, 1877-09-23

~ 0AAN1-oc L HI DCNG
of the will BY which Edwin Forrest bequeathed
money and lands the maintenance Of the
forrest 1to'ne Tor, suneranuated actors estab-
lisAed near Philadelphia. The defendants sav
that William 3. Forrest is prctcnder, aud that
his claim OF relationship with the dead tra2edian
Is 1alse. Justice Pratt, of tho Kings County
supreme Court has granted an order removing
the case from the Supreme Court to the United
States District Court for the Southern District.
Some OF the New York papers pronounced
this claimant prctcnder, whereupon bis attor-
De1y, john TDwnslhnd, comes forward and de-
clarcs said William B. to be 4 respectable Bos-
ton merchant, and that there is no doubt as to
the relationship ' 1t is true,'' he says. F." that
ono Of the bioyraphers Of the late Edwin For
rest hazards a statement to the effect that with
Edwin Forrest was buried the last Of his race
and, although Edwin Forrest was accustomed to
tell his friends he had no living relatives, he
well krew the contrary He went to Scot
laud aud sought them out and bestowed pres
ents among them.
ait MAY interest your readers to know the
geuealogy of the late tragedian. John Forrest,
who died IN 1903, at St. Mungo's, Dumfrie:hire,
Scotland, had nine children, among them Will
lam, born In l75s, and John, born il iii, Will
lam CAME to the United States, and married Re-
becea Lanman, and had by her q numer-
Gus family. among whom was Edwin Forrest.
All Edwin's brothers and sisters prcdcceased
John. the son Of said John, married Mary Little
aud had numerous children, among them Will
lam, who went to Nova Scotia and married
Abigail Bent. He died iu 1872, leaving two
sous, one named John tie other William B.,
who canse to the United States and was q
naturalzcd citizen before the death Of Edwin
Forrest. 1t will be seen that the grandfather
OF Edwin Forrest was The great grandfather Of
William d. Forrest, the only heir-at-law OF Ed
win Forrcstwho is citizen Of tue UnitedS States.
As IN edit af
III the duy to question the will Of Edwin For
rest, may say that tile Trustees Of the Will in
effect admitted the inval!d;ty Of the will hy
applying to the Legislature to grant them the
be more in accord with Justice tnat blood
relation OF Forrest should inherit his
property than that it should be e1-
pended in maintaining home Tor our
lecaycd actors" The counsel for the
defendants say that William B. Forrest was
relative never heard Of before the death of or by
Mr. EdwiE Forrest; that he was scotchman,
who had never thought Of getting his natural
ization papers until Edwin's death, when they
were made out in Massachusetts, upon .he very
uay this will was admitted 10 probate.
Whatever ending the case may have there Is
prospect Of determined contest over the prop-
erty lett By the t-agediaD-
BARRETT ON FORREST.
Lawrence Barrett: in the October Gdla1y, thus
records his opinion Of tue great tragedian;
As bis life had been made SOLITARY by misfortune.
SO death found hitn alone, coming early one morn
ing lutn his silent ca1.bcr and su1nnonlng hiu to
that res, which The world had denied him.
The great actor slept. leaving behind him char
ity which he bad hoped to perfect before he died,
by when hts fellows might be nade happier, leAy-
Ill. behind him such q inme as NO American may
expect TO rival for many generations. bnI 1aking
with him power and Manlsness which he could
not oevueath. royalty Of soul which despised all
cowardice where the dramas interests were in
voi"ed AMI scorn for professional mcanncss Of
every kind.
/ csa testify to the warm interest which Mr..
Forrest took In al Young actors who seemed enr-
ntstly desire advancement. and were will,u. to
labor tc. That end. White was fulfilling an en- |
csceuaen, nj the Chestnut, Stree. Theatre II Phl!a-
delphi many years ago. Mf. Forrest then al
10: his vacation, occupied box nearly every even
he would send me in few lines upon card Ut an !
encour GIN: character. OF point out sou'e error |
which he had detected. WIS only too happy to he
nus instructed and fc1t deeply the compliment
paid to ME in this way. In all hs suggestions |
IND corrections found him to be ,n the right l !
never tepelled but once aud hc kindly referred me
aught humility. and my apology and thanks COW
red the shame Of my rebellion During this en-
,a:emcut saw much Of hun socially. and rarely |
any OF those harsh features OF Character
or which he was noted among men lie spoke IN
;arlatly OF his fellow actors with tenderness and
vhen he had been deceived. OF his confidence haI
,een abused, he silently Passed the offender By In
his respect, presume, hie conduct had undergone
change from his carl,c- habit. succcss had made
lin c3Otist!cal certainly, and This eEot!sm showed
tself sometimes in a humorous way, sometimes in |
serious one.
lie often declared that to be sucecesfnf actor
nan must have acquired libe.nl education in the |
sogres. Of his professional work lie cerlainlY
;as I'm excellent illustration OF his own thcury. |
IL loved books keenly. ard knew thcun> too
In summing up 4 life like this, where strength
nd weakness are in forciblc cottrast. it il inlpos
ibie to deny thai M man hnI appeared before his
me who WAS destined to exercise great an in !
1tnce upon the drama az he did. He loved his
RI with I'LL The fondncss Of woman, and he gave |
;s life and fortune to II. Possessing the grauGcst
Qualifications Of an actor, he omitted M iAb0r to
improve hnself. kcornpg alike the evasinps OF the
lu..,ard and the trickery Of the charlatnn.
III the indoent and unworthy his wrath was sud. |
en- uud u:asparlnC: to the earnest student he was
..ntle as child. ALI the stores OF his crucIies
p5a!.r from his unsparny hatred Of halfncse in his
rotcss,on. Studlons and constant himself he
culd tolerate no Indifference in others. lie E1s
If space which il l. scarcely; possible to fiji.
[any have strlrcn to Possess themselves nf the
ast of rubes OF tic dead King. Bnt how sitrunk-
u and shrjvcIed do their lean anatoClies appear
j tt,usc ample garments! They copied only his
effects anu fanclcd they gsaspcu h1s cyceeuceS. |
ut all actors nlay hope to profit By his instructive
ar<cr: prrservjn.. the saint high aim l1r the !
rama; iabor1n. 10 keep the actors lame as spot !
,ss us his calling; striving with the same honest
nrpo-e aud fidelity to attain deserved rewards:
nj ecurYn. nil thuse external means of notOTcty |
= which an ephen,eral success Is gained at the |
}st Of sincerity. truth, anu the very integrity Of
Il ,iraIslia i.5eif