Chiquita was born Alice Espiridiona in Matanzas, Cuba, Dec. 14, 1869. She was also known as Alice Zenda and in her heyday was only 26 inches tall. Billed as the "Cuban Atom", the "Cuban Doll" or the "Living Doll", Alice was affectionately called "Chick" by her friends. It is said she arrived on U.S. shores an exile, a human byproduct of the Cuban War for Independence. And to top it off, spectators were told she spoke no fewer than seven languages!
Chiquita became one of the most successful of the little showpeople. By the time she arrived at the Pan-American Expo held in Buffalo, New York in 1901 she had amassed a fortune of $100,000 - that's over $2,000,000 in today's money! As the Expo was drawing to a close and with her manager 'Colonel' Frank Bostock making preparations for the upcoming Expos at Charleston and St. Louis, Chiquita 'suddenly' decided to get married to 17 year old Tony Woeckener who had been working as a 'sandwich' man on the fairgrounds, thus igniting a storm of controversy in Victorian America.
But was Alicia really in love? There were suits and countersuits and talk of kidnapping. Claims were made that Tony misrepresented himself, that he married only to exploit his new wife and cash in on her notoriety and that Chick was a highly impressionable sort and had easily fallen for other men in the past.
Judgements were made, decrees were handed down, fines were imposed and the whole affair made the local papers. But even then, there was suspicion on the part of the authorities who thought it was all dreamt up for publicity. In fact, Tony just about gave it away when in an interview by the local press he messed up and asserted that his new wife came from Mexico!
It is my opinion that the marriage was indeed a simple publicity stunt. Those who knew her describe Chiquita as always being fully incontrol of her life and career. No doubt the scheme was hatched by Col. Bostock with Chick's total approval.
And thus the plan was made, the publicity generated and no doubt an annulment followed at a quiet and suitable time between the Cuban Atom and the teenage boy.
