The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1908-11-19
THE EASTMAN
9MCBEE AFFAIR.

HVVG6 BM THAHBO
Mrs. Sophie Harrison Eastman,
accompanied by her affianced
husband, Baker Edwards, her
brother, William Preston Harri-
son, and her sister, Mrs. Heaton
Owsley, of Chicago, appeared in
court, Monday morning, where
the several suits brought by her
against Col. V. E. McBee were
heard before Judge Ferguson.
The hearing lasted all day.
The result was the appointment
of a receiver for all the disputed
property until the whole matter
can be threshed out before a
referee. P. F. Patton, of the
Wanteska Trust Co., was
appointed permanent receiver.
Mrs. Eastman is a strikingly
beautiful woman. of about %.
She wore a blue serge dress,
trimmed with black braid, a
white lace waist, and a three
quarter length black coat lined
with white silk. She has re-
markably beautiful blue eyes, a
fine complexion with a charming
dimple. She paid the strictest
attention to the reading of the
affidavits, und daintily ate of
chocolates during a part of the
morning session. She was in
constant conference with some
one of her numerous attorneys,
as was her brother. Mrs. East
man is the daughter of former
mayor Carter Harrison of Chica-
go and the sister of Carter. Har-
rison the second, also one time
Mayor of the Windy City, and in
shrewdness and ability bears a
resemblance to both those able
men. Her brother, William
Preston Harrison, who was with
her in court, is a real estate
broker in Chicago, while her sis
ter is one of the social leaders of
the western metropolis. Mr..
Baker, to whom Mrs. Eastman was
married Tuesday, in Asheville
by Justice of the Peace, is a man
of about 40 years, tall, smooth
+; shaven, well dressed and who
makes a good appearance.
! Col. V. E. McBee, tall, white
haired, with a forid complexion
and close cropped mustache, sat
opposite Mrs. Eastman and her
party and was in consultation
! with his attorneys, Locke Craig,
Station and Rector, most all the
time.
| Mrs. Eastman's attorneys
were Smith and Schenck, Judge
: Jones, Judge Adams, and Junius
G. Adams.
The hearing was confined to
the reading of affidavits and to
a thirty minute argument by
counsel. The affidavits were so
absolutely contradictory, agree
ing on practically no single is
sue, that Judge Ferguson, in Or
der to jeopardise the interests of
neither party decided to continue
the receivership until a referee
or a jury had passed on the mat
ter and had determined the
rights of both litigants.
The Colonel was charged with
fraud, with unreliability, with
insolvency, and other things.
Mrs. Eastman, was charged
with many offences, being abu-
sive, etc.
Mrs Eastman signed a certifi-
cate of stock to the Colonel fol-
199 shares in the Buck Shoales
Company, which she now claims
she was induced to sign under
false pretenses, etc. -
The Colonel claims to have
spent much money on the pro-
pertv, but outside of $3.50 paid
| for horses he failed to specify
just how he spent the money
He gave up a salary OF
$4,000 per year to t a k c
the job as anager OF
the estate, and twas the Col
onel who had that steamer built
which was was to ply between
Brevard and Asheville, picking
up the produce of this fertile
country, the affidavit alleges,
and which didn't pan out just
as was expected. Possibly il
was because John Grants navy
yard had not yet been built.
| Anyway, Mrs. Eastman says she
advanced $25O0 to build the boat
and it's never been paid back,
and that the Company owes hel
at least $4,000. She claims tc
have lost her check book so she
| is unable, now, to specify just
how the money was spent. She
also claims to have paid the
| original purchase price of $4,000
| for Buck Shoals. 1t was later,
at Col. McBee's suggestion turn
ed into a stock company capital,