davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13
Illusion Created

And the mystery connected
with the conduct of the business
is staged purposely to create an
illusion Of some great, secret
force behind the selection of who
shall be listed, and who shall be
overlooked"
Such a selection isn't difficult
in these days of informative fill
ing systems. And, AS only a few
new names are added to the
Social Register each year
principally TO take the place or
those who have died. the work
of the so-called admissions COM
mittee" is far from arduous.
If one doesn't happen to be
"born into the Register land
20 per cent of those now listed
have been born into the Regis
ter" since their parents. grand
parents or great-grandparents
subscribed to Louis Keller's
earlier issues OF the book. the
procedure for attaining a line
o-type" among the social holy
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13
Becomes Publisher

The white-haired and peppery
William Dalton NJ ann was
robbed" (according TO his own
statement of his rights in the
Palace Car" and decided to turn
publisher. He then acquired
from his brother the Keller in
tereSt, in The American Queen
and Town Topics" and, dropping
The American Queen" part Of
the title, embarked on a ne
fariouS career that would have
put Captain Kidd" to shame.
Prior to establishing. with Mr..
Townsend and Mr.. Rhinelander,
the now gone-but not forgotten
Town Topics" Louis Keller
had cast an appreciative optic
on a small book gotten out by
Mrs. Charles A. Minton-an en-
terprising society woman OF that
era.
Known as Mrs. Minton's List"
the book contained the names
and addresses of the best known
New YORK social ngureS OF ~
years ago
Mrs. Minton had started her
list as a hobby 10 enable her
friends 10 keep track of chang
ing addresses in an era that
boasted no telephone-and hence
no telephone directory. The
good lady charged a nominal fee
and never attempted 10 make
Mrs. Minton's List a thing Of
power.
Nevertheless the Social-mind-
cd Louis Keller turned Mrs.
Minton's tiny book over and over
IN his hands and dreamed of
more comprehensive book-one
that would include ALL the peo-
pie in society" with more COM
plete data such as the maiden
names of matrons, the recording
Of deaths and marriages. club
affiliations, Summer addresses,
etc
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13
Everybody Listed

His determination 10 produce
such a book reached a climax
when Mrs. Minton died and her
son Maurice Minton. using high
pressure methods, enlarged his
late mothers book 10 the point
where everybody" was listed.
To add 10 his revenue Maurice
Minton put advertising among
the. names.
Louis Keller realized the end
was near for Mrs. Minton's
List and the time ripe for his
Social RegiStcr"-the name he
decided upon before he had COM
pleted other plans for his index
OF the greats of society.
lie discussed his idea with
cronieS at the old Calumet
Club, then located AZ Fifth ave-
nue. and Twenty-ninth street,
and al many a conference held
IN the none-too-ornate bar Of
that then select club, blue PEN
ellis were drawn through names
Louis Keller and his coterie In
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13
Death Stirs Rumors

The recent death of Charles
Keller Beekman, New York
aristocrat of the "Old Guard,
direct descendant of William
Beekman, who was born in Hol-
land and who landed in what is
now New York City as early as
1647, probably gave rise 10 the
report that the Social Register
would be thrown on the market.
For the late Mr.. Beekman
was a nephew of Louis Keller,
the quiet, mild-mannered an d
slightly hard-of-hearing "coun-
try squire" who established the
book that has become in the,
democratic CD Il. S. A. what
"Burke's Peerage' is in Eng
land and the "Aimanach de
Gotha' is on the European con-
tinent.
AS the nephew of "the foun-
der" the late Mr., Beekman was
made executor of the Keller es-
tate, which meant he was the
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13
Good Background

His father was a patent law
yer in New York, with a good
social background.
When the senior Keller died
he left his son, Louis. born IN
1857, a modest fortune - which
Louis was anxious 10 increase.
Louis Keller in his younger
years had a great flair for So
ciety. And as he grew Older he
thought principally in terms OF
the haute monde. His various
enterprises testify to that state
ment.
For instance. few realize it
was Louis Keller. along with
James b. Townsend Gather of
present-day society's Reggie
Townsend of the Union Club
and the venerable T. j. Oakley
Rhinelander, who founded the
magazine Town Topics, y which
wears later was 10 degenerate
into the most vile matchmaking
gossip paper the country has
ever known.
THE American Queen and
Town Topics was the cumber-
some title conferred by Mr..
Keller, MIR. Townsend and Mr..
Rhinelander on their publishing
venture of the early SOS.
What was considered "spicy"
social tid-bits were dished up
in type for the readers of The
American Queen and Town
Topics" along with other news
of interest TO the faShionableS
of that none-too-eXciting era.
1t took Louis Keller but two
years to discover he didn't like
publishing such a magazine. So
he disposed of his interest to
brother of William Dalton
Mann, a retired Civil War army
officer who had designed and
patented the first Palace Car"
the inspiration for the luXuri-
Gus Pullman railroad cars of to-
daV-
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13

traordinary social influence.
II has become the fashion
among those who attempted, in
vain. 10 have their names on
rolled in the Social Register 10
refer TO the tome as "a glorlfled
telephone book"
That IS an unjust criticism by
enVious ones.
Just as it is untrue, when
those same jaundiced-cycd ones
slyly hint that this or that fam
lily handed over a roll of green
backs TO gain its much coveted
"line-o-type' in the Social Reg
ister."
1t costs 500 annually TO SUBJ
scribe TO the Winter and Sum-
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13
Big Money-Maker

The 1871 Winter edition OF
the New York Social Register"
has 1920 pages and includes
more than 27500 names. In the
combined Social Registers
there are nearly 100000 names
and about $4,000 copies of all
the Social Registers are sold
annually.
1t is an open secret that tho
net annual profit of tho Social
Register Association" is between
$4,000, and $4,000.
As the years wore on and
Louis Keller spent more and
more of his time out in Baltus-
rol, n. j., where he had eStab-
lished the Baltusrol Golf Club.
one of the clubs recognized"
by the Social Register" the
duties of running the Social
Register" fell on the shoulders
Of his able secretary Bertha
NJ. Eastmond.
For many years the Office or
the Social Register Associa-
ton" was located in an old
office building in lower Broad
way, near the Battery. and from
his office Louis Keller had a
sweeping view of the Hudson
and Lower Bay.
Later the office was moved
uptown to the textile center Of
Fourth avenue.
Never have the offices of the
Social Register" been located
in fashionable sections, or in
now. modern buildings,
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13
Success From Start

From the beginning the 80
cial Register was success.
Those whose names had been
included by Mr.. Keller were
flattered and pleased. Those he
had Overlooked" Immediately
pulled wires 10 be included
among the Tins"
Soon Louis Keller was dream
ing of a tranScontinental chain
of "Seeial RegiSters"=each one
sufficient unto itself and deal
ing only with society in the city
where it was located.
Among the first cities TO be
given Social Registers" by Louis
Keller. after he saw his New
York edition moving along at
breath-taking pace were BoS-
ton. Philadelphia and Wash
ington.
The best Mr.. Keller could do
was TO establish Social Regis
ters" in % cities. That peak
was reached in 1925. Today
there are Social Registers in
only - cities, New York. Wash
ington, Philadelphia, Chicago,
Boston, st. Louis. Pittsburgh,
Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton.
San Francisco, Baltimore and
Buffalo.
Social Registers" In Rich
mond, Charleston. Atlanta, Sa-
vannah, Providence, New Orle-
ans, st. Paul, Minneapolis, Los
Angeles. Seattle and Detroit
were discontinued when the
upper ten" Of those cities dis
played a surprising lack of in
tereSt in whether they were
"ins" or "outS."
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13

of-holies" is much like that Of
joining any good club.
Friends who are already listed
in the Social Register write
letters of recommendation, tell
ing of the aspirantS' social
qualifications. These letters are
sent 10 the Social Register"
with the application blank
granted on requesO properly
filled out with the data the
Social Register demands.
The names of the aspirants
are passed upon, and if not
acceptable. there is a dark
silence on the part Of the pow
ers-that-be" in Social Regis
ter" affairs.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13
=TA11LE TALES f0LD New YORK
Properly Nets $4,000 annually
Honestly Handled Over 50 Years

court of the last resort in
Social Register" matters. For
the Social Register formed
the bulk Of the estate" Mr..
Keller passed on TO a group of
SCOTLAND unsocial - relatives
numbering, as l remember, not
less than ten and not more than
fifteen. including the late Mr..
Bcekman.
Louis Keller founded the $50
cial Register to make money
not as hobby, as had been fire.
quently, and incorrectly, re-
DOrtpd
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13
Never Notified

An aSpirant is never notified
he or she has been turned down.
The name just doesn't appear in
the next edition Of the Social
Register.
There are local arbiters for
the Social Register in o I h er
cities. but even before Louis
Keller'S death. on Feb. 10. 1922,
Miss Eastmond, his secretary.
attended To ALL the executive
details of ALL the Social Regis
terS."
SO powerful had she become
that Mr.. Keller. in his will,
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13

the Calumet Club didn't consider
merited inclusion in the first
Social Register.
That first Social Register
made its appearance in 1887 and
found ready subscribers at the
Calumet Club.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13

Mr.. Keller's Town Topics" died
leaving a hopelessly involved
estate that totaled zero when the
final accounting was made.
Had Louis Keller been a good
business man he would have
amaSsed a far greater fortune.
But he stepdfastly declined sug-
gestions Of greater profits, lest
the tone of the Social Regis
ter" be lowered.
With that idea in mind, he re-
fused TO permit advertising in
the book. and the late Mr.. Beck,
man also vetoed any and all sug-
Gestions that the net profits
could be increased by the inclu-
sion of paid advertising.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13

more. etc.
the small red
and b / a c X
bound volume
in which the
names Of the
great ones of
ociety IN
those cities
are listed al
p h abetically.
a long with
their clu b
m e m b e T.
h ps, ad-
dresses, tele-
phone n u m
b e RS. etc,
w tel DIS eN-
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13
New Stories AHoat

Stories that the heirs of Louis
Keller would like 10 rid them
selves of the Social Register"
property, now that Mr.. Beekman
is dead and Miss Eastmond is
spending more and more time at
her home out in Summit, n. j..
are afloat in society and many
ambitious ones would like 10 get
their fingers on the only repre-
sentative society directory pub
liShed in the u. S. A.
At one time, prior 10 1929,
$500 600 was the price-tag on the
Social Register" property. After
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13
Nv CHoLLY KSICKERBocNER

TATTLE-TALES Of Old New
Il York
Once again the rumor that the
social Register is for sale
has cropped up,
And once again the rumor has
beer loudly denied by those IN a
position 10 make such denials.
In many large cities of The
nation-eSpecially New York,
Philadelphia. Chicago, Boston,
Pittsburgh. san Francisco, Balti-
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13
Gould Be Ruined

What any prospective pur-
chaser of the Social Register"
must realize is that it has ex-
listed and thrived for more than
half a century solely because II
has been in honest hands. and
conducted in an honest manner.
The wrong" people at the
helm could ruin the property in
two years by being dishonest in
the matter of passing on those
aspiring TO have their names in
cluded.
In any speculation as 10 the
future of the Social Register"
one must take into consideration
the social changes these turbu-
lent times are bringing about.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-13
K~ov -Seaal/|,gatr for SAX gain bob nb-andAs SDpa

1929 and the Wall Street crash"
100000 was reported Topped of
that price. But there was not
takers" at 100000. So the
price now mentioned by the gos-J
sips is 100000. y
/ can't think of any court APP
proving a sale at such a price.
Especially when the present an
nual net TO Mr.. Keller's heirs
averages $4,000, while 100000
safely invested at 3 per cent.
would bring those same heirs
but $4,000 a year.
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-08-22
Afie|d aAhoat
Mooomb County's SPortsren's Corner
By FRANK A. HoWARD-Ph. 1851

have arranged, for your con-
venience, to have the several
liveries take care of your en-
tries. The registration cards will
be there for you to use, ask for
them at your favorite livery,
Someone is going to win those
prizes, and capture the honors,
Those of you who live here
where forest fire hazards are al
a minimum, and those who do
not travel to the upper sections
of our state, probably do not
realize what q terrible thing Z
forest fire is. was born and
reared in q section where lives
and property were constantly in
danger during the dry season, in
fact one fire not only destroyed
all of our property, but took Is
Of our relatives lives. 1t was not
an uncommon occurrence to
have to burn the old oil lamps
all day long for several weeks
during the summer. due to the
darkness caused by the heavy
pal of smoke that hung over the
sun. 1t is gratifying to know
how much our forest fighters are
doing to prevent those devastat-
ing fires, and save lives and
property. A bulletin from Lam
sing dated August II, reads "a
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-08-22

.OAnother outing of the Old
Crowd has come and gone, and
il has left me full of regrets.
Regretful of the way I so SLAM
derously assaulted Toad" last
Tuesday. One thing am thank
full for is that Toad has lived up
to the old American tradition of
forgetting as soon as the cam
paign is over. All great men,
like Toad, have that American
gift of forgetting and forgiving,
and are ever ready to lend a
hand to help their successor
The boys saw fit to collect new
fish-locator, to inject some new,
young blood into that all i'm
portant office, and we are sure
than Hank will be ever able to
cope with the complicated and
delicate conditions which are
ever arising. But it is certain
that Toad's long years expert
ence will be of great value to the
new "youngster" II he will but
bury the hatchet and call on him
when things get too hot.
WEAR HIS CROWN
Yesterday Toad did not live up
to his promise of catching 90
fish, which probably helped to
defeat him, but he did strut
about in his Neptune crown car
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-08-22

rying q nice string of fish. which
consisted of one nice snake eater
and q few humble little perch.
But at balloting time the crown
toppled from his noble dome, he
was a fallen monarch. Toad,
you have fought q good fight.
and lost Please forgive me for
campaigning against you. And
Hank here's our hand. We know
you'll carry on the good work.
had occasion to talk with a
few more down-river residents
regarding the proposed cut
across Sand Point, and up to the
present time I have not found
one person who is not in favor
with the project. Everyone
seems highly enthused, and are
ready to lend every aid when
called upon. Come on folks. talk
it up. It is my intention to stress
any suggestion that might i'm
prove our waterfront, so If you
have any good ideas, let's have
them.
SOME ARE SHY
On interviewing several an
glers who had good catches of
fish, l find that many are little
shy about coming up town to
register their catch while dress
ed in their fishing regalia, so we
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-08-22
Two EskimOs
Sentenced
tOHardLabO

oBELCHER ISLANDS, HUD-
SON BAY. Canada. Aug. 22-(R
Peter Sala End Charlie Quer-
ach, two of the four Eskimos
convicted Of manslaughter in the
deaths of nine persons during .
religious dispute last Spring,
were sentenced last night to two
years at hard labor at the Ches-
terrified inlet police post.
An Eskimo called Ablaykok
was given q one-year sentence
while Peter Quarack was given
a suspended sentence of two
years.
Sala and Querach were said to
have claimed divinity, giving
rise to dissent q m o n & their
tribesmen and precipitating the
deaths by clubbing, shooting or
exposure to q blizzard.
Sentences were pronounced by
Justice c. p. Paxton of the On
tario Supreme Coul :, who head
ed the white mans court which
travelled Is days to reach this
northern settlement.
Seven persons in all had been
held for the court but two Eski-
mo women, Nine and Akeevik,
were adjudged insane and Alec
Apawkok was acquitted.
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-08-22
QlieI
May 90! !! ! :! ! T.
aLOt

owASHW0Too4 Alnos A.
That quick CO. : 1 ]
at his fsvorits bas = ~ !
down Z lot quicker bolg4 y
because II may - : ~ -
Timothy p. Quincy S( NJ - d
York City. president c. M f
tional Tuvern Asooc1ol1q "
the Senate Iinanee CGn1U -
that II Z PROPOSED inereo g. y;
per gallon on dislillo1 sj1I i'll
enacted, bartenderD Ven11 ~
forced To serve drinks n ~ 8,
ounce glasses insteod q ~ oe,
rent one and oue-haH ounee Z y
The Association. h ta11le :
yesterday, " ould rsco0ann
such action because "only IN t11R'
way can the tavern keopor opo1
absorbing : tax h en1nl0e ~
ford to pay" 4 4 sss
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-08-22
MOUNT
Propose ORGANIZATION of Convicts into Defense

follows: after sustaining H.
heaviest weeks losses Of the sea-
son when 186 fires swept 2.06o
acres, conservation department
forest fighters are taking advan-
tage Of relief brought by heavy
rains TO prepare for more high
hazard conditions.
ne ACRES BURN
Biggest loss in the seasons
eighteenth week was Ii south
western Michigan, where TO
acres burned. Four other lower
Michigan districts reported
losses above 200 acres. A muck
fire in Kalkaslka county than be-
gan August 8 is still burning,
though confined now by deeply
plowed bitches.
At Frankfort, in Benzie coun-
ty, the department recorded it's
first fire suppression with the as
sistance of q glider. A few min
utes after leaving the Frankfort
airport . glider pilot saw the
smoke, returned and dispatched
. crew which put out . danger
Gus grass fire.
I believe that the majority of
smokers and campers are con-
scious Of the dangers of fires,
but there are those who would
do well to stick around and see
the destruction often caused by
their carelessly thrown-away
match, or the camp fire which
they left unattended.
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-08-22
Suggest Each Penitentiory
Recruit Suitable Prisoners
Prisoners Alrssdy Ask for Militov
Service Of Some Kind Of Defense Work

will not willingly cooperate. To
them I say, quite frankly, they
will be made to pull their weight
in the boat or be jettisoned."
Lewisohn proposed that the
prison association appoint q
commission to select and de-
velop convict recruits and to fit
them into military or industrial
defense.
He said the commission also
could divert to the defense effort
many of the $4,000 men who
leave United States prisons
every year.
DR.. M. l.. Britain, president
of the Georgia School of Tech
nology, praised convicts of the
Atlanta Federal Penitentiary for
their recent expression of will
ingness to contribute to the de-
Tense effort.
DR.. Britain called it "a trib-
ute to the common sense of the
men in our prisons when they
realizeS' = that this country of
ours faces the greatest danger
since the days of Washington
and the Continental Army at
Valley Forge"
The educator said Americans
in general were not so aware of
the danger. He urged that the
country acknowledge the exist
ence of aggression as an element
in the Darwinian doctrine of the
survival of the fittest, and that
the United States plan its action
with this in mind
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-08-22
By RENNIE TAYLOR

ASAN FRANCISCO, Aug. %
an - Organization of convicts
into units for national defense
work was proposed to the Amer
lean Prison Association today by
Sam A. Lewisohn, New York in
dustrialist and member of the
Federal Prison Industries, line.
He suggested that each peni-
Tertiary recruit all suitable pris-
oners and classify them for pos
sible service as soldiers or skilled
workers. Convicts not qualified
for these services might be put
on maintenance work in the
prisons, taking the place of
others who could then be made
available for defense jobs, he
said.
Recalling that prisoners in
several institutions already had
voiced desires to do military
= s.ice or some kind Of defense
work. and that it is possible now
for some men with criminal rec
ords to enlist in the army, Lew
isohn said Society cannot close
the door in the face of men who
have earned the right to take
their place in every other part
Of the social program"
Most prioners," he added.
"realize that they have an i'm
portant stake in the outcome of
the world crisis and will COOP
crate gladly .. OF course
there are a few prisoners who