The news & observer., 1905-01-10

SHE ALSO A DIVORCE
The TayIOr-Webb Company and Sui
of German National Bank of Lit
tie Rock. What Taylor Has TO
Say of His Female
Partner.

tSpecIal 10 news ana observer
Chicago, MS, Jan. 9.-The German
National Bank of Little Rock, Ark, is
suing Alice L. Webb and her promot-
ing company for $4,000, the face of
two notes, of $4,000 each, due and
unpaid. Just how far Taylor Webb
and Companys business has pro-
gressed since its birth, April g, 1903,
is only known to the two partners, but
developments are gradually coming to
light which may place Alice l.. Webb
and Charles F. Taylor and the COM
pany they represent on the defensive.
The tobacco company has f1oated thou
sands and thousands OF dollars worth
of stock.
| have been after Alice L. Webb
since last July to set service on these
notes and did not succeed until she
bobbed Up in New York and became
the bride of Brodie L. Duke said At
torney Packard Il then sent the notes
and papers on to New York and she
was served with them there. / am
inclined 20 believe they are absolutely
worthless. The notes were each made
out for the Pritchard Lumber Co.
of Little Rock and signed individually
by Alice L. Webb and Charles f. Tay-
Tor and then indOrsed and guaranteed
by Taylor, Webb * Co.
''The Bank of Little Rock sent to
one of the big commercial agencies
and asked for a special report as to
the Taylor, Webb Companys standing
before they discounted the notes and
received q reply to the effect that it
was all right and owned 325 acres ut
land in Texas. On that report eue
bank cashed the notes,
Not long after the Pritchard Lum-
IL
bank was forced to look TO Webb and
Taylor for settlement. / obtained ser
vice on Taylor in Chicago some two
months ago. but could not find Alice
Webb until she married Duke. The
notes are each for$5, 600. each made
out the same day and running five
and six months respectively. The notes
became due in July and August
when the bank failed to obtain set
tlemen."
A man who knows Alice L. Webb
gives this outline of her recent ca
reer. Alice L. Webb is 35 years old.
She married E. II. Powell, of Pitts
burg who formerly owned the
Seventh Avenue Hotel. Pittsburg, and
in this. I am informed, Alice invested
100000 and lost the money She was
later divorced from Powell who now
lives in Alieghany, Pa. l know she
HAS IL ME.tItlly uiiClt IiNlHS near / iiuS-
Vile Pa. with whom she was con-
stantly in correspondence. and her faith
er was also q great friend of Prof
Holenden, owner of the Hotel Hollen-
den and the Cleveland Plain Dealer
and he has always taken a great inter-
est in the woman, | don't know much
about her connection with Brodie L.
Duke and was even surprised to hear
of her marriage to him. / am in
clined to believe that it was not her
intention to marry when she went
East. Mrs. Webb-Duke was the
shreWdest woman | ever met in my
life she was all business and could
look through man at a glance. Wait
till you hear from some banks down
East"
Charles F. Taylor. partner Of the
woman, says: Il can safely say that
Mrs. Duke has made fully $1,000,000
In investments since / have known
her. Outside of the fact that we may
be involved in our land deal in Texas
our firm is all right. All OF our trans
actions have been bona fide. ! don't
know Duke and did not know Miss
Webb was going to marry him
never knew any of her private bus-
ness, and she never talked about her
personal affairs. AS to notes and
papers having been circulated about
the country. it is all boshh."
Taylor is a married man and lives
with his family in Chicago.