The First Mrs. Michael Powell
Mother Comes to Aid of "Ione Ord"
Pictured here as they met at the village jail at Pointe a la Hache, near New Orleans, are Mrs. Gloria M. Rouzer, left, wealthy New York society woman, and her daughter Gloria Rouzer, center, who is held as "Ione Ord," mystery woman in the strange death of Jack Kraft, her travelling companion. At the right is Miss Dorothy Frooks, New York attorney, engaged by the mother. Below, Mrs. Rouzer and her daughter are shown leaving the jail with Sheriff Alberti. |
In the first part of his autobiography, "A Life in Movies", Michael Powell mentions very briefly that while he was living in the south of France, near Nice, when he was in his mid tewnties, that he got married. He only mentions this very briefly and it appears that the marriage didn't last long. They married in 1927 and separated later that same year.
The first Mrs. Michael Powell was Gloria Rouzer, daughter of New York socialites from Westchester County. Gloria had been at a boarding school in France since she was 15 and had married Michael when she was 18.
But in 1929 Gloria was involved in a murder trial in New Orleans. It appears that she was travelling with one Jack Kraft and they took a trip on the steamship Creole. Jack went overboard and second officer John McGouldrick was charged with his murder. Gloria was a witness although she said that Kraft committed suicide and McGouldrick was later aquitted. during the trial Gloria said that she planned to marry McGouldrick although he denied any such intention.
During the hearing, Gloria was identified by many names including Iona Orde, Glorie Rouzer and finally gave her full naame as Ione Marie Gloria Gay Powell Rouzer Orde. The newspapers had a field day with a murder charge and the mysterious daughter of a wealthy New York family. Some reports from the newspapers are included below.
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