THE JUDGE in the Iowa case said increasingly bitter correspondence between Dana Rosemary Scallon and her sister Susan Stein (inset) in 2005 culminated in an e-mail sent by Dana in August of that year, which he quoted in full in his ruling.
Dear Susan
The letter sent to us today has finally proved how low you have stooped. We created Heartbeat Records on the basis of a family that trusted one another. As you know very well, Damien and John were co-founders, co-owners and co-directors of Heartbeat. Yet today you inform us that from the outset you and Ron set yourselves up legally as the sole owners. I know that the terrible manner in which John was forced from the company was nothing other than a business move to secure ownership. Is anything worth it?
“Now we are told that although Damien is recognized in any number of documents as a director and the vice-president of Heartbeat, you did not even have the decency to include him legally as a director. How dishonest, I really find it hard to believe this of you.
“I will inform the rest of the family of what you have done. In a way I feel a sense of peace. If you can feel good about taking a company and money that does not rightfully belong to you, so be it, but I don’t believe that you could ever have any luck of it.
Rosemary