her perfect pradence--had no doubt
" her perfect chastity and never intended TO make any
charge impsachirg her The boarding house prof ct
JAILED in Consequence OF the remonstrsnces Mrs. For
rest remonstrsnces which may be considered to bavc
smounted to an absolute refusal The next step, gen.
tlemen was 70 'cttle alimony Mr. Lawson VA, Mr
iotrests agent in this mattera sort of go between
TO Settle proper allowance Mrs Forrest Whatever
feelings OF oerslty actrated h the occsson in his
Oechlon, Brow not; uaging to Introduce an un-
subject. You can't say hos tar | have practscd for.
pearance. Rave said nothing upon the subject nor
have offered one word; but whatever iibersty thre
may nave been exercised it certainly liberia ty
that needed a stimulus, for Mr. Lawson admits thit
she treaty was going on for considerable
Forrest Tered to settle on his vie various begn
ming at the sum OF $500 and house to live In worth 1915
ayear Did show even reasonable spirit the part of
Mt Forrest 10 DEERE 10 put his lady into brick house
two or three stories with ber young sister who occupied
1he pt ston Of daughter to woman who was in
Hapit OF HVfng laoy, having servants-to
put her IN such house upon $500 year, Why it
srmethng approaching to opposite of ibe-
isty But at AL events that the proposition that
was made and attempted to be ored upon Mrs Forrest
Oy the mild persuasvensss of Mr. Lawson She
sorlly-n ! may use SO strong term-in sub
this allowance She claimed more and her claim
had been gradually conceded, until it reached
the sum OF 0fteen hundred dollars year, she having
CURED Two thousand dollars With such allowance
she could not live in all approaching that
Poeiton which was due to the character of her husband
MS protection without spending that amount. You
member Mr. Lawson's letter and that he denies the
soft mpeacbmen about the allowance of two thousand
dollars; but II he did not suggest he cluesced with It.
and recommended that the matter might be adjusted
Chus we see this fond and liberal husband making the
smcunt came up to nearly ha. which Ess scsnt ~
support her during the period ofhe
might not perhaps be very long call attention
repudiated hsrlot according to the statement Of
ner husband put away in consequence ofhsr impurty
from shame by acts upon his part which should they
ever have reached the public ear would have covered
him with shame-to wit the conceslng of her infsmy-
lying in the same bed with her four months after her
dishonor Thh lady who ought to ave been trembling
respectable regard being paid to her Just rights as
wife She insisted upon having such an allowance as
she would be content to take; che made her
them against his will Well add another circum
stance, for the purpose Of showing that such idea
DArtV
of any mputation her chastity cali attention to
most satisfactory piece Of eydencethe most satfsc
tory In the whole caseI the letter to her father
John Sinclair written by Mr. Lawson closing with these
words-Mr. O'uonor then read the cone ludng portion
OF Mr.. Lswson's letter, which has been published.
This is the who comes here to speak upon mere
form OF speech and says that he his daughter write
the letter for him while he away This j. sona n
the gross eiander in broader term pronounced by
fOn to this letter vten by James Lsw,on on the It OF
May le4s y is not written at the dictation of Mrs
Forrest he merely requested him to write to her father,
TO break the unpleasant him and to convince
bis judgment But there is one important state ment
which has tendency to contredict the view of the
case taken by the other side, to wit, the statement
that her honor unsullied Her chastity demanded
certificates proud she Of her integrity that
that portion Of this letter alone commanded her repu
dation When she heard Of it, after it sent, she
.ays object to that let,erto your certificate Of my
honor which NO one has ever mpesched." Is that,
ask-sad 10 a moment private confidence, and spoken
to supposed friend tha. tn Language OF Q wo.
man who was conscious Of guilt and that nvI husband
had repudated her for her guilt aud who was nsipg
upon him Ter permission to live in honor, to bs
been mo.t anxious TO receive from q bosom friend
and associate certificate in writing that her honor was
rh eu, i aau par par'e1arly wnen IL came accompanied
rot conscious of her innocence and dssrous to shield
herself against public condemnation! ask is it pos
sbie to believe otherwise with these rreiragabe EVIL
dences But the position Of her first expanstion-why
did you anything about that which no one has ever
lmpeached But gentleman return to that letter:
what does 1t say 1t gives the direct lie to every
uttered sgaint her Mr Ccnor read the letter which
bas been publifhed, and continued And that letter is
from her best friend and approved Of by Edwin Forrest
1th the knowledge that 1t to be across the
Atlantic to her father and to stand IS testmo ny at
future time. And it does stand testimony against
him. Gentlemen why is this testimony not to havs its
effect! Have men lost their reason, Ara the subjects
Of these questions to have part in the admpisra-
ticn Of justice and in the common OF mankind
Now, let us follow little further the next stage in
she matter. We find Mr.. Lawson attempting to bring
about rec onciliaton between the parties. lie wa, Mr
business n Qr wpd IND him,
in constant with lr Forrest engaged in
an effort to bring about reconciliation That he acted
fer the benefit OF je Forrest Is earthly doubt and
il Is clear enough that intimacy existed between Mr.
Stevens and Mr. that he acted in op ,raton
Siih Mr teIest Che tells him. Il did not seek your
interference ard fear evil consequences will arise nom
your interference. You have produced mischief and
evil must here call attention to times and places.
Mrs Forrest spent short time with MIR Godwins IA
Miy She then went in.o the house Of friend
Mrs Willis She afterwards went TO beard with her
sster In Great Jones street and uaIy took up resi-
depce in Sxteenth stres and then Mr. Lawsons letters
81 reconciliation were written They terminate in
manner unsatisfactory. Mrs Forrest about the middle
o. December 1879 wrote to Mr. Lawson the following
letter. (ar 0Conor read this letter. which has been
already published in the proceedings Of the 3st Dese-
Der and continued) GentI'pen this Is the language
0f o shameless woman. We End tnst this letter de-
aoUncce him as nsncere aud rescherous and telling
him to his face that che refused hi friend and
quite willing that he should become ensmy--that he
should appear in his true guisc Was this the conduct
81 woman who was apprehen,ve Of her condition
Gentlemen little of the native chsrsteristc stole
fair amount OF the fsatuie Of the Scotch character
and Of which even sootchmen not ashamed,
Gentlemen hrrt blew follows this with wonderful
pjdity Thi. letter have been written as late as
che 10th December think Mr. Lsgeon states that he
received the 2othi ythe 2lth December lSie you
dnd that the first blow struck (The learned counsel
sead Mr. Forests letter of this dste which has been
already published and eontinued 1t Is answered at
and the is confined to just where II is in
Tended it should beto answering the question whether
che had impeaehed hr Forests conduct in the matter
Of her separation (hr 0'Uonor read Mrs Forests
sDswer, which has been published and continusd) l
call attention to the candor which calls that
confession OF her guilt, An emissary was sent, and
directed to keep cory of IT, thGt he may be able to
cweer TO II, and to ca for immedata which
he receives iwoud ask does not her letter give full
answer and IN precise language, when it Is con
cidcred that it comes from a lady unaccustomed
30 trials OF this descrptoni And f 1t do ell
the impuatons in sn accurate manner II must be reco
lected that 1t was not drawn lander the advice of
sell bat dictated under seutime Of more proper
Kind than the dctation OF counsel and ia sought
be turned against her Mr. OConor read extracts from
the letter in support ct its sincerity and with reference
10 Mrs Forrest statement that some had poisoned
her husbands mind q, rrOccod,d;l How can a mans