, 1876-04-15
THE FORREST CONTROVERSY,

Charles O,Conor's Theory Of Edwin
Forests Difficulty with 4ais WIGcs
Tho controversy botHeen hlr. and Mrs. Tor
rest, aa now view 1t, waH a vory extraordinary
unless Ills acts IN that controversy be made SUBJ
jcct Of cousure 10 laa loft no blemtBh Upon bis
name. 1io 1aborcd diligently us III act
os, aud was eminently aucceaAlul. Though capa-
alwAya oxtromoly economical. Tho spirit which
guided him III this waa proved In bin dying hour,
It scema ho had devoted himsclf through life 10
an object which many will doem nost 1anaablc.
scale, an institution which should afford to I'm
fortunate and decaged 1nsnlbera OF bis profess
sion An asy1un1 Ia thclr need, and which should
Atso perpotuato tho memory OF hH o*a namo
and virtlloB.
Ilo married Ca.bntino Sinclair when she was
bnt 10 yeara Of age. Speaking Of her ."graeo
and beauty" tho only Witneas examined to tho
point said "Sho Nna to mo perfection. 6ho
waa the most beautiful vislon over aaW." Un-
til the!t unfortunate separation, she was unit
to "obey." Sho maa respectful and Affection
ate Ip her domoanor to Mr. rorreat; aha was
prudent and economical IN her exponaes, koep-
Ing and rse"dSrtng' e as required " htm a1sc. &C.
cal vatdfobea; Bho maIo long Journeys
for and with him. aud aho constantly and difi-
gently labor0a to aeryo hlm. Stlo was tho light
Of hts house. Dy her accomplishments and her
lAu4lthQ E4lklkR0 III A1H pEEHguCH VI Hl8 4IlGu4H
and visitors nlio gratifed lls p1i4o immsasura-
by. When the separation took plnco (18l9),
her beauty, though pnrhaps changed to moro
acdhto mold. vas unllmtntshod; and that ho
then loved her and had The nloat absolute conf
dence in her purity, hayo alHaya firmly holloy-
I'D. Why ho put her away from him can only bo
d subject OF conjecture. Ever ninco tie trial
iii 1859 mino haB beon what will now stuto.
Houo year Or two before tho separation. tho
project Of tho asylum for deeayed actors was
e1tnroi 10
suitable building on the bAuka Of the Hudson,
to tlse 1t as a tlWelng-houBo during thelF Ilyoa
and then loavo It for tho Actora' Homo, with
tho rcaldue Of Slr. Forests fortune as IN cu-
slal reatdonce. coating d largo aum for tho houao
aud furniture at the outses. It would nccessl-
tAts 4 considerable yearly outlay In maintaining
4 atylo commemorate To appearances AR. For
means to doffay the tlrs. expenditure. Tho de-
votion Of hs whole time to labor as an t.lnerant
theatrical Atsr would scarcely have produced n
hutticlont income properly to ,nn!ntain " Font
hill Caatlc," with Its qneoniy mfatress. Mrs.
Fotrest thought not OF expense. She thought
Of little but c1ecut'ng tho Wishes Of har hus.
banl. Probably she was quito incapable Of con-
alderlng tho pccuniary question, md. unfor-
tunatc!y: her husband did mol give Il duo rofleo-
sloa Ihs :epststo9 occurred luz at the mo-
stage which caused Mr. Forrest to
pe1ceiYo tta pyobsb!o oNcos upon his fortune,
md the droaTy future in which Ito completion
would necessarily Involve him. His castlo wAs
In the highway OF travel 1t had ass.actcd groRt
attention aud how to racedo WAS difficult
problem. Accustomed to lire upon that Ap-
ptanso OF the untkl!nkng which changes 70 scorn
On It's horo'B failure III snything, Le shrank from
tho idea that, Ia popular parIance, "fonth!ll
Castle" should chaogo It's na,no to For
rests Fo1!s; ana, for want OF better
con.rirance. ho determined to hAvo quar-
rel WITH his wifo. for some pr!vste eaueo
not 70 10 explained Tho breaking up Of lis
family would. OF cour4o, afford REASON for re-
hnqu!sh!ng biz 1usal residence; and dssming
his wifo subsssvtcnt to hta pleasure In ali
things, 10 supposed that she would tubmit to
ths yaeary, and that, after he had gotten rid Of
tho castle and = faw months had aiapsed, thoro
could 10 makeup aud all would b. wall. But,
II might have been expected. this singular con-
trivanca failed !, one mistako led to smother. and
tue judicial controversy In QUESTION resulted.
II, In Tits Judgment o. tho evidence, havo
done any wrong to Ms. Forrest, Huch is not uy
object. 1ima8ine 1t to bo Just nor will it Lo
easy to reach Any teault mots IN hla tayos.