William Harbeck was one of the very first moving picture film-makers. In 1911 his film of southern Alaska became the center of a major story. American railroad tycoons J P Morgan and Meyer Guggenheim bought up claims for large tracts of land in Alaska. Harbeck's film of the Alaskan wilderness raised awareness of and opposition to the “Land Grab.”
February 1912 found Harbeck travelling to Europe to take moving pictures of various European cities for future presentation in American theatres. By the end of March, he had completed his work and booked a return passage on the Titanic.
The Titanic was registered as a British mail ship. But it was owned by the same J.P. Morgan who Harbeck’s Alaskan film had exposed as a “land grabber“. Morgan had acquired White Star Line in 1902. Morgan, too, had booked passage on the Titanic, reserving one of only two millionaires suites complete with a private promenade deck. He cancelled his reservation shortly before the beginning of the maiden voyage.
Passengers on the Titanic reported seeing a man taking moving pictures of the voyage. Although never confirmed, it was rumoured to be William Harbeck. One second-class passenger, Lawrence Beesley, believed the woman who appeared to be travelling with Harbeck to be his “young wife”. Both Harbeck and his “wife” were lost in the sinking. Her body was never found. Harbeck’s body was recovered along with a number of small personal effects, including a small “lady’s bag”.
The lady travelling with Harbeck was not his wife, Catherine. She was an acquaintance by the name of Henriette Yrois.
On September 6, 1912, the White Star offices received a handwritten letter, on Harbeck’s stationery, from a woman identifying herself as “Brownie Harbeck“. “Brownie” was inquiring about Harbeck’s recovered possessions including the amount of gold coins found with his body. She also identified the owner of the purse as someone she knew “well”: Henriette Yrois. “Brownie’s” letter listed a Seattle address.
On September 30, 1912, White Star officials received a letter from John Harbeck, who was the son of the victim. He adamantly denied “Brownie” was a relative. To this day, the true identity of “Brownie” Harbeck remains a mystery.
The stationary used by John Harbeck was from his father’s studio. The heading proclaimed: “W.H. Harbeck’s Moving Pictures: Of the Round Up, Pendleton, Ore. Best film ever made depicting wild western life. Daredevil steer bulldogging and spectacular bronco busting.”
Harbeck had filmed the 1911 Pendleton Round Up. His business partner, Mrs. Katherine George, filed a claim for over $40,000 for movie picture films that were lost in the sinking, including the "Pendleton Roundup Pictures", which she valued at $25,000.
Some people have speculated that Mrs. George may have been “Brownie Harbeck”.
Adding to the strange tale was that Meyer Guggenheim’s brother Benjamin was also a passenger and victim of the Titanic disaster.
The bottom of the stationary, used by Brownie Harbeck, was embossed with the words: “Watch for Harbeck’s Latest Motion Pictures EXPOSING THE GUGGENHEIM INTERESTS IN ALASKA and THE CONTROLLER BAY LAND GRAB. Films that will worry Congress and startle the whole United States and probably change the present political map.”
Sources
The Titanic and Silent Cinema, By Stephen Bottomore
Hastings, E Sussex: The Projection Box, 2000. ISBN: 1-903000-00-9. 191 pp.
William Harbeck, Encyclopedia Titanica, contributors George Behe, USA, Alan Hustak, Canada, Hermann Söldner, Germany
Public Archives of Nova Scotia C@P Site
Comment and discuss