davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16

Gilling Gouraud Miskinoff be-
came the Princess Galitzine.
She brought the bridegroom
TO this country on their honey
moon. But IL wasn't until two
years later, when GalitZine and
Aimee had a failing out" that
he produced letters In court TO
back up his asserting he was TO
be paid n certain monthly
amount for giving Aimee the
legal right TO his title. And what
astounded every one even more
was the agreement he insisted
had been made whereby he was
to be a husband In name only!
Whatever happened to Galit-
zine l don't know. Perhaps he
is one of the Casualties" of
German-invaded Paris. But after
Kidding herself of him by way of
the divorce court, Aimee resumed
her old life in Paris-this time
as a REAL princess. 1t had
taken her five marriages to
achieve her title.
About five years ago, failing
health and a desire to consult
American doctors brought Aimee
back to these shores. And up
until war was declared she spent
a part Of each year in Paris
amind her memories.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16
Daughter Of Judge

A daughter of Judge Edwin
Bryant Croker Of Sacramento,
Cal, she was christened Amy
Croker" That change in the
spelling of Amy" was a little
whimsy of later years.
Judge Croker was a brother
OF Charles Croker. one of the
builders of the Union Pacific
Railroad, and though Judge
Croker had little part in estab-
fishing the transcontinental road,
he knew a good investment when
he saw one, and sank a large
part of his fortune in brother
Charley's "choo-choo dream"
AS a result of his faith in the
future of the Union Pacific.
Judge Edwin Bryant Croker
left an estate of many millions
when he died while daughter
Aimee was still in her teens.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16
Most Distressing!

But like the late Judge
Croker, she was a "conserva-
tive" and had watched with
mixed feelings for several years
an unconventional streak devel-
oping in Aimee. Mrs Croker
was worried. Ahem! and not
without reason, as subsequent
events proved.
Once the young couple con.
fessed they were man and wife.
Mrs. Croker insisted they be
married a second tine-at a
formal church ceremony.
After that she sent them off
on a honeymoon-the beginning
of which was, so to speak, to
set the tempo" for the brides
future years.
Hardly had Ashe and Aimee
started southwark toward Los
Angeles from San Francisco
when the railroad car in which
they were travelling caught on
fire.,
II was because Of Ashes cour-
age that Aimee lived to become
one of the most unusual" fig
ures in the international "Bohe-
milan set of her day-he hav-
ing rescued her in the best
dramatic manner.
Prior TO Richard Porter Ashe
winning Aimee's heart and hand.
she had had another sutton.
Harry Gillig. Also a close friend
of Ashe, he never forgave Rich
ard for winning out over him,
so far as Aimee was concerned.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16
One eddy Note

Aimee had an older sister,
Jennie Croker, who married,
about 1880, j. Sloat FasSett,
later to become a New York
state senator from Elmira, n. Y.
They were the parents of Jay
Fassett. who chose the stage as
a career-about the only giddy
note in sister Jennie Croker
Fassett's story.
Never were two sisters more
unalike in taste and Temporal
ment than the two heiresseS OF
Judge Edwin Bryant Croker.
who, even in the rough-and-
tumble atmosphere of the early
days of California, was labeled
Conservative"
Daughter Aimee never knew
the meaning of the woodland
never cared to.
And now, as she sits in her
Gotham Hotel suite. looking out
over the cloud-piercing architec-
ture of Manhattan and down on
the panorama of the busy me-
tropolis she once shocked with
fantastic entertainments. Aimee
Croker Ashe Gillig Gouraud
Miskinoff Galitzine probably has
few regrets.
For she has enjoyed life to the
utmost, few thrills have escaped
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16

Mrs. Aimee Croker Gouraud."
For the Mrs. Gouraud of the
1.0O1 legends belongs TO an era
that has passed-an era when
cafe society" hadn't come into
being and the Bohemian set"
was sidered about the
naughtiest and most daring
group on Manhattan Isle.
. III, the five times married
Princess Galitzine sees but few
friends of the old DAYS IN her
suite at the Gotham She pre-
fers 10 be alone with her color
full memories and would prefer
the public 10 forget her and her
story.
The story Of Aimee Croker
Ashe Gillig Gouraud Miskinof
Galitzine-what a saga!
No fertile-brained writer OF
fiction couid concoct more
thrilling plot with more bizarre
characters. And If the true
story OF the life. fads and loves
OF Aimee Croker Ashe Gillig
Gouraud Miskinof Galitzine was
served up as fiction" excited
and enthralled readers. as they
perused the last line of the last
chapter. would exclaim. "Impos-
sible! 1t couldn't happen.
But it DID happen.
Aimee's story opens out on the
Pacific slope in the days when
rugged, hard-swearing but sue
cessful forty-niners were Begin
ming TO sit back, rest on their
laurels and spend their shiny
new dollars.
II. as she has always insisted.
she was 10 at the time of her
first marriage TO Richard Porter
Ashe, Aimee must have been
horn about 1866.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16
Stroke Kills Father

When last heard of. Alma was
living at the Plaza Hotel, here
in New York. Her father, Rich
ard Porter Ashe, died in San
Francisco, after suffering a
stroke in December, 1929.
Powers Gouraud now lives in
Philadelphia, where he is con-
Heeted with a well known radio
station.
To return to Aimee. with
Jackson Gouraud dead she de-
cided to wipe the dust of New
York from her feet and settle in
Paris.
That was far from the end OF
her career-it might almost be
designated as the beginning.
For years she dwelt in the
French capital, surrounded by
foreign opportunists who claimed
to be everything from dethroned
royalty to defunct noblemen.
They flattered Aimee-so she
fed them.
The parties at her great house
in Paris rivaled. in sensational
ism. those she had given in New
York. and no one was surprised
10 hear, in 1914, that she had
married prince Miskinoff.
Shortly before becoming the
wife of the bogus prince Aimee
adopted a young and beautiful
daughter whom she named "Yo-
landa." And it didn't take her
long to discover. once she was
Princes Miskinoff, that her
husband was really in love with
her adopted daughter. So she
divorced Miskinoff in 1916, nam
ing Yolanda as correspondent!
BY now. you'll have to admit
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16
Relatives Pass Her Up

Fashionable relatives here in
New York such as the late Mrs.
Charles B. Alexander. who had
also been born a Miss Croker,
a cousin of Aimee. decided 10
forget about Aimee's existence.
So what did Aimee do?-
she went right out and had her.
self tattooed on the arm, the
thigh. etc.
News that THE Aim e
Croker Ashe Gillig had become
a tattooed woman electrified
what was already becoming
Aimee's considerable public.
Thus matters went, Aimee
cutting up gayer and gayer
capers and spending more and
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16

this California Croker heiress
really kept the ball a-rolling.
Miskinoff CALAMITY married
Yolanda. and for a time they
were together - but without
any financial aid from Aimee.
So Yolanda divorced Miskinoff.
and a reconciliation scene was
staged between Aimee and her
daughter, whom she had named
correspondent.
After the war. in the "Roar-
ing TWenties," Aimee began to
age. Her figure had rounded
out, the ankles on which she
formerly wore jeweled snakes
showed the effects of high-living,
and she drank only teal
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16

gan or Elsa Maxwell even knew
Aimee Gouraud by sight. But
they certainly had heard of her.
All Paris had-and stories of
her generosity and fabulous
parties caused the poor and
curious to crowd her portals
nightly.
In December, 1925. Aimee
again hit the publicity bull's-eye!
At the age of 60 she became the
bride of then undernourished 25-
year-old Prince Alexander Galit-
zine, member of an old and noble
Russian family of the ancient
regime.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16

reports that Aimee herself fire.
quently took her place on a
throne-chair brought from Asia.
and arrayed as a princess Of the
Orient presided over a weird
court" of Bohemians, takers.
Broadwayites, etc.
Society. hearing of the Garry
ings-on," was properly shocked.
And newspaper readers were
beginning to display an interest
in this fabulously rich California
heiress who openly displayed
preference for Bohemians.
Harry Gillig again appeared
on the scene and. not dismayed
by Aimee's interest in the
Orient and strange people,
pleaded with her to become his
bride.
They were married in July,
1889. at the Broadway Taber-
nacle and hurried off to Europe
on their honeymoon.
Back in New York. the Gilligs
kept open house" up in Larch-
mont and also established them
selves in town at 102 East
Thirty-fifth street, in the house
that was later TO serve, for
many years, as a semi-prison for
poor Mrs. James Stillman during
that long period when her inn
perious husband "banished" her
from his menage.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16
No Yachts for Her

Glllig was a yachtsman, but
II was difficult to be Oriental
on a yacht. One needed a Junk.
The Croker heiress' life with
Gillig was one long succession of
quarrels. Soon came a divorce,
and she was free to resume the
kind Of life she enjoyed-one in
which society and yachting had
no part.
From the East Thirty-fifth
street house Aimee moved up to
West Fifty-sixth street, where
she gave parties that astounded
even blase New York. If one
tenth of the legends recounted
about those parties are true.
Aimee remains TO this day the
most DARING party-giver ever
TO step within the New York
gates.
Stories of live blackamoors
standing at Princess" Aimee's
side as she moved about. among
her guests, wearing her famous
pearls and glistening jewels,
seeped into the newspapers.
And when Aimee decided snakes
were the pets she liked best and
was photographed fondling a
vicious looking snake. the public,
at the turn of the century, held
its breath and wondered, what
next"
Soon Aimee was appearing in
New York's restaurants with
Jeweled snakes about her arms.
Always she was surrounded by
Orientals. chorus boys. ladies
whose pasts weren't such an
open book as her own. etc.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16
Sets Out for East

With a wedding band on her
left hand. Aimee Croker Ashe
wanted to step out. She was
young and fed up" with the
rather limited social life of Cali
fornia and. having read highly
colored tales of night life in
New York, wanted to visit here.
After a visit Aimee liked the
eastern metropolis so well she
yearned to pitch her tent on
Manhattan Isle.
Ashe favored California and
was all for living there. Soon
society on the Pacific slope-and
the Crockers in particular
heard whispers of discord in the
Ashe domestic life. Even the
birth of daughter, Alma Ashe.
failed TO pour oil on the troubled
marital waters.
SO Aimee came East and
started TO mingle with the gay,
bizarre coterie of "time-killerS."
Well pass quickly over the
episode of Ashe kidnapping Alma,
contending that Aimee had neg
lected the child in her mad
chase of fun and frivolity, and
hurry along 10 the time when
Aimee as the divorced wife of
Richard Porter Ashe. was living
at La Hacienda. a fine country
estate at Larchmont, on Long
Island Sound.
II was Just about that time,
1888. that Aimee. always on the
lookout for the unusual, de-
veloped an Unsuitable enthusiasm
for the weird mysticism of the
Far East.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16

Not so long ago. in an effort
to establish a real home for her
self she took a house in Ninety
first street, near Fifth avenue.
and filled it with all the Oriental
bits and pieces she had collected
over a period of years.
But she was unhappy in such
surroundings-there wasn't any
gayety any more.
So several months ago she
returned to her suite at the
Hotel Gotham where she now
lives in semi-retirement seeing
only a few friends of those
younger. fuller and happier days.
She's an old lady today. And
I suspect she's sad and lonely.
For hers has been a life lived
at concert pitch--a life that
scandalized her relatives and
fascinated her public"
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16
Bizarre Saga Of Bysone Era
Recalled as AIDED Princess
Nears Her 18th Birthday
BY MAuRY PAUL

her and she has outlived many
rich and scandaliZed Croker
relatives who implied, behind
closed doors at family councils.
that Aimee will come to an
early and sad end.
There can be little question
about Aimee being a locker"
back in December, 1882, when
she became the secret bride of
Richard Porter Ashe. Her hair
was reddish-brown, her figure
slim and graceful. and she had
wide, flashing eyes that gave
the impression of wanting to
drink in every sight the world
had to offer.
The widowed and wealthy
Mrs. Edwin Bryant Croker was
none too well pleased when she
learned of Aimee's unceremoni-
Gus marriage. Not that she
didn't approve of young Ashe.
who was a nephew of Admiral
Farragut of Civil War fame. and
whose father had landed in Cali
fornia from his native North
Carolina TO serve as the first
naval governor of the state after
ii was taken over from Mexico.
Not at all. Mrs. Croker was
aware of att young Ashes finer
points, and she also knew he
belonged TO the family for whom
AsheVille. n. C. had been named.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16

more of her Croker dollars.
Until-she met Jackson Gou-
raud, man about town, song
writer and Broadway Beau
Brummel.
Jack" Gouraud swept Aimee
off her bejeweled ankles. In
him she saw a kindred spirit
one who would like snakes,
oriental chi-chi, weird parties,
Buddhas, etc.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16
REAL Princess at Last

Galitzine was in Paris, not
knowing where his next meal
was coming from, when Aimee
decided she wanted to be
REAL princess, after all. An
agent sent out to round up
princely prospects hit upon
young Galitzine. who was per-
sonable, blessed with an au-
thentic title and ready to swap
it for three meals a day and
clean linen at night.
So, with a fanfare of publicity
trumpets Aimee Croker Ashe
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16
Not Of Other Set

Frankly admitting Miskinoff
was a fake princeling, Aimee
preferred to be known as Mrs.
Gouraud' after the Miskinoff
divorce. And she kept up with
her bizarre set as we'll as she
could with. age creeping upon
her.
Never was she allied. however.
with the other set in Paris
that claimed Lady Mendl, Mrs.
Corrigan, Elsa Maxwell, etc. I
doubt that either Laura Corri-
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16
Acquires 200 Buddhas

Her house at Larchmont was
filled with Oriental servants, she
delved into religions of the Far
East and at one time had as
many as 200 Buddhas in her
home. Oriental dancers, male
and female, went through their
sensuous routines, scantily clad,
at her parties. and there were
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16

TIL e hotel
register lists
her as "Prin-
ce SIS Galit-
zine" which
means MOTH
ing to news
paper readers
OF today. At
I h a I. it is
d o u b I fu !
whether any
but the older
gene ra tion
would recall
her under the
n a m e h e
used for so
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16
Romance Flowers

So she married him-apd to-
gether they gave New York a
show that for sheer impudence
has never been matched. On
theatrical first nights Mr.. and
Mrs. Jackson Gouraud were al
ways to be encountered in Row
A seats, Aimee fiamboyantly
attired and wearing jewels that
were not exactly conservative.
In restaurants they always had
the best table. and the parties
in the West Fifty-sixth street
became more and more bold.
By this time the name Aimee
Gouraud" was well known from
coast to coast.
And up until Jackson Gou-
raud's death in 1911, Aimee
continued to shock New York
society.
One Of the lesser jolts she
gave our world of fashion was
when she announced that her
daughter. Alma Ashe. had be-
come the bride of Powers Gou-
raud, brother of Jackson Gou-
raud.
Which made Alma the sister,
in-law OF her mother and the
stepdaughter OF her brother-in-
law!
Alma, who early in life had
changed her name from Alma
Ashe to Gladys Croker, mar
ried Powers Gouraud in 1901.
But previously she had for a
short time been the wife Of
Walter Russell who. under the
stage name of Lewis Hopper.
appeared in the production OF
"Floradora."
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16

TATTLE TALES of Old New
l. York.
Luxuriously encampcd in n
suite on the seventeenth floor of
Fifth avenue fashionable
Gotham Hotel is slightly faded
lady. soon to serve her
seyenty-fifth birthday.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-16

Detroit Sunday Times, February 16, 1941
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-09-04
OUTLINE PROGRAM
TO AID SOLDIERS
RETURNING HOME
MAKE PROVISIONS FoR RE-
EMPLOYMENT OF sELEc-
TEES ON RETURN FROM
ARMY DUTIES
aspsela, J. rae 1itt.enl

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla, Sept. 4.
Local Selective Service boards
throughout the State of Florida
will be the focal points in a pro-
gram for aiding returning soldiers
to obtain civilian employment,
Brig. Gen. Vivian Collins, State
Director for Selective Service an
nounced today.
Many of these returning sol
diers must be cared for in this re-
spect beginning this month when
the first selectees, National
Guardsmen and others to be re-
lieved from active duty by the
Army will be released" the Di-
rector said. these men who an
swered the call of their country
to qualify themselves for its
armed defense must be protected
in their right to unemployment in
civilian occupations and the Sc
lective Service System is pre-
pared to see that they are SO pro-
tected
The unemployment program as
formulated by National Selective
Service Headquarters in COLA
boration with the War Depart
ment and the United States EN-
ployment Service and affiliated
State Employment Officers, CEN
tiers on the appointment of Re-
employment Officer affiliated
with each local board, Gen. Col
Inns stated. This officer will act
as liaison agent between return
ing soldiers and employers. He
is appointed by the State Director
and NAV be a member of local
board or person especially ap-
pointed for the purpose.
THE function of the local board
Unemployment Officer the Cen
eral explained, twill be to get in
touch with the former employer
prior to the return of a soldier to
see if his former job is still avail
able, to transmit the record of re-
turning soldiers who have no Jobs
awaiting them to the nearest State
Employment Office, and to act as
liaison agent for the soldier in
placing him in contact with avail
able jobs.
I'm cases where the State En-
ployment Office is unable to find
job for returning soldier, the
local board Unemployment Of
ficer must look for local employ
ment opportunities For this pur-
pose he should obtain the CO.
fContinued m Page FoiIr1
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-09-04

in the south, and Helsinki de-
clared Finnish soldiers are fight
ing only 20 miles away in the
north.
Karelian Army Broken
q Finnish reports said Russian
resistance on the Karelian
isthnus has been crushed. with
the Finn army streaming into
POSITIONS forthe Aina1 assault on
Leningrad.
British military experts con-
coded the danger to the old capi-
tai of the czars and expressed the
opinion that Adolf Hitler would
throw every available man into
the assault on the city in an eff
fort to give his people one great
victory before winter shuts down
on the campaign.
DNB, official German news
agency, reported 5000 Red prison
ers were taken in one battle,
with l,l00 in another. Hundreds
of Russian tanks also were said
to have been captured or de-
stroyed in fighting, presumably
south of Leningrad.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-09-04
Furious Russian Attacks
Still Molesting Germans
tTsy AssocIated Pressl

NEW YORK, Sept. Furious
Russian attacks on the central
and southern fronts today were
reported driving deep wedges in
to the German lines and imperil-
ling the Nazis' greatest success of
the war, the invasion of the
Ukraine. 500
Pravdas official Russian news
paper, said the Germans lost l5,-
600 men in dead and wounded in
one massive Russian assault near
Kiev, while Red attacks along the
lower Dnieper in the Ukraine
were reported throwing the Nazis
back with heavy losses.
Berlin gave scant details of the
fighting, and the German Off
cial radio called upon the public
to forego full details of the war
until it has been concluded sue
cessfully.
Leningrad, meanwhile, was re-
ported locked in a Tightening ring
Of steel as the Germans an
nounced they had forced their
way to within Is miles Of the city
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-09-04
ESCAPED SOLDIERS
GIVE UP TO POLICE
tny Assoelated Pres.l

NEW ROCHELLE, J N. XII Sept.
Alive soldiers who remained at
large after they and six others
sawed their way out Of Fort Slo-
Gums guardhouse on David's Is
land yesterday morning surren-
dered shortly after dawn today to
Scarsdale, N. Y, police.
Police said this accounted for
all II and the five would be re-
turned to Fort Slocum imme-
diately Police reported no COM
ment by any of the men.
Three of the soldiers gave
themselves up at the fort, while
the others made their way to the
mainland "a distance of mile
either in a canoe or by swimming.
One of the group, Robert Bow
mar, 20, of Brooklyn, surrendered
to New Rochelle police last night
with the explanation he was
tired of being hunted 7
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-09-04
MAKE READY FOR
STORMY SEASON
RED CROSS CHAPTERS ARE
READY TO MEET ANY
EvENTUALITIEs
Especial to The citlxenl

WASHINGTON. d. c., Sept. 4.
RED Cross chapters in the
southeastern hurricane" states
have completed last-minute pre-
paredness measures to meet any
eventualities from fall storms,
it was announced by Red Cross
headquarters here.
Reports reaching here from
chapters in the section state plans
are in readiness for warning,
evacuation and emergency relief
should the need arise.
Red Cross disaster relief Off
Gals said September was the
most dangerous hurricane
month. Records kept by the or
ganization over the past So years
reveal that tropical hurricane
of major proportions has struck
the southeastern states on an
average of once every two years.
Since 1885, however, there
have been no storms falling into
this category in the hurricane
states, it was pointed out. Clos
est cali was in 1888 Red Cross
officials said, when a tropical
hurricane heading for Florida
veered off the West Indies and
drove into New England, affect
ing some 10000 persons.
During the summer Red Cross
chapter disaster committees have
been meeting to strengthen, their
preparedness programs. AS in
other parts of the country, chap
tiers in this section maintain
emergency closets of First Aid
Equipment, clothing, etc. An
hour-to-hour vigil is kept
through the u. S. Weather Blu
reau during threatening wea-
Their.