GV 
 
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 1922 
 
 MAIN 
 
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 UC-NRLF 
 
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THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 The John J. and Hanna M. McManus 
 
 Morris N. and Chesley V. Young 
 
 Collection 
 
THE ADVENTUROUS LIFE 
 OF A VERSATILE ARTIST 
 
 HOUDINI 
 
THE WORLD FAMOUS SELF-LIBERATOR 
 
 HOUDINI, 
 
 Presenting the Greatest Performance of his Strenuous Career, 
 liberating himself after being Locked in a 
 
 WATER TORTURE CELL 
 
 (Houdini's own Invention) whilst Standing on his Head, his 
 
 .Ankles Clamped and Locked above in the centre of the 
 
 Massive Cover. 
 
 A FEAT WHICH BORDERS ON THE SUPERNATURAL 
 
 $1,000 
 
 HOUDINI offers this sum to any one proving that it is 
 
 possible to obtain air in the upside-down position in 
 
 which he releases himself from this 
 
 Water Filled Torture Cell. 
 
 LOAN STACK 
 
 GIFT 
 
*tH 
 
 I J**- 
 
 6rV 
 
 Six Million of these Books in circulation , 
 since 1900, in various Forms, Editions and pS 
 Languages. 
 
 HOUDINI vl 
 
 THE ADVENTUROUS LIFE OF 
 A VERSATILE ARTIST. :: :: 
 (Revised 1922 Edition) 
 
 HARRY HOUDINI, "the World's Handcuff King and 
 amazing Prison Breaker," a title universally and 
 unanimously bestowed upon him, has had a career 
 as adventurous and romantic as the most imaginative 
 writer could possibly conjure. 
 
 Indeed, this wonderful genius, with a science concerning 
 bolts, bars, locks, and chains that will yet revolutionize the 
 world's methods of safeguarding itself against " the men that 
 prowl in the night," confirms the truth of the ancient adage 
 that "truth is stranger than fiction." 
 
 Just remember for a moment that he is the man to whom 
 the shrewdest police, the sharpest detectives, and the most 
 watchful jail wardens look with awe and anxiety. 
 
 And they are eminently right in this attitude of disquiet, 
 because they know that buried in the brain of Houdini lies the 
 secret of an unknown power he alone possesses that makes 
 their prisons as powerless as Japanese screens, and renders 
 their multiple-locking handcuffs, leg irons, and all the other 
 prison paraphernalia, no more binding than store twine. 
 
 Suppose the innate and inherent integrity of character that 
 Houdini possesses, in common with most men brought up 
 within the circle of a mother's sweet influence, were to be 
 swept aside by the desire for riches not his own. There are 
 many men of many millions to-day whose money is not their 
 own. Suppose he should be captured by a band of desperate 
 men determined to wrest from Houdini this secret worth mil- 
 lions. Suppose a great hypnotist were to obtain dominance 
 over this mystery-enveloped genius and use his baneful 
 powers for evil designs. What. then? 
 
 A slight knowledge of the marvels Houdini has accom- 
 plished mixed with a little imagination would create as many 
 more suppositions of this kind as this book could contain. 
 
 \ 
 
 866 
 
But, to be brief, admitting the possibility of the happening 
 of any of these suppositious instances, and you will gain a 
 clear idea of the extraordinary character and quality oi Hou- 
 dini's powers. Pt is often the best way to see the full scope ui 
 a cause by carefully ascertaining its effect. This analytical 
 method is equally applicable to Houdini, and. recognizing 
 the harm he would receive w 7 ere his secrets confided to un- 
 worthy hands, you gain an adequately impressive idea of the 
 enormity of responsibility that rests upon him. 
 
 Time and time again Houdini has encountered such perils, 
 and in every case he owes his life and the preservation of his 
 secret to his extraordinary acuteness of perception, to his mar- 
 velous knowledge of human nature, to his physical prowess 
 that is far greater than appears from a merely superficial in- 
 spection, and, last and greatest of all, to the fact that the 
 majority of people witnessing his w<onders attribute a quasi 
 supernatural power. 
 
 His press clipping books teems w T ith stories proving the 
 truth of one and all of these assertions. To glance over its 
 pages enchains the reader's attention more closely that if he 
 were absorbing an exciting romance. Accounts of thrilling jail- 
 breaking feats are pasted beside stirring chronicling of hand- 
 cuff escapes. Columns upon columns of laudatory press criti- 
 cisms crowd colored cartoons and caricatures that connect 
 Houdini and the great men of Europe in the great political 
 crisis of the last few years. 
 
 It being true "that genius is but the capacity for hard work," 
 then it is only a proper introductory tribute to Houdini to state 
 that he is not a mushroomgrowth, sprouting and decaying in 
 a night. 
 
 In the development and perfection of his astounding powers 
 over metallic components Houdini has labored as tirelessly as 
 Galileo constructing his astronomical theory, as Stephenson 
 building the first locomotive, as Edison bringing to view the 
 telephone, as Marconi revealing the wireless telegraph. 
 
 "How does he do it?" is the universal query. 
 
 Of course, he does not, he dare not tell wdiat exertions of 
 power, natural or supernatural, he makes in freeing himself 
 from handcuffs, and in escaping from the dungeons that have 
 held felons until the grave finally hid them forever. 
 
 Guesses are multiplied many, many times by all sorts and 
 conditions of men and women. As many theories have been 
 propounded as there are stars in the firmament. Some say he 
 
 2 
 
slips out of handcuffs like an eel slipping through an amateur 
 fisherman's fingers. Others say he manipulates cell locks by 
 muscular magnetism. A third class declares that he squeezes 
 himself through bars of cells. Still more say spirits aid him in 
 hU escapes. And so, ad infltum. 
 
 Suffice it *is to say that Houdini actually does all that the 
 newspapers credit him doing. 
 
 He was born April 6th, 1874, in Appleton, Wis., and a little 
 calculation will show that he is still far from the meridian of 
 life. From the beginning he showed an insight into mechanics 
 and mechanism that may be compared with the early en- 
 deavors of other men who have wrought wonders in the name 
 of science. He showed a tendency toward travel, too, and in 
 his ninth year had a brief experience with Jack Hoefler's "five 
 cent" circus in his home town. Then came an apprenticeship 
 as a mechanic, and after an uneventful term with "the tools of 
 trade" Houdini resolved to see the great world with his own 
 eager eyes. So he ran away from home, as so many others 
 have done that in later years attributed their greatness to their 
 early contact with the corrugated side of life. He joined a 
 small circus, and, being exceptionally bright, he soon learned 
 to conduct the Punch and Judy show, to do a ventriloquial act, 
 and also to play clown on the bars. It may be, too, that "he 
 doubled in brass" or played in the band, though he has never 
 said so. 
 
 Here began the experiences that quickly ripened Houdini 
 into the World's Handcuff King and Prison Breaker, which he 
 is, has been and always will be. In exploring his wits for ex- 
 ploits to amuse and entertain the audiences, Ploudini hit upon 
 the feat of escaping from ropes tied round him in every con- 
 ceivable way. He became so expert that he eventually offered 
 a challenge of $25 to any one who could tie him so that he 
 could not escape. And he never has lost a cent of the proffered 
 money. 
 
 Then came the full turning-point in his career when he 
 looked for greater worlds to conquer, and began the mastery 
 of handcuffs, leg irons, shackles, etc. Of course, proficiency 
 came with practice in secret, and then the public was permitted 
 to witness the efforts of the young wizard. 
 
 Houdini went to England without an engagement. He went 
 to Mr. Slater, manager of the Alhambra, London, gave several 
 
HOUDINI AT DIFFERENT AGES OF HIS CAREER 
 
trial shows, got a contract for two weeks, then one for six 
 months at £60 a week. 
 
 Since then he has been a top-of-the-bill star everywhere. He 
 has made enormous salaries on the continent, where he is 
 tremendously popular. He has broken records for paid ad- 
 missions all over Continental Europe. In the week he per- 
 formed before the Grand Duke of Russia he earned in public 
 and private performances over £400, an enormous salary in 
 those days. 
 
 In 1905, he returned to America for a brief tour, and he 
 became at once the sensation in every city. Jails have fallen 
 before his power like cities in the olden time before the armies 
 of Caesar. The police of America join the gendarmerie of 
 Europe in declaring, "Nothing on earth can hold him a prison- 
 er." All the strongest cells and prisons in the United States 
 have succumbed to the mysteriously potent force he exerts. 
 Perhaps his most historic feat was his escape in January, 
 1906, from Cell 2, Condemned Murderers' Row, in the United 
 States Jail at Washington, D. C, the very cell in which 
 Guiteau, the assassin of President Garfield was confined until 
 he was led forth to be hanged. Another great work was his 
 escape from double confinements in the Boston Tombs at 
 Boston, Mass. March 20, 1906. 
 
 Since 1908 Houdini has dropped handcuffs, and has made 
 his performance replete with new mysteries, introducing his 
 original invention — escaping out of an air-tight galvanized 
 iron can filled with water, after it has been locked into an iron 
 bound chest, and the intricate inexplicable escape from the 
 Water Torture Cell, and releasing himself from a regulation 
 strait jacket in full view of the audience, and during the week 
 accepting various challenges. 
 
 Any reader of this who wishes to challenge Houdini, or has 
 any novel method of securing Houdini, must write to publicly 
 advertise address and name of Challenger or Challengers. No 
 Challenge can be accepted for same date on which it is sent. 
 
 Instead of remaining in America six months as his original 
 contract stipulated, he was the sensation of show business 
 from his opening 1905, until his departure for Germany, 
 August 1908. 
 
 TTis leap from the Frederichstrasse Bridge, in Berlin, Ger- 
 many, heavily manacled, September 5th, 1908; his daring 
 plunge into the Weser, Bremen, having to break through ice. 
 
NEW YORK 
 
 
 ^ s OP 
 
 THE GREAT WHITE WAY 
 
Psltis, from the roof of the gruesome Morgue, April 7th, 1909, 
 brought record houses at the Circus Busch, Berlin, and Alham- 
 bra Theatre, Paris, causing his imitators to try and duplicate 
 his feats. Two were fortunately saved from a watery grave, 
 Alburtus, in Atlantic City, being saved by the life-saving 
 guard, Menkis was brought up in an unconscious state, and 
 Ricardo jumped handcuffed from the Luippold Bridge, Land- 
 shut, Bavaria, April 14th, 1909, and was drowned. 
 
 Cold waters have no terrors for Houdini, as he dived man- 
 acled into the Mersey River, Liverpool, December 7th, 1908, 
 also in the Egbaston Reservoir, Birmingham, December 15th, 
 1908. In all dives Houdini makes use of the regulation police 
 handcuffs, chains, and leg irons. 
 
 Houdini returned to America again in 1914, just before the 
 World War, toured the country, appearing for two seasons at 
 the World's biggest Theatre, the New York Hippodrome, the 
 first season presenting his inventions, The Vanishing El- 
 ephant, in which he caused an elephant named "Jennie" to 
 vanish, who weighed over ten thousand pounds, and said to be 
 a daughter of the beloved Barnum's "Jumbo," and in the 
 second half of the Hippodrome show, performing the Submar- 
 ine Box feat, escaping from same whilst under water, and the 
 box being entirely filled with water. 
 
 Second season, introducing the Escape from Strait Jacket, 
 suspended sixty feet in mid-air, hanging by his ankles, and 
 presenting for the first time on any stage another of his in- 
 ventions, The Whirlwind of Colors, in which he produced 
 hundreds of yards of silks, giant flags, and for a finish the only 
 tame American Eagle of this decade. It is known that Old 
 Abe was a tame eagle, used by the Union soldiers as a mascot, 
 but this Young Abe, trained by Houdini is the only one known 
 that any one could handle. 
 
 Houdini ga^e his services to the Government, giving per- 
 formances in the camps, for two consecutive years, not accept- 
 ing engagements, and is proud of the fact of having sold over 
 two million dollars worth of liberty bonds. 
 
 The years of 1918, 1920 and 1921 he became a Cinema star, 
 recognizing the fact that Dame Nature would demand her due, 
 and that the future generations would not believe that any man 
 could perform the feats with which he is credited. So he orig- 
 inally went into a company to produce a 15 episode serial, 
 "The Master Mystery," making such a sensational success 
 
that Mr. Jesse L. Lasky engaged him for a feature picture, 
 "The Grim Game," and before this was released, Mr. Lasky 
 re-engaged Houdini for a second picture, "Terror Island." 
 Both features were the sensations of the year. 
 
 To fulfill contracts made eight years before Houdini, in Janu- 
 ary, 1920, returned to England for a tour of the principal music 
 halls. So great was his success that even his former triumphs 
 were eclipsed. Throngs followed him. whenever he appeared 
 on the streets of the provincial towns of Great Britain. He 
 broke house record after house record, drawing such box 
 office returns that the Moss Empires management waived its 
 right to hold him to the figure named in the eight year old con- 
 tract and voluntarily doubled his salary. 
 
 Upon his return to America Houdini organized his own film 
 producing company of which more will be told in subsequent 
 pages. 
 
 OFFICIAL POLICE NEWS FROM GERMANY! 
 
 HARRY HOUDINI, THE AMERICAN HANDCUFF KING, SUES 
 THE COLOGNE POLICE FOR LIBEL, AND WINS ! ! ! 
 
 A Condensed History of the Lawsuit Against the Cologne Police I 
 
 The police of Germany are very strict in matters of false 
 billing or misrepresenting exhibitions to the public, and the 
 case of the well-known Dr. Slade, also a well-known American 
 " thaumaturgic" performer, as also an equally familiar "mag- 
 netic " woman, and several others who have clashed with the 
 German police will probably also call in mind the latest case 
 of the flower medium, Mrs. Rothe, who was sentenced to two 
 years in prison and 500 marks fine. 
 
 What for ? Well, she deceived the public in telling them 
 that she could obtain communications from the spirit world. 
 
 This the police claim was obtaining money under false 
 pretense, and there you are. • 
 
 The Cologne police claimed that Houdini was also traveling 
 about misrepresenting, and that all he did was "swindle." 
 The chief one was Schutzmann Werner Graff, who openly pub- 
 lished a false story in the Rheinische Zeitung, which put 
 Houdini in a very bad light, and, as a man of honor, Houdini 
 could not overlook the insult. 
 
 He claimed that he had been slandered, and asked an 
 apology, also a retraction of the false stories, which all the 
 
 8 
 
press of Germany had 
 copied ; but was simply 
 laughed at for his 
 trouble. 
 
 Engaging the best 
 lawyer of Cologne, 
 Herr Rechtsantwalt 
 Dr. Schreiber, Louisen- 
 strasse 17, this able 
 lawyer defended Hou- 
 dini in all three in- 
 stances. 
 
 The first trial oc- 
 curred in Cologne, Feb. 
 19, 1902; in this trial 
 Houdini charged the 
 Schutzman Werner 
 Graff for publicly slan- 
 dering him, whereupon, 
 as answer, Herr Graff 
 told the judge and jury 
 that he was willing to 
 prove that Houdini was 
 misrepresenting, that 
 he could chain Houdini 
 
 so that he could not release himself. Houdini permitted 
 himself to be chained by Herr Transport Police Lott, and 
 to show how easy it was he wilfully showed to the judge and 
 jury how he opened the chain and lock. 
 
 After a four days' trial, Houdini won the lawsuit, and the 
 Cologne police were fined, and were to publicly apologize to 
 Houdini, " In the Name of the Kaiser." 
 
 Instead of so doing, they took it to the higher court, " Straf- 
 kammer." At this trial they had specially manufactured a 
 lock, which was made by Master Mechanic Kroch, a lock that 
 when once locked nothing would open it ; even the key could 
 not open the lock. 
 
 The police asked that Houdini should show his ability by 
 opening this lock after it had once been locked. 
 
 Houdini, as Chained and Handcuffed Before the 
 
 Judges in the First Trial of His Action Against 
 
 the Royal Police of Cologne. 
 
 The following is a free translation of what the press had to 
 say at the second trial. 
 
In the highest 
 court (Strafkammer 
 zu Koln Yuli 26, 
 1902) Police Officer 
 Werner Graf! Was 
 found guilty of Slan- 
 dering fclarry Hou- 
 dini, heavily fined, 
 he must pay all 
 costs, and insert an 
 advertisement in all 
 of the Cologne news- 
 papers, proclaiming 
 his punishment, at 
 the same time, " IN 
 THE NAME OF 
 THE KING," 
 Openly apologize to 
 Houdini for insult- 
 ing him. 
 
 This open apology 
 is the severest pun- 
 ishment that can be 
 given to a royal 
 official, and as the 
 lawsuit has been 
 running over a year, 
 the costs will run 
 into the thousands of 
 marks. 
 
 The case was first 
 tried in the Schoffen- 
 gericht Koln, Feb, 
 
 19, 1902, and Werner Graff was found guilty, but he took it 
 
 to the highest court, and again Houdini won. 
 
 The Cologne police claimed that all Houdini advertised tq 
 
 do was misrepresentation (this was the cause of the lawsuit) ; ; 
 
 for the trial they had a special lock made that, after it was once : 
 
 locked, no key tvould open it. 
 
 This lock they challenged Houdini to open, to prove that he 
 
 was not misrepresenting. 
 
 Houdini accepts the challenge, walks into the VQQin selected by 
 
 Houdini as Handcuffed and Manacled by the San 
 Francisco Police, July, 1899. 
 
 10 
 
 X i- 
 
the jitry where he could 
 work unhindered. In four 
 minutes, with a quiet smile, 
 reenters the court room, and 
 hands the judges the pre- 
 pared lock opened. 
 
 Among the thirty police 
 officials that testified 
 against Houdini were some 
 of the highest officials of 
 Cologne, but Houdini won; 
 in fact, he was "one " too 
 many for them. 
 
 It being a disgrace for 
 Schutzman Werner Graff to 
 have this punishment on 
 him, with the assistance of 
 the police, he took it to the 
 
 Houdini as Handcuffed, Elbow-Ironed, 
 
 and Thumbscrewed by the Berlin 
 
 Police, October, 1900. 
 
 Houdini as Handcuffed and Manacled 
 
 by the Dresden (Germany) Police, 
 
 September, 1900. 
 
 highest court in Germany, 
 " Oberlandesgericht, " and 
 there the learned judges 
 again gave Houdini the 
 verdict from which there is 
 no appeal. 
 
 Below is a free translation 
 of the apology as printed in 
 the German papers: 
 
 IN THE NAME OF 
 THE KING 
 
 BE it known that the 
 artiste, known as HARRY 
 HOUDINI, of America, 
 New York City, against the 
 Cologne Police Schutzman 
 
 11 
 
12 
 
Werner Graff, for slandering 
 (insulting). 
 
 The Royal Schoffengericht, 
 the third " Ferienstrafkammer," 
 found Werner Graff guilty of 
 slandering Houdini, and the 
 Oberlandesgericht Court also 
 find that the Royal Schoffen- 
 gericht was justified in finding 
 Graff guilty of the charges. 
 Werner Graff is guilty of 
 ''Openly Slandering " Houdini, 
 for being the chief instigator of 
 the article which he cajised to be 
 inserted in the RJieinisclie 
 Zeitung July 25, 1 901, number of 
 edition 170, and the head-lines 
 which read " Houdini, the world- 
 famous Handcuff Releaser." 
 Being found guilty of the above 
 charge, Werner Graff is fined 
 30 marks in money, and should 
 he fail to pay the sum fine, he 
 will serve a day in prison for 
 every 5 marks; and is also fined 
 to pay all costs of the three 
 trials. 
 
 Houdini has the right to pub- 
 lish the verdict one time in the 
 
 Cologne newspapers at the cost of Schutzman Werner 
 Graff. 
 
 For the rightful writing of this verdict, we sign as responsi- 
 bilities, Coin, Oct. 24, T902. Stock Sekretar. 
 
 Gerichtsschreiber des Kgl. Amtsgericht Abtlg VI. — 9. 
 
 Signed for Houdini, 
 
 Rechtsanwalt Dr. Schreiber Koln. 
 
 Houdini, as Handcuffed by the 
 Vienna Police, March, 1902. 
 
 It will be of interest to note that Houdini has escaped out 
 of prisons and cells in the following cities: 
 
 13 
 
New York, W. 125th Street Police Station, W. 68th Street 
 Police Station, and W. 37th Street; Brooklyn, N. Y.; Newark, 
 N. J.; Salem, Mass.; Lowell, Mass.; Rochester, N. Y.; Balti- 
 more; Washington (3 different places) ; Detroit, Mich.,; Phila- 
 delphia, Pa.; Providence, R. L; Kansas City; Buffalo, N.Y. ; 
 and Chicago, 111.; Amsterdam, Hague; Dordrecht, Hollard; 
 Moscow, Russia; Plalifax; Bradford; Leicester; Burnley; 
 Leeds; Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Sheffield; Liverpool; South 
 Shields; Salford; Huddersfield; Manchester; St. Helens; 
 Stockton-on-Tees; Eastbourne; Newport, Mon. 
 
 Space prohibits the publication of all certificates from the 
 various chiefs of police, but a few are selected, which follow : 
 
 Chief Constable's Office, 
 
 Sheffield, Jan. 19, 1904. 
 This is to certify that Mr. Harry Houdini was this day 
 stripped stark naked and locked in the cell which once con- 
 tained Charles Peace. The cell was searched and triple-locked, 
 but Mr. Houdini released himself and redressed in five minutes, 
 having also opened the iron gate of the corridor. 
 
 Charles J. Scott, Commander (R.N.) 
 
 Chief Constable, Sheffield. 
 Witness to the foregoing feat, 
 George H. Barker, Deputy Chief Constable. 
 
 An exceedingly rare photograph of Charles Peace, shrewdest, most 
 dangerous and notorious criminal in the annals of Crime in Great Britain. 
 Peace broke jail a number of times but failed to escape from this cell 
 in Sheffield. He was hanged at the Armley jail. Houdini escaped from 
 this cell, as Chief Constable Scott's certificate on page 12 shows. 
 
 14 
 
May 10, 1903. 
 
 Harry Houdini was made to disrobe, and in a nude condi- 
 tion was locked into the Moscow transportation cell or 
 carette, and in less than 20 minutes he had managed to 
 make his escape. The searching Houdini had to submit to in 
 the hands of the secret Russian police was the severest he has 
 ever had to undergo. Never in the history of the Russian 
 police has any one been able to escape out of this or any 
 other transportation carette. This feat was accomplished in 
 the presence of Chief of the Secret Police Cos, Lebadeff. 
 
 Houdini was booked for one month in Moscow, but after 
 this feat he was prolonged for four months, and proved the 
 greatest sensation that ever visited Russia. 
 
 From, the German police Houdini possesses certificates 
 from the cities of Berlin, Dresden, Dusseldorf, Essen Ruhr, 
 Barmen, Bremen, Dortmund, Leipzig, Frankfort A/M, Han- 
 over, etc. ; but the following is the principal one : 
 
 Royal Police Presidium, 
 
 Berlin, Sept. 20, 1900. 
 
 Harry Houdini, the American, was handcuffed and leg- 
 ironed with the irons used here, in the presence of a large 
 number of the highest police officials of Germany. Houdini 
 managed to free himself from everything, by mysteriously 
 opening the locks, in a manner which is unexplainable to us. 
 The cuffs were uninjured. 
 
 (Signed) Von Hullessem, Royal Police Director, Berlin. 
 Von Windheim, The Royal Police President, Berlin. 
 
 Von Windheim was the highest police official in all Ger- 
 many. The Kaiser's signature was the only name that stood 
 higher in Germany. 
 
 15 
 
a 
 
 o 
 
 I 
 e 
 
 Ph 
 o 
 
 EH 
 
 The Daily Illustrated Mirror, March 18th, 1904. 
 
 HOW HE PICKED THE "MIRROR" HANDCUFFS 
 IN ONE HOUR AND TEN MINUTES. 
 
 Not a seat was vacant in the mighty Hippodrome, yester- 
 day afternoon, when Harry Houdini, the "Handcuff King," 
 
 16 
 
stepped into the arena, and received an ovation worthy of a 
 monarch. 
 
 For days past all London has been aware that on Saturday 
 night last a representative of the Mirror had stepped into the 
 arena, in response to Houdini's challenge to anybody to come 
 forward and successfully manacle him, and had there and 
 then made a match with America's Mysteriarch for Thursday 
 afternoon. 
 
 In his travels the journalist had encountered a Birmingham 
 blacksmith who had spent five years of his life in devising a 
 lock, which, he alleged, "no mortal man could pick." 
 Promptly seeing he was in touch with a good thing, the press 
 man had at once put an option upon the handcuff containing 
 this lock, and brought it back to London with him. 
 
 It was submitted to London's best locksmiths, who were 
 unanimous in their admiration of it, asserting that in all their 
 experience they had never before seen such wonderful 
 mechanism. 
 
 As a result the editors of the Mirror determined to put the 
 lock to the severest test possible by challenging Mr. Houdini 
 to be manacled with the cuffs. # 
 
 Like a true sportsman, Mr. Houdini accepted our challenge 
 in the spirit in which it was given, although, on his own con- 
 fession, he did not like the look of the lock. 
 
 MIGHTY AUDIENCE. 
 
 Mr. Houdini's call was for three o'clock yesterday, but so 
 intense was the excitement that the 4,000 spectators present 
 could scarcely restrain their impatience whilst the six excel- 
 lent turns which preceded him, cheered to the echo on other 
 occasions, got through their "business." 
 
 Waiting quietly and unnoticed by the arena steps, the 
 Mirror representative watched Mr. Houdini's entrance, and 
 joined in giving his opponent-to-be in the lists one of the finest 
 ovations mortal man has ever received. 
 
 " I am ready," said Houdini, concluding his address to the 
 audience, "to be manacled by the Mirror representative if he 
 be present." 
 
 A hearty burst of applause greeted the journalist as he 
 stepped into the arena and shook hands with the "Handcuff 
 King." 
 
 Then, in the fewest possible words, the press man called for 
 
 17 
 
volunteers from the audience to act upon a committee to see 
 fair play, and Mr. Houdini asked his friends also to step into 
 the arena and watch his interests. 
 
 HOUDINI HANDCUFFED. 
 
 This done, the journalist placed the handcuffs on Mr. 
 Houdini's wrists and snapped them. Then, with an effort, he 
 turned the key six times, thus securing the bolt as firmly as 
 possible. 
 
 The committee being satisfied as to the security of the 
 handcuff, Mr. Houdini said: — 
 
 "Ladies and Gentlemen: — I am now locked up in a hand- 
 cuff that has taken a British mechanic five years to make. I 
 do not know whether I am going to get out of it or not, but I 
 can assure you I am going to do my best." 
 
 Applauded to the echo, the Mysteriarch then retired within 
 the cabinet that contains so many of his secrets. 
 
 All correct chronometers chronicled 3. 15. 
 
 In a long line in front of the stage stood the committee. 
 Before them, in the center of the arena, stood the little cabinet 
 Houdini loves to call his "ghost house." Restlessly pacing 
 to and fro, the Mirror representative kept an anxious eye- 
 on it. 
 
 FALSE HOPE OVERTHROWN. 
 
 Those who have never stood in the position of a challenger 
 can scarcely realize the sense of responsibility felt by one who 
 has openly thrown down the gauntlet to a man who is popular 
 with the public. 
 
 The Mirror had placed its reliance on the work of a British 
 mechanic, and if Houdini succeeded in escaping in the first 
 few minutes it was felt that the proceedings would develop 
 into a mere farce. 
 
 But time went by; 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes sped. Still the bana 
 played on. Then, at 22 minutes, Mr. Houdini put his head 
 out of the " ghost house," and this was the signal for a great 
 outburst of cheering. 
 
 "He is free! he is free! " shouted several; and universal 
 disappointment was felt when it was ascertained that he had 
 only put his head outside the cabinet in order to get a good 
 look at the lock in strong electric light. 
 
 18 
 
kht \ 
 
 19 
 
The band broke into a dreamy waltz as Houdini once more 
 disappeared within the canopy. The disappointed spectators 
 looked at their watches, murmured " What a shame!" gave 
 Houdini an encouraging clap, and the journalist resumed his 
 stride. 
 
 At 35 minutes Mr. Houdini again emerged. His collar 
 was broken, water trickled in great channels down his face, 
 and he looked generally warm and uncomfortable. 
 
 " My knees hurt," he explained to the audience. " I am not 
 done yet. " 
 
 The "house" went frantic with delight at their favorite's 
 resolve, and this suggested an idea to the Mirror representa- 
 tive. 
 
 He spoke rapidly to Mr. Parker, the Hippodrome manager, 
 who was at the side of the stalls. That gentleman looked 
 thoughtful for a moment, then nodded his head and whispered 
 something to an attendant. 
 
 A WELCOME CONCESSION. 
 
 Presently the man appeared bearing a large cushion. 
 
 " The Mirror has no desire to submit Mr. Houdini to a tor- 
 ture test," said the representative; " and if Mr. Houdini will 
 permit me, I shall have great pleasure in offering him the use 
 of this cushion." 
 
 The " Handcuff King " was glad evidently of the rest for his 
 knees, for he pulled it through into the "ghost house." 
 
 Ladies trembled with suppressed excitement, and, despite 
 the weary wait, not a yawn was noticed throughout the vast 
 audience. For 20 minutes more the band played on, and then 
 Houdini was seen to emerge once more from the cabinet. 
 
 Still handcuffed! 
 
 Almost a moan broke over the vast assemblage as this was 
 noticed. He looked in pitiable plight from his exertions and 
 much exhausted. 
 
 He looked about for a moment, and then advanced to where 
 his challenger stood. 
 
 "Will you remove the handcuffs for a moment," he said, 
 " in order that I may take my coat off ? " 
 
 For a few seconds the journalist considered. Then he re- 
 plied: " I am indeed sorry to disoblige you, Mr. Houdini, but 
 I cannot unlock those cuffs unless you admit you are defeated." 
 
 The reason was obvious. Mr. Houdini had seen the cuffs 
 
 20 
 
locked, but he had never seen them unlocked. Consequently 
 the press man thought there might be more in the request than 
 appeared on the surface. 
 
 FROCK COAT SACRIFICED. 
 
 Houdini evidently does not stick at trifles. He maneuvered 
 until he got a penknife from his waistcoat pocket. This he 
 opened with. his teeth, and then, turning his coat inside out 
 over his head, calmly proceeded to cut it to pieces. 
 
 The novelty of the proceeding delighted the audience, who 
 yelled themselves frantic. The Mirror representative had 
 rather a warm five minules of it at this juncture. Many of 
 the audience did not see the reason of his refusal, and ex- 
 pressed their disapproval of his action loudly. 
 
 Grimly, however, he looked on and watched Mr. Houdini 
 once more reenter the cabinet. Time sped on, and presently 
 somebody recorded the fact that the Mysteriarch had been 
 manacled just one hour. Ten minutes more of anxious wait- 
 ing, and then a surprise was in store for everybody. 
 
 VICTORY. 
 
 The band was just finishing a stirring march when, with a 
 great shout of victory, Houdini bounded from the cabinet, 
 holding the shining handcuffs in his hand — free! 
 
 A mighty roar of gladness went up. Men waved their hats, 
 shook hands one with the other. Ladies waved their handker- 
 chiefs, and the committee, rushing forward as one man, 
 shouldered Houdini, and bore him in triumph round the 
 arena. 
 
 But the strain had been too much for the " Handcuff King," 
 and he sobbed as though his heart would break. 
 
 With a mighty effort, however, he regained his composure, 
 and received the congratulations of the Mirror in the true 
 sportsmanlike spirit he has shown throughout the contest. 
 
 PRESENTATION MODEE 
 
 The journalist intimated to the audience that a beautiful solid silver model 
 of the handcuffs would be made, and ticked Mr. Houdini's permission to present 
 this to him at no distant date. 
 
 A SrORTSMAN'S TELEGRAM. 
 
 Late last night Mr. Houdini sent us the following telegram: 
 Editor "Mirror," 2, Carmelite Street, London. E. C. 
 
 "Allow me to thank you for the open and upright manner in which your 
 representative treated me in to-day's contest. Must say that it was one of the 
 hardest, but at the same time one of the fairest tests I ever had." 
 
 "HARRY HOUDINI." 
 
 21 
 
HOUDINI, manacled and chained, Diving head first off Queen's Bridge, 
 into the Yarra River, Melbourne, Australia, Feb. 18th, 1910. 
 
 Australia 's Coast is infested with Man-eating Sharks, luckily for Houdini, 
 none happened to be around when he dived. 
 
 AN EPISODE IN HOUDINFS LIFE. 
 
 Star, Blackburn, England, Saturday, Oct. 25, 1902. 
 MANACLED BY A STRONG MAN. 
 
 TRUSSED TILL MIDNIGHT. 
 Unparalleled Scenes at the Palace Theatre. 
 
 Never in the history of Blackburn or music hall life has 
 there been witnessed so remarkable a scene as occurred 
 last night. Houdini, the Handcuff King, and Mr. Hodgson, 
 principal of the School of Physical Culture, provided a big 
 sensation for the patrons of the Palace Theatre, Blackburn. . 
 
 Houdini, who has been appearing at the Palace during the 
 week, claims to be able to release himself from any of the 
 regulation shackles or irons used by the police of Europe or 
 America, and offered nightly to forfeit ^25 if he failed to 
 prove his claim. 
 
 22 
 
Mr. Hodgson, of the Physical Culture School, Blackburn, 
 took up the challenge, stipulating that he was to use his own 
 irons and fix them himself. Houdini consented, and deposit 
 the ^25 with the editor of the Daily Star. 
 
 The trial of skill and strength was fixed to take place last 
 night, and the crowd which came together to witnesy «♦ 
 crammed the theatre literally from floor to ceiling — even 
 standing room being ultimately unobtainable. 
 
 Shortly after ten o'clock the parties to the challenge faced 
 each other, and excitement at once became intense. 
 
 Mr. Hodgson produced 6 pairs of heavy irons, furnished 
 with clanking chains and swinging padlocks. These were 
 carefully examined by Houdini, who raised some disappoint- 
 ment and much sympathetic cheering by stating that his claim 
 was that he could escape from "regulation" irons. The 
 "cuffs " brought by Mr. Hodgson, he said, had been tam- 
 pered with — the iron being wrapped round with string, the 
 locks altered, and various other expedients adopted to render 
 escape more difficult. 
 
 Mr. Hodgson's answer, given dramatically from the stage, 
 was that he stipulated that he should bring his own irons. 
 
 Houdini again protested that Mr. Hodgson was going 
 beyond the challenge, but added that he was quite willing to 
 go on, if only the audience would give him a little time in 
 which to deal with the extra difficulties. 
 
 This announcement was greeted with great cheering, and 
 the work of pinioning proceeded. 
 
 First, Mr. Hodgson, with the aid of a companion, fixed 
 a pair of irons over Houdini's upper arm, passing the chain 
 behind his back and pulling it tight, and fixing the elbows 
 close to the sides. 
 
 To make assurance doubly sure, he fixed another pair in the 
 same way, and padlocked both behind. 
 
 Then, starting with the wrists, he fixed a pair of chained 
 "cuffs" so that the arms, already pulled stiffly behind, were 
 now pulled forward. The pulling and tugging at this stage 
 was so severe — the strong man exercising his strength to 
 some purpose — that Houdini protested that it was no part of 
 the challenge that his arms should be broken. 
 
 He also reminded Mr. Hodgson that he was to fix the irons 
 himself. 
 
 This led to Mr. Hodgson's assistant retiring. 
 
 23 
 
Proceeding, Mr. Hodgson fixed a second pair of "cufe " on 
 the wrists and padlocked both securely, Houdini's arms being 
 then trussed to his side so securely that escape seemed abso- 
 lutely impossible. 
 
 Still Mr. Hodgson was not finished with him. 
 
 Getting Houdini to kneel down, he passed the chain of a 
 pair of heavy leg irons through the chains which bound the 
 arms together at the back. These were fixed to the ankles, 
 and after a second pair had been added, both were locked, 
 and Houdini now seemed absolutely helpless. 
 
 A canopy being placed over Houdini in the middle of the 
 stage, the waiting began, and excitement grew visibly every 
 minute. 
 
 Meanwhile Mr. Hodgson and others kept strict watch on the 
 movements of Houdini's wife and brother (Hardeen), who 
 were both on the stage. 
 
 At the end of about 15 minutes the canopy was lifted and 
 Houdini was revealed lying on his side, still securely bound. 
 It was at first thought he had fainted, but he soon made it 
 known that all he wished was to be lifted up. This Mr. Hodg- 
 son refused to do, at which the now madly excited audience 
 hissed and " booed " him for his unfair treatment, and Hardeen 
 lifted his brother to his knees. Thie curtain of the cabinet was 
 again closed. 
 
 Another 20 minutes passed, and again the curtain was lifted. 
 This time Houdini said his arms were bloodless and numb 
 owing to the pressure of the irons, and asked to have them 
 unlocked for a minute so that the circulation could be restored. 
 
 Mr. Hodgson's reply, given amidst howls, was: "This is a 
 contest, not a love match. If you are beaten, give in." 
 
 Great shouting and excited calling followed, which was 
 renewed when Dr. Bradley, after examining Houdini, said his 
 arms were blue, and it was cruelty to keep him chained up as 
 he was any longer. 
 
 Still Mr. Hodgson was obdurate, and the struggle pro- 
 ceeded, Houdini again appealing for time. 
 
 Fifteen minutes more: Houdini appeared and announced 
 that one hand was free. 
 
 This was the signal for terrific cheering, which was con- 
 tinued after the canopy was dropped. 
 
 At intervals Houdini now appeared, and announced further 
 progress in his escape ; and when, shortly after midnight, he 
 
 24 
 
came out with torn clothing and bleeding arms, and threw the 
 last of the shackles on the stage, the vast audience stood up 
 and cheered and cheered, and yelled themselves hoarse to give 
 vent to their overwrought feelings. Men and women hugged 
 each other in mad excitement. Hats, coats, and umbrellas 
 were thrown up into the air, and pandemonium reigned 
 supreme for 15 minutes. 
 
 Houdini, when quietness had been restored, said he had 
 been doing the handcuff trick now for 14 years, but never had 
 he been subjected to such brutality as that to which his bleed- 
 ing arms and wrists gave witness. 
 
 When Houdini again obtained a hearing, it was to state that, 
 not only had the irons been altered, but the locks had been 
 plugged. 
 
 It was well after midnight when the huge audience left the 
 theatre, and broke up into excited, gesticulating groups. 
 
 Condemned Murderers 
 Released by Houdini. 
 
 The Washington Post, Sunday, Jan. 7, 1906. 
 OUT OF GUITEAU CELL. 
 
 HOUDINI MIXES THINGS UP AT THE UNITED STATES JAIL. 
 PRISONERS CHANGED IN CELLS. 
 
 Consternation Accompanies Feats of the Expert Lock-picker, Who 
 
 Gets Laurels from the American Police Chairman After His 
 
 Third Exploit in Washington — Crowds Are Transfixed. 
 
 Two condemned murderers, four others under indictment, 
 and two noted criminals were released from the United States 
 jail yesterday and for a brief time tasted a counterfeit liberty. 
 
 Harry Houdini, the international Prison Breaker and Hand- 
 cuff King, as he is styled, was the hero of a sensational exploit. 
 On the invitation of Warden Harris and the jail authorities he 
 ravaged bolts and locks. 
 
 Houdini escaped from the cell in which Charles J. Guiteau, 
 the assassin of President Garfield, was confined, released all 
 
 25 
 
the other inmates of the murderers' row cells, and transferred 
 each into some other cell than the one to which he was origi- 
 nally committed. 
 
 For several days — in fact, since Houdini's remarkable 
 escape from the Tenth precinct — Warden Harris, of the 
 cathedral-like prison along the Eastern Branch of the Potomac, 
 has been endeavoring to secure Houdini for a cell-breaking 
 exploit, as the warden had full faith in the efficiency of his 
 lock system. He wished to have this faith justified by an 
 attempt at escape of Houdini, and his failure would induce 
 that state of mind. 
 
 JAMES A. GARFIELD 
 
 the Martyred President 
 
 Copyright and Published by J. F. RYDER, Cleveland, O. 
 
 The sitting for this portrait was made June 10th, 1880 
 
 Until yesterday Houdini has been so occupied with his other 
 invitations to break out of the police cells and the other penal 
 institutions that he had abandoned the idea of an adventure at 
 the jail. Not wishing to seem discourteous, he concluded 
 about noon yesterday to present his compliments to Warden 
 Harris and assure him that he would be pleased to test the 
 jail. 
 
 26 
 
CROWD QUICKLY GATHERS 
 
 The news of his presence traveled the length of the offices 
 on the inside of the big structure, and here there gathered in 
 the warden's office the following officials and visitors: Deputy 
 Warden W. Grayson Urner, Capt. Ed. S. Randell, Guards John 
 C. Campbell, George C. Gumm, James Corrigan, and John P. 
 Hickey, Jail Physician Dr. D. Kerfoot Shute, Dr. H. I. Sout, 
 Dr. T. Sullivan, Clerk J. Fred Harris, and Messrs. Robert R. 
 Mahorney, Theo Judd, Frank Jones, David M. Proctor, and 
 John T. Ward. 
 
 Houdini was invited to examine the cell arrangement and 
 was shown first to Murderers' Row, which is in the south wing 
 and comprises seventeen cells, containing Walter H. Hamilton, 
 sentenced to be hanged last November, but now living through 
 stayed proceedings; Richard Chase, sentenced to twelve years 
 for manslaughter; Thomas S. Whitney, John Mercer, Edward 
 Ferguson, Jeremiah Donovan, and Henry Gaskins — these 
 having been indicted for murder, their alleged crimes being 
 still fresh in the public mind ; also James A. Backus, the 
 alleged money-order raiser, and Clarence. Howlett, sentenced 
 for housebreaking. 
 
 Houdini was chiefly interested in cell No. 2, the one occu- 
 pied by Guiteau, and presumably the safest of the lot, although 
 
 Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1881, by 
 
 C. M. BELL 
 
 in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 
 
 GUITEAU, the assassin of President Garfield. Houdini escaped from 
 the murderer's cell in which this assassin was secured. 
 
 27 
 
it was from the outside of this cell that "Avenger " Jones shot 
 into it in his effort to kill the assassin. It now holds Hamil- 
 ton, who is alleged to have smothered his wife to death and 
 then sat all night beside the body of his victim, indulging in 
 a drunken orgy. The officials say that he is one of the most 
 orderly prisoners ever out there. Howard Schneider, who 
 murdered his wife and her brother, and Shaefer, the murderer 
 hanged a short time ago, also occupied this cell. 
 
 PONDEROUS BARRED DOORS. 
 
 All these cells are brick structures with their doors sunk 
 into the walls fully three feet from the face of the outer corri- 
 dor wall. When the heavily barred door is closed, an arm- 
 like bar runs out to the corridor wall and then angles to the 
 right and slips over a steel catch which sets a spring that 
 fastens the lock. The latter is only opened by a key, and 
 there are no less than five tumblers in the lock. One key 
 opens all the doors in the corridor. 
 
 With Houdini there, it was very natural that everybody 
 should express the ardent desire to have him then and there 
 go into a cell and see if he could release himself, and Houdini, 
 with his accustomed courtesy, yielded a ready acquiescence. 
 He insisted, however, that he preferred to try cell No. 2, for 
 the reason that it is the hardest one there to get out of alive, 
 as he expressed it, and because of the notorious murderers who 
 have spent their last moments on earth within its whitewashed 
 walls. 
 
 This was agreed upon, and then he was stripped to the skin 
 and locked into No. 2 with Hamilton, the negro, who crouched 
 in the far corner of the cell, presumably laboring under the 
 belief that one of the arch-fiends was already there to get him 
 for a red-hot furnace. In two minutes Houdini was out of 
 that cell, free, the lock holding him hardly longer than it took 
 him to get into the place and get his bearings. Then, without 
 the knowledge of the waiting officials who had retired from 
 view, Houdini quickly ran to the cells of Chase, Whitney, 
 Mercer, Ferguson, Donovan, Gaskins, Backus, and Howlett. 
 To each occupant the unclad cell-breaker seemed like an appari- 
 tion from some other world, and the astonishment he created 
 when he commanded each to come out and follow him can be 
 better imagined than described. 
 
 28 
 
PRISONERS ARE DUMBFOUNDED. 
 
 Chase gave a gasp of fear, and then cried, " Have you come 
 tc let me out? What are you doing without clothes? " He 
 supposed then that Houdini was an escaping fellow-prisoner. 
 He followed at Houdini's heels and the cell-breaker dashed 
 with him down to the end of the corridor, where he opened the 
 cell containing Clarence Howlett. 
 
 " What are you doing here? " said Houdini to the astonished 
 Howlett. '* What are you in for? " 
 
 " I'm a housebreaker," said the prisoner, as though making 
 his last confession. 
 
 "You're a bad one," said Houdini, «* or you could get out of 
 here. Come along." Howlett followed his' strange captor, 
 and Houdini then thrust Chase into the cell and rushed How- 
 lett up to Chase's cell. 
 
 This scene, strange and strenuous, was repeated again and 
 again, until every desperate man was changed into another 
 cell than his own. All were in a tumult. Twenty-one min- 
 utes after Houdini had been locked in the cell he had done all 
 the quick changing and stood before his free audience in the 
 main hall, clothed as in every-day manner. 
 
 When the officials found what he had done with their prison- 
 ers, their amazement passed all bounds. They took the slight 
 change Houdini made in their plans with the utmost good 
 nature, and soon had everything straightened out, and each of 
 the men back in his cell. At the conclusion, Warden Harris 
 gave the cell-breaker a certificate, of which the following is a 
 copy: 
 
 " This is to certify that Mr. Harry Houdini, at the United 
 States jail to-day, was stripped stark naked, thoroughly 
 searched, and locked up in cell No. 2 of the south wing, the 
 cell in which Charles J. Guiteau was confined from the date of 
 his commitment, July 2, 1881, until the day on which he was 
 executed, June 30, 1882. Mr. Houdini, in about 2 minutes, 
 managed to escape from that cell, and then broke into the cell 
 in which his clothing was locked up. He then proceeded to 
 release from their cells all the prisoners on the ground floor. 
 There was positively no chance for any collusion or confeder- 
 
 29 
 
acy. Mr. Houdini accomplished all of the above-mentioned 
 feats, in addition to cutting on all his clothing, in 21 minutes. 
 
 "J. H. Harris. 
 " Warden United States Jail, D. C." 
 
 Major Sylvester ^esterday prepared for Houdini the follow^ 
 ing statement: 
 
 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: No individual should 
 be disinclined to profit by the abilities displayed by others, 
 and, in order that defective means of restraint might be dis- 
 covered in the holding of prisoners in this jurisdiction, and 
 with a view to remedying any insecurity which might exist, 
 Mr. Houdini, the expert man with locks, was permitted to 
 examine a modern cell lock and attachment, and then placed 
 in an entirely different cell from the one he examined. He 
 was searched, and in a nude condition placed behind the bars, 
 and, as supposed, secured. This was in the presence of the 
 Engineer Officer of the District of Columbia, myself, and 
 several officers. In 26 minutes he emerged from the cell and 
 corridor fully attired. 
 
 " The experiment was a very valuable one in that the depart- 
 ment has been instructed as to the adoption of further secur- 
 ity which will protect any lock from being opened or interfered 
 with. The act was interesting and profitable, and worthy of 
 study. 
 
 " Mr. Houdini impressed his audience as a gentleman and 
 an artist who does not profess to do the impossible. 
 
 "Richard Sylvester, 
 " Major and Superintendent." 
 
 SOME OF THE GREAT FEATS ACCOMPLISHED BY 
 
 HOUDINI. 
 
 Broke out of the Siberian Prison Van in Moscow, Russia, in May, 1003. 
 
 Leaped, heavily handcuffed, in zero weather, from Belle Island Bridge, 
 *n Detroit, Mich., in December 2nd, 1006, and released himself unde the 
 icy water. 
 
 Leaped into San Francisco Bay, San Francisco, Calif., on August 26th. 
 1007, handcuffed with hands behind his back, with more than 75 pounds 
 of ball and chain locked to his bodv. 
 
 Escaped from a plate glass box made by the Pittsburg Plate Glass Co., 
 and did not even scratch the glass. Boston Mass.. Jan. 20th 1007. 
 
 After being ri vetted into a laro-e hot water boiler bv the emplovees of 
 the Marine Boiler Works, of Toledo, on March 15th, 1007, Houdini 
 escaped without leaving any traces of his exit. 
 
 Escaped from paper bags, zinc lined piano boxes, packing ensos. padded 
 cells, straight- jackets, insane cribs, willow hampers, iron engos. a TT.S, 
 Mail Pouch furnished with a rotary lock belonging to the U.S. Govern- 
 
31 
 
jient, a large Football, made by Reach Company, of Philadelphia, a large 
 Derby Desk, with secret locks, Burglar-proof safes, etc., etc. Handcuffed 
 nailed into a packing case, 200 lbs. of iron weights chained to the box 
 and was then thrown overboard into New York Bay. 
 
 Houdini has escaped from cells in almost every city in America, the 
 most notable one being from the Murderers ' Cell in U.S. Jail at Washing- 
 ton, D.C., which confined Guiteau, the murderer of President Garfield. 
 
 Houdini presents the largest, the smallest and most perplexing mystery 
 in the world and history of magic. 
 
 The smallest. The East Indian Needle Mystery, in which he swallows 
 50 to 100 needles, 20 yards of thread, and brings them all up threaded, 
 after his mouth and throat have been examined by a committee of 
 Surgeons. In Boston, at Keith's Theatre, 1906, at special morning per- 
 formance, he performed this feat before sixteen hundred physicians, and 
 not one could give a correct solution as to his method. 
 
 The largest and one of his original inventions being the complete van- 
 ishing of a Ten Thousand pound Elephant, in full glare of the light and 
 right over the tank of a Quarter of a Million Gallons of Water on the 
 stage of New York Hippodrome, 1916-1917. He performed this the entire 
 season, creating the greatest amount of talk ever caused by any Illusion- 
 ist with any vanishing mystery. 
 
 The greatest mystery ever presented, original inventions of Houdini, 
 one of the Chinese Torture Cell, and the Escape from a Packing Case 
 which being weighted with 300 lbs. of pig iron is thrown overboard into 
 the ocean, and from which he releases himself in less than two minutes. 
 
 Kansas City, Mo., April n, 1900. 
 
 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN : We, the undersigned, 
 do hereby certify that we saw Harry Houdini stripped nude, 
 thoroughly searched from head to foot, and his mouth sealed 
 up, making it an utter impossibility for him to have anything 
 concealed on his person. We saw him handcuffed and leg- 
 ironed with five different cuffs, and his hands locked to his 
 feet. 
 
 He was led into a cell, which was also securely locked with 
 what is known as the three-bond lock, guaranteed by the 
 makers to be burglar proof. Nevertheless, Houdini succeeded 
 in making his escape out of all the irons, also from the cell, in 
 less than 8 minutes. There was no possible chance of con- 
 federacy. 
 
 Signed and sealed by John Hayes, Chief of Police. 
 
 John Halpin, Inspector of Detectives. 
 J. C. Snavly, Jailer. 
 
 32 
 
THE DISAPPEARING ELEPHANT 
 The largest vanish the world has ever known, as invented and presented 
 by Houdini at the New York Hippodrome. 
 
 33 
 
Daily Express, London, Feb. j, 1Q04. 
 
 WIZARD IN GAOL. 
 
 OPENS CELLS AND IS TAKEN FOR THE DEVIL. 
 HIS 61st ESCAPE. 
 
 I certify that to-day Mr. Harry Houdini showed his abilities 
 in releasing himself from restraint. 
 
 He had three pairs of handcuffs, one a very close-fitting pair, 
 placed round his wrists, and he was placed in a nude state in a 
 cell which had been previously searched. Within 6 minutes 
 he was free from the handcuffs, had opened the cell door, and 
 had opened the doors of all the other cells in the corridor, had 
 changed a prisoner from one cell to another, and had so se- 
 curely locked him in that he had to be asked to unlock the 
 
 door. 
 
 (Signed) Leonard Dunning, 
 
 Head Constable, Liverpool. 
 Feb. 2, 1902. 
 
 Mr. Dunning has since been knighted and is now head of 
 the Police Constabulary, being located in London, his official 
 title being His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, London, 
 England. 
 
 For him it is literally true that — 
 
 Stone walls do not a prison make, 
 Nor iron bars a cage. 
 
 Were he a criminal — his clear, straightforward eyes nega- 
 tive the suggestion — he would be a nightmare to the police 
 of Britain, for he wou*d walk out of gaol as coolly and smil- 
 ingly as he did twice out of Liverpool Bridewell yesterday. 
 
 It was an eventful day at the sinister-looking building that 
 stands off busy Dale Street. 
 
 High police officials, clever detectives, leading city business 
 men who hold office on the watch committee, all sustained a 
 severe shock by their loss of faith in what they had regarded 
 as an inviolable stronghold. 
 
 No one has been known previously to escape from the bolts 
 and bars behind which Liverpool quarters its criminals. 
 
 34 
 
SURRENDERS TO TOLlCE. 
 
 In the afternoon Houdini had a pleasant interview with 
 Head Constable Dunning. 
 
 " Want to try our locks? Certainly. You're welcome; but, 
 of course, we will take some precautions. " 
 
 "I want you to do so," replied Houdini. "I will strip 
 naked. You can then handcuff me and put me in your strong- 
 est cell, and after you have searched me and the cell you leave 
 me, locking the door. I will join you in a minute or two." 
 
 Houdini was as good as his word. Not only did he escape, 
 but he had torn from his hands and arms three pairs of hand- 
 cuffs, which had been put on him by officers with absolute 
 belief in their restraining power. 
 
 Even these feats were not enough for this man, who does 
 things that would have made Jack Sheppard die of envy. He 
 felt sure there was nothing in Bridewell to baffle him. 
 
 Running along the corridor, he opened the doors of other 
 cells, which he had thought were all empty. When he reached 
 No. 14 and flung open the door, he confronted a prisoner. 
 
 " I don't know which of us was the more surprised," said 
 Houdini to an Express representative. 
 
 STARTLED PRISONER 
 
 Here was I, standing absolutely nude before a terrified, 
 miserable object. 
 
 Poor fellow! what a shock it was for him. He was an 
 Irishman just recovering from a drunken bout. 
 
 "'Arrah!' he said, when he had recovered; 'I thought it 
 was the divil/ " 
 
 The shivering prison-breaker hurried the wretched prisoner 
 out of cell No. 14 into No. 15 and locked him in. Then he 
 ran along the passage to greet the head constable and the 
 other officials. 
 
 Only 6 minutes had elapsed since he had been locked in 
 the cell naked and handcuffed. The cell door was inspected 
 and found uninjured. i 
 
 Then one of the gaolers, walking along the corridor, espied 
 door No. 14 open and a prisoner gone. 
 
 "That's all right," said the irrepressible Houdini. "I've 
 had him out and locked him up in No. 15." Hearty laughter 
 followed the narration of this achievement, and the officials 
 went to No. 15. 
 
 So securely had the Irishman been locked up that it was 
 necessary to call upon Houdini to unfasten the door. The 
 
 35 
 
irishman was found in a somewhat bewildered state, but he 
 probably "sobered" quicker than he would have done in less 
 eventful circumstances. 
 
 Houdini left the bridewell the proud possessor of the cer- 
 tificate which is reproduced at the head of this article. 
 
 ANOTHER EXPERIMENT 
 
 In the evening Houdini, accompanied by an Express repre- 
 sentative, again walked into the bridewell to settle a point 
 which had been raised since his feat in the afternoon. 
 
 Was the door which had been fastened against him single, 
 double, or triple locked? 
 
 The matter could easily be settled. Houdini would just do 
 the trick again. Only this time he would do it with his clothes 
 on, as time was pressing. 
 
 Liverpool's bridewell is as an unsightly a place as a bride- 
 well can be. No one would mistake it for a spa hotel or a 
 convalescent home. 
 
 Beneath a dark arch you pass, and in the great door which 
 you find opposite is a little window which is unlocked when 
 you knock, and through which you are viewed before you are 
 permitted even to stand upon the threshold. 
 
 Houdini and his companion were admitted. 
 
 "More lock-breaking? 
 
 "Yes ; I am ready for more — as many as you like." 
 
 Accompanied by a gaoler, Houdini and the Express repre- 
 sentative ascended a flight of stone steps and passed along 
 dimly lighted corridors, whose atmosphere seemed, to reek 
 with crime and mystery. 
 
 Passing through a gate, a row of cells was reached, upon 
 any one of which Houdini might operate. 
 
 Here was one marked with a strange device. Houdini 
 would try this one. 
 
 It was a felon's cell — stronger than some of the others, 
 though it could not have been darker or more forbidding. 
 
 Houdini entered. He was backed in by the Express repre- 
 sentative. He was inside, safe and sound. 
 
 SECOND ESCAPE 
 
 There could be no doubt about that. At the first turn of 
 the key the lock went forward twice; at the second, once. 
 Houdini was behind a triple lock in the dark, dreary cell. 
 
 The Express representative and the gaoler left him there, 
 and retired beyond an iron gate which bars the passage. 
 
 "The gate is a greater test than the cell," said the gaoler. 
 
"It's locked before it's locked, if you understand. Shut it, 
 and it's locked, and then you can lock it again." 
 
 The gaoler hand only secured it when Houdini presented 
 himself. 
 
 "That's as quick as I've ever done it," said he. And then 
 he tackled the gate. 
 
 A moment's hesitation. The gaoler shook his head, and a 
 smile was just overspreading his features, when lo! Houdini 
 flung open wide the gate. 
 
 He agreed that the gate was "tougher," as he expressed it, 
 than the cell. 
 
 Houdini is an American. Only his strong arms and his sup- 
 ple, yet powerful hands give the slightest clue of his prison- 
 breaking capacity. 
 
 He does not look a gaolbird, but the escape he made for the 
 benefit of Express readers was his 6ist. 
 
 Bright-eyed, smart, active, and a good talker, he has 
 traveled far and wide, and has broken out of the prisons of 
 many countries. 
 
 "I have never failed," said Houdini, "but I don't say there 
 is no cell I cannot break out of. As to handcuffs, the hardest 
 job I ever had was with a pair made at Krupp's. It took me 
 40 minutes to get out of them, but I did it." 
 
 gj Hou"din\ 1 tTdafr'; 2 u"dan', n. See Robert-Houdin. 
 i Hou'dl-ni, 1 hQ'dl-nl; 2 hu'dl-ni, Harry (V«1874- ). 
 American mystericist, wizard, and expert in extrication and 
 self»rolease.— hou 'di-nize, vU To release or extricate oneself 
 * from (confinement, bonds, or the like), as by wriggling out. 
 ,A Hou"dbn', 1 (Tdon/; 2 u'ddn', Jean Antolne (3/20 174l-Vi« 
 
 FROM FUNK & W AGNALL'S NEW (1920) DICTION ARY 
 rat » /* *•* • • ■ ' — — — ■ 
 
 37 
 
Houdini Outwits Fiji Islander 
 Swimming Champion. 
 
 Houdini, the man of mystery, who is now appearing in our 
 midst, is certainly a peculiar species of a human being. From 
 all accounts, the energy, the work and feats of this man will, 
 sometime in the future, be the finish of this now wonderful 
 and famous performer. 
 
 The restless striving to do something better than another 
 human being has brought him to the highest pinnacle of fame, 
 has earned for him princely salaries, and when one considers 
 the risks he has taken, no one can begrudge him the prime 
 minister's salary, which he is earning. 
 
 To show the restless craving of this man for excelling in 
 things where it is impossible to be of any value to him in any 
 way or form, an incident regarding this man is well worth 
 relating. He was returning from Australia, and the steamer, 
 after leaving Brisbane touched Suva, on the Fiji Islands, a 
 place infested with the most voracious man-eating sharks, 
 known in the world's history. It is stated that they will not 
 touch a black man, and perhaps, that is why the Fiji Islanders 
 stand in no fear of being devoured by sharks, and whenever a 
 shark enters the harbour, it is one of the sights of the country, 
 same as it is in Colombo or Port Said. The Natives dive for 
 coins that the passengers throw overboard. One big fellow 
 seemed to be a most wonderful diver and would always come 
 up with the coin in his mouth, pretending to the average 
 spectator that he had cought the coin in his mouth. 
 
 Houdini, being an observant spectator, claimed that the 
 man caught the coins in his hand, that is, picked the coin in 
 the water with his hand and placed it in his mouth. This was 
 disputed. Houdini, being offered to wager that if the man's 
 hands were tied behind his back, which would not impede 
 him in making his dive, that he could not catch the coin in 
 his mouth, and Houdini agreed that he would allow himself 
 to be handcuffed, with his hands behind his back, and that he 
 would come up with the coin in his mouth. 
 
An interpreter was called and the Black agreed to undergo 
 the test. The dive was to be made oft* the steamer, and the 
 Captain warned Houdini that he stood in grave danger of the 
 sharks. 
 
 Undaunted, Houdini went below, donned a bathing suit, 
 had a pair of regulation handcuffs locked behind his back; 
 the Black had his hands tied behind him with a cord — he re- 
 fused to have the handcuffs placed on him, and he said they 
 were too heavy — two coins were thrown overboard, two 
 splashes were simultaneously heard. 
 
 Quick as a tiger's spring the Fiji Islander, with his sleek, 
 glossy body, hurled himself through the air and was beneath 
 the surface of the water even while Houdini was perched for 
 his spring. But the jumps were so quickly made, one after 
 the other, that unless you saw the men as they entered the 
 water, you would have thought that it was one prolonged 
 splash. Thirty seconds passed; neither one of the two men ap- 
 peared. One minute passed, and the. black head of the Fiji 
 Islander came up, almost livid for want of air. Fifteen seconds 
 passed by, and, feet first, up came Houdini. 
 
 The Fiji Islander did not have his coin, and it seems that 
 Houdini had gathered both of them and had them in his mouth. 
 
 He was drawn up with exciting hurry, for the fins of the 
 sharks were seen moving about with rapidity, and, being 
 hauled on deck, Houdini was declared to have won the wager. 
 
 The Black's hands were released, were cut apart, the hand- 
 cuffs were unlocked from Houdini's wrists, and instead of 
 keeping the money, Houdini made it a present to the Black. 
 
 In a private interview, on being asked how he defeated the 
 Black, Houdini said with a good-natured smile, "You can 
 pick up a coin in a glass tank with your hands tied behind 
 your back, because you can use your mouth, teeth and tongue 
 lo manipulate the coin, but when you are in an ocean and the 
 coin is falling downwards it is almost next to impossible to 
 catch a coin and bring it up in your mouth. " 
 
 "You ask me how I did it? I will let you in the secret — I 
 didn't do it at all. When I was under the water I released one 
 of my hands which gave me the use of both of them; I caught 
 my coin and J noticed that the Black was unable to get his 
 coin. I swam ~fter him until he had given up trying to get 
 it, and we had gone down to such a distance that my ears 
 
 39 
 
rang, my head was splitting, and all I could see was the white 
 shining piece of money — it was an English two-shilling piece. 
 Eventually I grabbed the coin, put it in my mouth and came 
 up. As I came up, I happened to have my hands free and as 
 I could not stop myself with the force I had sent myself up 
 with my hands I turned around and came up feet first, and 
 this allowed me to put my hands behind my back and the 
 regulation handcuff, as you know, being a snap lock, I locked 
 my hands together and to all intents and purposes my hands 
 were locked during the entire feat. That is why I gave the 
 Fiji Islander the entire amount at stake." 
 
 "Was I afraid of the sharks?" 
 
 "Yes and No! Being able to see under water, I kept a sharp 
 look-out, and a soon, as I would have seen anything that looked 
 like a shark I would have done a record swim to the boat." 
 
 "No, I would not care to do it again; it was not for the 
 money, it was simply to show that I was as good a swimmer 
 as some of those Fiji Islanders." 
 
 HISTORICAL LOCK PICKERS. 
 
 It used to be the fashion among inventors to challenge the 
 trade and other persons, to pick them. 
 
 In some cases, even rewards were offered to any one who 
 could do so. 
 
 It is believed that Mr. Joseph Bramah was the first to do 
 this and in 1801, he displayed in his shop window in Piccadily, 
 London, a board to which was attached a padlock, manufactur- 
 ed by himself, and which bore the following inscription : — 
 
 "The artist who can make an instrument that will pick or 
 open this lock shall receive 200 guineas the moment it is 
 produced." 
 
 In 1832, a Wolverhampton locksmith, having claimed to 
 having picked 18 Chubb locks, Mr. Chubb challenged him to 
 open one of his locks under certain conditions. 
 
 Mr. Hart tried and failed, giving the explanation that it 
 was not the regular commercial Chubb lock, but one that had 
 a special bridge ward. 
 
 40 
 
Mr. Chubb replied that Mr. Hart did not pick any lock, but 
 made false keys by a process of cutting blanks. 
 
 In America the great lock of Dr. Andrews, in 1841, being 
 heralded as an unpickable lock, with two sets of tumblers, was 
 produced, the inventor offering 500 dollars to any one who 
 could pick this. 
 
 It was picked by Pettitt and Hall, of Boston, with what is 
 known as the smoke process. 
 
 1851. HOBBS PICKS BRAMAH AND CHUBB LOCK. 
 
 In 185 1 Mr. A. C. Hobbs arrived from America, picked a 
 Chubb lock before a committee, and picked the Bramah lock, 
 winning thereby the 200 guineas that for 50 years no one was 
 able to claim. 
 
 Mr. Hobbs offered 200 guineas to anyone who would pick 
 his lock. An engineer named Garbutt, known as an expert, 
 took up the challenge, and failed after trying thirty days. 
 
 1855.— YALE PICKS HOBBS' LOCK. 
 
 As an additional element to this controversy, in 1855, Lin- 
 nius Yale, Jr., discovered how to pick the then celebrated Day 
 and Newell Parautoptic Bank Lock. 
 
 It was of American origin, and was known in England as 
 Hobbs Lock, but was the invention of a Mr. Pyle. 
 
 Yale also discovered that he could pick the best Bank Lock 
 — the Double Treasury, which he himself had designed. 
 
 And eventually demonstrated that any lock having a key 
 hole could be opened by any expert with the necessary skill 
 and time at his disposal. 
 
 Accordingly Mr. Yale proceeded to develop the combination 
 or Dial Lock. 
 
 1870.— SARGENT PICKS YALE LOCK. 
 
 The general use of this lock led to the controversy in the 
 United States in 1870; and the Yale lock was picked by James 
 Sargent, of the firm of Sargent and Greenleaf, a lock inventor, 
 a leading maker of Bank Locks, and the inventor of the Time 
 Lock. 
 
 1905.— HOUDINI PICKS SARGENT LOCK. 
 
 Houdini bearded the lion in his den by escaping from a 
 Police Cell m Rochester, N. Y., which was securely locked 
 with one of the Sargent and Greenleaf Locks, placing himself 
 on record as one of the great lock pickers of the world. 
 
 Of the thousands of locks he has picked all over the world, 
 the following police certificates places him among the historic- 
 al lock pickers, in fact, second to none. 
 
 41 
 
POLICE HEADQUARTERS, ROCHESTER, N. Y. 
 U. S. OF AMERICA. 
 
 We, the undersigned, certify that we saw Harry Houdini, 
 the bearer of this note, stripped naked, searched, locked in one 
 of the cells at Police Headquarters, and handcuffed with three 
 pairs of cuffs, also strapped with a strap extending from pair 
 of cuffs and buckled at the back. 
 
 He removed the cuffs, unlocked the cell, got into an adjoin- 
 ing cell and returned with his clothes on. 
 
 After unlocking the cell in which he was first placed, he 
 had to unlock the cell in which his clothing was left. 
 
 This was witnessed by the following persons, at Police 
 Headquarters, this city, December 4th, 1905. 
 
 J. C. HAYDEN, Chief of Police. 
 
 Mr. James Sargent personally complimented Houdini on his 
 rare skill. They became friends and spent hours together ex- 
 changing lock opening secrets. 
 
 NOTE. — We beg to acknowledge our indebtedness to the following 
 publications for data used in this article — Price's Book on "Locks and 
 Keys" 1856; New International Encycleopedia 2nd Edition; (Dodd Mead 
 and Co., New York); and Encycleopedia Americana, J. M. Stoddart, 1886. 
 
 POLICE HEADQUARTERS, CHICAGO, ILL., U. S. OF 
 
 AMERICA. 
 
 This is to certify that the undersigned saw Harry Houdini 
 stripped stark naked, searched from head to foot, and shackled 
 with handcufTs around the wrists and leg irons around his 
 ankles. 
 
 He was then placed in a cell which required TWO LARGE 
 keys of different makes and patterns to open the lock. The 
 keys are of such a nature that it would have been positively 
 impossible for him to have concealed them on his body. 
 
 We searched the cell and thoroughly searched Houdini from 
 head to foot, also between his toes and the soles of his feet. 
 Nevertheless in fifteen minutes he managed to release himself 
 from the manacles and make his escape from the cell. 
 
 There was positively no chance for outside assistance. 
 
 (Signed), ANDREW ROHAN, 
 
 Chief of Detectives. Nov. 24, 1906. 
 
 42 
 
The Only Paper in the City that Dares Print the News 
 
 Los Angeles Record 
 
 21st Year. 
 
 WED. DEC. i, 1915. 
 
 No. 6485 
 
 2,000 HISS J. WILLARD. 
 
 CHAMPION DRIVEN PROM 
 
 THEATER BY HOOTS AND 
 
 CALLS 
 
 Boxing has been given its worst 
 black eye here to-day by none other 
 than Jess Willard, heavy-weight 
 champion who was so badly worsted 
 to a wordy clash with Harry 
 Houdini, a performer at the Orphe- 
 um Theater, last night, mat the au- 
 dience hissed him from the house. 
 
 Nearly 2,000 persons were present 
 at the dramatic scene and seemed 
 unanimous in groaning, hooting and 
 booing Willard. 
 
 The trouble was precipitated by 
 Willard 's gruif refusal to comply 
 witn a friendly request made by 
 Houdini that he act on a committee 
 to watch the performer's act from 
 the stage. 
 
 It was no + known that Willard was 
 present until Houdini came before 
 the footlights and requested any 
 "gentleman" in the audience to 
 step on the stage and guard those 
 present from any possible deception. 
 
 After about 10 men had stepped 
 on the platform, Houdin stepped 
 forward and said, smiling: 
 
 "Now I need three more gentle- 
 men on this stage and there is a 
 man here to-night who doesn't know 
 I am aware of his presence. He will 
 be enough for three ordinary gentle- 
 men if he will serve on this com- 
 mittee. " 
 
 "He is Jess Willard, our cham- 
 pion. ' ' 
 
 Taken by surprise, the audience 
 was silent for a moment and then 
 l>roke into tumultous hand-clapping. 
 Cheers and shrieks resounding 
 throughout the house. 
 
 Houdini looked up on the balcony, 
 where Willard was seated, and said: 
 
 "I will leave it to the audience, 
 Mr. Willard. You see they want to 
 see you." 
 
 A fresh outburst occurred, even 
 more violent than before. 
 
 "Aw, g'wan with your act," came 
 ! Willard 's rough reply as the audi- 
 ence stilled itself. "I paid for my 
 seat here." 
 
 "But, Mr. Willard," expostulated 
 Houdini, ' 'I — 
 
 "Give me the same wages you pay 
 those other fellows and I'll come 
 down," rumbled Willard 's deep 
 voice. 
 
 The audience, scenting something 
 unusual, was very quiet. 
 
 1 ' Sir, I will gladly do so, ' ' return- 
 ed Houdini, heatedly. "Come on 
 down — I pay thes* men nothing." 
 
 "Aw' g'wan with the show, 
 roarded Willard, gro ling something 
 that sounded like "four-flusher" and 
 "faker." 
 
 Willard 's boorish replies evidently 
 displeased those present, for a few 
 scattering hisses came about this 
 time. 
 
 Houdini steppeu to the footlights 
 and held up his hand for silence. 
 
 It was readily granted. 
 
 "Jess Willard, I have just paid 
 you a compliment," said Houdini 
 dramatically. "Now I want to tell 
 you something else. 
 
 "I will be Harry Houdini, Jess 
 Willard, when you are NOT the 
 heavyweight champion of the 
 world." 
 
 A roar of applause shook the 
 house. Men and women alike joined 
 in the clapping and cheering. 
 
 A deep rumble from the balcony 
 indicated that Willard was trying to 
 make some retort, and the cheerb 
 veered suddenly to hoots and groans. 
 
 "I made a mistake*" said Hou- 
 dini, addressing the audience. "I 
 asked GENTLEMEN to step on this 
 stage and GENTLEMEN only. 
 
 A renewed outburst occurred, dur- 
 ing which Willard evidently left the 
 theater. He was not to be found 
 after the next act had started. 
 
 43 
 
THE PICTURE SHOW. 
 
 Mar. 20th, 1920 
 
 Half-an-hour with Houdini, 
 
 THE EXPERT OF EXTRICATION 
 
 Danger does not mean anything to 
 me; I was just born without the in- 
 gredient of fear. Apart from the 
 many risks 'I nave taken in the 
 course of my professional career, 1 
 have saved lives any number of 
 times, and I have simply taken it all 
 as a matter of course. People talk 
 of being afraid to die; on the con- 
 trary, I am so well prepared for 
 such an emergency that not only is 
 my will drawn up, but I have a 
 bronze memorial bust all ready, be- 
 cause I thought it better to have 
 one that was really like me!" 
 THE HANDCUFF KING 
 
 Thus spoke Houdini, the " hand- 
 cuff king, " the great magician and 
 genius of escape, on a certain sunny 
 morning a few weeks ago. He sat 
 with his back to the light, but 
 though his face was in shadow the 
 compelling blue grey eyes, and 
 strong, bronzed features glowed with 
 an intensity and vitality such as one 
 rarely meets. 
 
 "Tell me," I begged, "are the 
 feats you do on the screen different 
 to those you do enact before the 
 footlights ?" 
 
 "Entirely different,' ' was the re- 
 
 "In fact, some of the biggest 
 critics have said that I am more 
 wonderful on the screen than on the 
 stage. That, I consider, is one of the 
 greatest compliments ever paid me. 
 But it has taken years of training 
 to produce the tricks, or problems, 
 I do in my films." 
 
 Houdini has made, to date, three 
 pictures. The first of these, "The 
 Master Mystery," a serial, is pott 
 enjoying enormous popularity all 
 over the country. The remaining 
 two, "The Grim 'Game." and "Ter- 
 ror Island," are feature pictures. 
 and are still unreleased by Para- 
 mount Artcraft though this year will 
 see the first-nameo" on onr seropns. 
 In the makinsr of "The Master Mys- 
 tery," Houdini sustained seven bin ok 
 eyes and a broken wrist. He niso 
 broke his wrist whilst making "The 
 Grim Game." 
 
 A TENSE MOMENT 
 
 "During the screening of this pic- 
 ture I thought at one time in the 
 course of the action, that my end had 
 come," he told me. "I was 3,000 
 feet up in an aeroplane, circling over 
 another machine. The plan was for 
 me to drop from my ; plane into the 
 cockpit of the other by means of a 
 rope. I was dangling from the rope- 
 end ready for the leap. Suddenly a 
 strong wind turned the lower plane 
 upwards, the two machines crashed 
 together — nearly amputating my 
 limbs — the propellers locked in a 
 deadly embrace, and we were spun 
 round and round and round." Hou- 
 dini pronounced the latter words 
 with a peculiarly apt "whirring" 
 intonation, graphically illustrating 
 them by the circular action of the 
 arms. "But," he continued, "by a 
 miracle, the ; planes were righted in- 
 to a half-glide, and, though they 
 were smashed into splinters by their 
 terrific impact, I managed to escape 
 unhurt. As usual, Houdini became 
 undone!" concluded the narrator 
 with a laugh. 
 
 HIS GREATEST STUNT 
 
 "What do you consider the great- 
 est stunt you have done for the 
 screen?" I asked, when I had re- 
 covered my breath. 
 
 "Another incident in the same 
 picture," answered Houdini. "I 
 stood in the archway of a prison, 
 thus " Here he took up a crouch- 
 ing position in the corner of the 
 room, and enacted the whole thing 
 for my benefit. "A heavily loaded 
 lorry, going at twenty-two or four 
 miles an hour rolled by me. I 
 threw myself on the ground, com- 
 pletely rolling over between the fast 
 revolving fore and hind wheels, over 
 and over, till I caught the trans- 
 mission bar. and hung there for very 
 doar life! Thus was I carried to the 
 aid of the heroine. Though my 
 words may not convey very much, 
 this was my greatest stunt. It al- 
 lowed for no rehearsals — I said to 
 
 44 
 
the camera-man, "Get this now or 
 never! " And had I made the slight- 
 est false move I should have been 
 crippled for life, if no't killed." 
 
 In spite 01 the risks he has taken 
 before the camera, Houdini has a 
 profound love and admiration for 
 the "movies." 
 
 "I think the film profession is the 
 greatest, ' ' he told me ' ' and that the 
 moving picture is the most wonderful 
 thing in the world. One reason why 
 I love the screen is because it has 
 use for the derelicts of life, and 
 gives employment to tin old as well 
 as the young. I entered the pro- 
 fession myself because I know I 
 should eventually be losing my 
 strength, and before that happened 
 I wanted to perpetuate my feats, and 
 by so doing everyone, in all parts 
 of the world, can see them. Pictures 
 have increased my drawing power 
 two-hundredfold. ' ' 
 
 Houdini, as related at the com- 
 mencement of this chat, had one of 
 his greatest compliments paid him 
 by critics of his film work, but be- 
 fore I left him he confessed that 
 what he considers the very greatest 
 tribute ever made to his unique 
 achievements is recorded in a dic- 
 tionary! Turn to Funk and Wag- 
 nail's Standard Dictionary, and 
 there you will find it: 
 
 1 * HOU 'DI-NI. I, hn 'di-ni ; 
 
 2, hn 'di-ni, HARRY (4-6, 1874). 
 American mystericist, wizard, and 
 expert in extrication and self-re- 
 lease HOU'DI-NIZE vt. To re- 
 lease or extricate oneself from 
 (confinement, bonds, or the like), 
 as by wriggling out." 
 So, taking Houdini all in all, I 
 may consider the fact that this won- 
 der-man, this "expert in extrica- 
 tion," made no effort to escape from 
 at least one thing this interview! 
 
 MAY HERSCHEL CLARKE. 
 
 TF 
 
 Sat] 
 
 ROCHESTER EVENING TIMES 
 
 1916 
 
 [Nov. 4 
 
 Minister uses Houdini' s name for Sermon 
 
 His Art of Getting Out of Things as 
 Topic of Sermon 
 
 The *>ame of Houdini, who has 
 been a ^eadliner at a local theater 
 this week will figure i the sermon 
 at the Genesee Street Baptist Church, 
 to-morrow morning, where the pastor, 
 
 Rev. Clark, will talk on "Houdini 
 and the Art of Getting Out of 
 Things." The pastor, however, in- 
 sures that he will reveal none of the 
 vital points of the art, but declares 
 that the sermon will be entirely 
 spiritual. 
 
 45 
 
THE SUN 
 
 Pittsburg 
 
 Monday, Nov. 6th, 1916 
 
 20,000 People see Houdini 
 Thrilling Air Struggle. 
 
 Swaying, head downwards, like a 
 grotesque human pendulum, 50 feet 
 above the pavement in front of The 
 Sun Building, Harry Iloudini, 
 "handcuff king," defier of locks, 
 bars and bonds, freed himself from 
 the grip of a canvas, leather-rein- 
 forced straightjacket, in a fraction 
 more than three minutes, shortly 
 after 12-40 o'clock this afternoon. 
 
 The waving of his free hands and 
 arms, that a crowd estimated at 20,- 
 000 has seen bound by two attend- 
 ants from the May view (old Mar- 
 shalsea) Hospital for the Insane, told 
 the watchers that Houdini had 
 achieved one of the most unique 
 feats in his strange career. As he 
 
 WIZARD TIED IN 
 JACKET IS FREE 
 IN 3 MINUTES. 
 
 ^TRAPPED TIGHTLY BY 
 GUARDS FROM MAYVIEW 
 HE HANGS HEAD DOWN 
 
 WARD. 
 SUN BUILDING IS SCENE. 
 WHILE SPINNING DIZZILY 
 FIFTY FEET ABOVE PAVE- 
 MENT HE ESCAPES FROM 
 
 BONDS. 
 
 was lowered swiftly to the ground, 
 a great cheer arose, followed by an- 
 other and another as he stood up- 
 right and bowed to the throng which 
 not only packed the streets but filled 
 every window and roof top within 
 view of the scene. 
 
 WIZARD IS ON TIME 
 
 Urbane, smiling, the elusive Hou- 
 dini appeared in the office of "The 
 Sun" at 12o 'clock. R. D. Polling 
 and H. Guthrie, the two attendants 
 from Mayview detailed to truss him 
 up, awaited him, and with them the 
 straight-jacket, in a satshel. 
 
 Houdini shook hands with both 
 men, speaking humorously of his po- 
 sition as substitute for the deranged 
 
 46 
 
persons the two Attendants ordinar- 
 ily handle. The two men, clad in the 
 white uniforms used by them when 
 on duty, surveyed their voluntary 
 victim noted his short, stocky form, 
 his powerful arms and shoulders, his 
 steady, bright eyes. 
 
 Both have had long experience in 
 binding frenzied men. Both were de- 
 termined, they told Houdini, to use 
 the full resource of that experience 
 iu binding him. They knew the 
 prowess of the man the^" had to deal 
 with. They did not comment upon 
 the outcome of the test. 
 
 They were there, they said, to do 
 their work as best they knew how. 
 
 Houdini urged speed of action, and 
 absolute surety in fastening tn*. in- 
 numerable straps tn« straight- 
 jacket. 
 
 " Treat me," he advised, smilling, 
 "as you would the most dangerous 
 of the criminal insane. " 
 
 EVERY MOVE IS WATCHED 
 
 The strait-jacket was taken out of 
 the satchel. The handcuff king ex- 
 amined it carefully, while a group 
 of persons looked on. Not a move 
 he made was lost. He dropped the 
 piece of canvas and leather careless- 
 ly, smiled again, and said: 
 
 "Very good. Are we ready ?" 
 
 It was almost 12-30 o'clock. Hou- 
 dini glanced out the window, and 
 again his characteristic, quiet smile 
 came to his face as he saw Wood 
 street and Liberty avenue congest- 
 ed from wall to wall with closely 
 packed, restless humanity. 
 
 Then a white-clad attendant on 
 each side, he went downstairs to the 
 street to be bound. 
 
 A suppressed shout came from the 
 crowd as he appeared in the door- 
 way of The Sun building. It in- 
 creased in volume as with the at- 
 tendants and two members of The 
 Sun" at 12 o'clock. R. D. Polling 
 wagon that had been pulled up on 
 the pavement, and that was serving 
 as a stage. 
 
 Above him, like a gallows, a single 
 beam projected from a window at 
 the top story of the building, and a 
 rope swung clear, coiling in sinister 
 fashion at his feet. 
 
 Houdini had removed the outer 
 clothing from the upper part of his 
 body. 
 
 "Ready," he said. 
 
 STRAPS ARE FASTENED 
 
 The two attendants pressed close. 
 His arms were inserted in the long, 
 closed sleeves of the strait jacket. 
 One of the attendants clasped him 
 about the body, as if fearing he 
 would make some mad effort to es- 
 cape. The other standing behind 
 him, fastened strap after strap, with 
 a steady deftness that made both 
 for security and speed, and revealed 
 long practice. 
 
 "Make it tight," came the quiet 
 word from the prisoner. 
 
 The man's knees went up for pur- 
 chase in the small of Houdini 's back. 
 Using apparently every ounce of 
 strength in his broad-shouldered six- 
 foot body, the attendant drew the 
 big strap through the buckle until it 
 would not yield even a sixteenth of 
 an inch more. He caught it there 
 and made it fast. 
 
 Then the arms of the prisoner were 
 crossed over his body, and the ends 
 of those closed sleeves were brought 
 around in back. Again the knee 
 was brought into use. Again the 
 strap was pulled to its highest ten- 
 sion. 
 
 The crowd watched, stirred with a 
 constant murmur and movement. 
 
 Then Houdini 's ankles were fast- 
 ened to the rope, by a special appli- 
 ance that prevented injury, but in- 
 sured safety. 
 
 A word was spoken. The two at- 
 tendants seized the bound man *s 
 body. Workmen drew the ropo 
 steadily through the pulleys. Hou- 
 dini 's feet went up, and as his body 
 cleared the platform, it was released. 
 HANGS IN MID-AIR 
 
 The handcuff king dangled head 
 downward. Each moment he was 
 drawn higher, swaying slightly, spin- 
 ning dizzily. Up-up, past the win- 
 dows in the fifth story of the Sun 
 building. Houdini was drawn. 
 
 Then he hung still. 
 
 Only for a second. While watchers 
 gleamed in the crowd below, the 
 handcuff king was seen to struggle, 
 not frantically, but with a steady, 
 systematic swelling and contracting 
 of muscles, and almost imperceptible 
 lithe, wrigglings of the torso. 
 
 The struggle went on. One minute 
 — two — then three 
 
 47 
 
Would he do it f Hundreds in the 
 crowd undoubtedly were asking that 
 question. From above came an in- 
 articulate shout. The muffled arms 
 writhed one after another over 
 Houdini 's head. His hand, still en- 
 cased in the sleeves of the strait- 
 jacket, fumbled quickly and effec- 
 tively with the buckles at his back. 
 Another contortion and the strait- 
 jacket slipped down over his chest, 
 over his head, and was flung from 
 his arms to the street, in a crumpled 
 heap. 
 
 Houdini was free. 
 
 The arms waved. Houdini had 
 triumphed — as he always triumphs. 
 Less than a minute later, while 
 
 the crowd's cheers still rang against 
 the grey walls of surrounding build- 
 ings, he slipped down the face of 
 the building to the platform. The 
 attendants received him in a twink- 
 ling, and he stood erect, unconscious- 
 ly throwing back his broad should- 
 ers. 
 
 The little man with the touch of 
 grey at his temples bowed quietly, 
 still with that imperturbable smile. 
 And the crowd cheered him again, 
 before it began slowly to dissolve. 
 
 Houdini duplicated this feat at the 
 Boston Post, Boston, Mass., Decem- 
 ber 22, 1921, drawing the biggest 
 crowd that ever crushed into Tre- 
 mont Street. 
 
 Trophy 
 won by 
 Houdini. 
 
 The accompanying illustration is the prize offered by the Australian 
 Aerial League for the first successful flight on a heavier than air mac- 
 nine. Won by Houdini March 16, 1910, Digger's Rest, near Melbourne 
 Australia. Houdini piloted his own machine — a Voision Biplane equipped 
 with a E.N.V. 60.80 H.P. Motor. During his Australian Tour Houdini btM© 
 18 successful flights. 
 
 48 
 
LONDON, EN (i LAND 
 
 HOLBORN EMPIRE BESIEGED BY CROWD INSIDE 
 
 AND OUTSIDE— UNPARALLELED SCENES 
 
 WITNESSED IN HIGH HOLBORN— 
 
 POLICE RESERVES CALLED OUT 
 
 A packed house, to show its disapproval of the manage- 
 ment's action, remains at the Holborn Empire, from 2 :00 to 
 9:00 P. M., waiting for Houdini's appearance as advertised. 
 Police forces were called out as the matinee crowd, refusing 
 to leave the theatre, the evening crowd blockaded traffic, 
 being unable to gain admittance. Unparalleled scenes wit- 
 nessed in High Holborn. 
 
 "THE PERFORMER" LONDON ENGLAND, 
 DECEMBER 15, 1910. 
 
 A STAND FOR JUSTICE 
 
 Houdini's Protest 
 
 "For some mysterious reason, surprisingly little attention 
 has been given in the daily papers to a remarkable "scene" 
 at the Holborn Empire last Thursday, when Houdini made 
 a plucky and public-spirited protest against prevailing ma- 
 tinee methods. We must, we suppose, attribute to the present 
 obsession of politics the scant attention given to a very un- 
 usual incident, of interest alike to the public and the profes- 
 sion. 
 
 "Having received an intimation from the management 
 that, although he was topping the week's bill, his services 
 would not be required at the Thursday matinee, Wing to 
 the length of the programme,' Houdini expressed himself 
 perfectly agreeable to this arrangemnt, subject to the condi- 
 tion that due intimation should be given to the public that 
 he would not be appearing. 
 
 "This condition not being complied with, he took an oppor- 
 tunity of going on to the stage at the conclusion of one of the 
 matinee turns in order to quietly explain the reason for his 
 non-appearance and to show that it was not his fault that he 
 was breaking faith with the public. He did not urge the 
 
 49 
 
audience, as was stated in some reports, to stay until he 
 appeared, but said that he assumed some at least had come to 
 see him perform and that it seemed to him such were cer- 
 tainly to have their money back if they did not see him. 
 
 "The performance went on quietly until "God Save the 
 King/' when the audience took the matter into its own hands. 
 and refused to disperse, calling for Houdini to appear. After 
 a scene of considerable excitement, 150 persons ultimately 
 accepted the management's offer of vouchers for another per- 
 formance and left the building, but the great bulk of the au- 
 dience remained until after the conclusion of Houdini's per- 
 formance at the first evening house, when they trooped out,. 
 leaving the place only a quarter full. 
 
 The queues which formed up for the first house had in the 
 main to be accommodated at the second house, and great 
 difficulty was experienced in controlling the further arrivals 
 for the second performance. 
 
 "The audience's just appreciation of Houdini's protest was 
 voiced in the remarks of a Labor leader who helped to beguile 
 the interval between the afternoon and evening houses by 
 making a speech. He said that he had frequently attended 
 such matinees, and had always attributed the frequent failure 
 of some one or more well-known artists to appear to his (or 
 her) personal indifference or indolence, but that now they 
 knew the real reason why the public were disappointed. 
 
 "In view of a managerial allegation to the afternoon audi- 
 ence that Houdini was not allowed to appear because he had 
 broken his contract, we quote from a further considered pro- 
 test with which Houdini prefaced his performance at the first 
 house in the evening. He said: 
 
 " 'Before proceeding with my performance this evening, I 
 believe that there is an explanation due to a great many who 
 are assembled here as to the cause of my non-appearance here 
 this afternoon, and if it would interest you to hear, I will 
 explain. I wish to inform you that it is positively no fault of 
 mine, because I was here in the building, ready to work, but 
 the management refused to allow me to go on. I will read a 
 number of letters that I have here, which thoroughly explain 
 the case, and I wish to inform you that I have plaved a good 
 many weeks on this tour, and never knew exactly where I 
 was going until a few days ahead. I was billed to appear at 
 the Holbora a short time ago, and, without any notification 
 
 50 
 
whatever, I was sent to Woolwich, and the public received 
 no explanation why I did not appear here. 
 
 " 'Very likely a great many thought that I had broken faith 
 with the public, and last night I received a letter — dated the 
 5th — after the second performance (about iio'clock) which 
 was 33 hours later than dated, notifying me that my services 
 were not required for the matinee performance/ 
 
 "Having quoted this letter and his reply stating, the con- 
 dition on which he was agreeable to the arrangement, Houdini 
 continued: 
 
 " 'Now, ladies and gentlemen, I wanted to keep faith with 
 the public, and informed the management that I would give 
 the salary that I was earning at the matinee to the V. A. B. F. 
 if they would only allow me to appear, as I knew my reputa- 
 tion was at stake. Being billed, and not appearing, what would 
 the public think? Despite this, I was not allowed to appear, 
 and I trust that those who are assembled here this evening 
 will see my motive in allowing the public to know the real 
 cause of my non-appearance, and that 'it was positively not 
 my fault/ 
 
 "The first result of this dignified protest was that Houdini's 
 services were, notwithstanding notice to the contrary, re- 
 quisitioned for the Saturday matinee." 
 
 Houdini, in his speech to the audience that evening, was 
 forcible and to the point, informing them that it was the 
 greatest compliment that had ever been paid him — an audi- 
 ence waiting seven hours in a theatre for him — and that he 
 would never forget it — and he never will. 
 
 Boston Daily Globe, March 19, 1906. 
 
 HOUDINI ESCAPES FROM CITY PRISON 
 
 Handcuffed, Ironed, and Locked in Cell, He takes only 16 
 Minutes to Get Out and over the Wall 
 
 Harry Houdini, the young man who, apparently, cannot be 
 held in restraint by steel bars, handcuffs, prison locks, or other 
 restraining measures, gave the Boston Police Department 
 a terrific jolt this forenoon when he escaped from double con- 
 finement in the city prison, commonly known as the Tombs, 
 
 51 
 
SUPT.WllUAMHPieRCt, 
 WHO LOCKED CEJ-LIXXR3 
 
 a prison which the heads of 
 the police department had 
 confidently believed to be 
 escape proof. 
 
 Superintendent of Police 
 William H. Pierce person- 
 ally superintended the con- 
 finement of Houdini, him- 
 self locked the wizard into 
 a cell on the second tier of 
 the prison, after he had 
 clamped handcuffs on his 
 wrists and leg- irons about 
 his ankles, and the super- 
 intendent's face wore a 
 smile of confidence and as- 
 surance after he had locked the cell doors and went down 
 into the office of the prison to await results. 
 
 The superintendent's smile didn't wholly come off when, a 
 few minutes later, he learned that Houdini not only had 
 escaped from his cell, but that he had escaped from the prison, 
 and was nearly a half-mile away; but the smile was faded and 
 frayed at the edges, and no questioning could get the superin- 
 tendent to say what he thought of the wonderful performance. 
 All that could be gotten out of him was, "I have nothing 
 to say." 
 
 Heretofore the police have believed that no one locked in a 
 cell at the Tombs could possibly get out; but Houdini not only 
 got out, but he opened door after door after he had removed the 
 handcuffs and leg irons, and walked from one part of the 
 prison to another with apparently as much freedom as though 
 he wasn't met every few feet with a lock that had been 
 considered impregnable. 
 
 CLOSELY SEARCHED FOR KEYS. 
 
 Briefly, here is just what happened: Houdini had secured 
 permission from Superintendent Pierce to make an effort to 
 escape from the city prison, and this forenoon, in the presence 
 of about 30 men, the superintendent let Houdini into cell No. 
 77 on the ground floor of the Tombs, where Houdini, in the 
 presence of the witnesses of the test, removed every stitch 
 
 52 
 
ostoti Journal, Tuesday, March 20, ipoti. . 
 
 5HACKLED AND LOCKED IN, HOUDINI BREAKS JAIL 
 
 :entral figures in wizard houdinfs mystifying jail escape and 
 diagram of his movements. 
 
of his clothing, which he left lying on the bunk in the cell. 
 When he came out, Capt. Clarence A. Swan, the keeper of the 
 prison, locked the cell ioor upon Houdini's clothing, and then 
 the young man was UJten to the second floor of the block of 
 
 Inside the Cell at the City Tombs, Boston, Mass. 
 
 cells, where Superintendent Pierce and a number of the men 
 witnessing the test searched his hair for possible concealed 
 keys or other instruments. Not a thing was found, and 
 Houdini even asked to have his feet examined so there would 
 
 54 
 
be no question of his hewing 
 
 a key concealed between his 
 toes, and this was done. 
 
 Theri Sttpeinnteiidteiit PiST* 
 took a pair of the fnost dp- 
 proved handcuffs used in the" 
 police department and fast- 
 ened them securely about 
 Houdini's wrists, and on his 
 
 SUP'T. P/ERCE 
 LEFT HIM 5HACKKD 
 Arto HAnGcu^'f eo 
 
 supt Pierce 
 
 SAT CHUCKUNG 
 m TH& CAPtAlfi % $ i 
 OFFfCC WAjr/NGl 
 
 for. houOini re* 
 WHISTLE FOR HIM. 
 
 thi SIXTEEN MHXUTtt AF 
 aeiMC LOCKED UP HE ESCAPE* 
 OVER. THF WALL . 
 
 Caricatures by permission of Boston Post. 
 
 bare ankles he clamped a pair 
 of tested steel leg irons so 
 tightly that the iron sank into 
 the flesh. After that Houdini 
 was locked in cell No. 60, and 
 Superintendent Pierce and the 
 witnesses went downstairs and 
 out into the office, expecting 
 Houdini would go there, pro- 
 viding he got out of his cell. 
 
 THE SUP'T FOUND THE SHACKLES 
 AMD HANDCUFFS _8UT MO HOUDlNt. 
 
 55 
 
and the police officials who were present seemed to feel pretty 
 confident that he couldn't do that. This feeling was shared 
 by some of the outsiders present, who could not bring them- 
 selves to believe that it could be done. 
 
 The only condition Houdini attached to his performance 
 was that no one should be allowed to go into the part of the 
 prison where he was confined to watch him escape, and the 
 superintendent and the witnesses respected that condition, 
 and most of them stayed in the captain's office. A few of the 
 
 Photo with permission of the Boston Globe. 
 Over the Wall at the City Tombs, Boston, Mass. 
 
 witnesses, however, went out into Somerset Street to wait and 
 watch ; for, knowing Houdini, they were prepared to see him 
 come out anywhere. 
 
 These confident ones were rewarded for their trust, for 16 
 minutes after Houdini had been locked, naked, handcuffed, and 
 ironed by the legs, into cell 60, he was seen running, fully 
 dressed, except that he had not put on his collar and tie, 
 across the prison yard, to climb up the wall leading into 
 Somerset Street, to vault the iron railing at the top, and then 
 to leg it like a scared rabbit over the hill in the direction of 
 Keith's Theatre. 
 
 56 
 
 J J 
 
THE LITERARY HOUDINI 
 
 As is the case with many great men, the gift of being able 
 to do many things, and to do each thing well, is Houdini's, 
 who besides his achievements as a mystifier has also won wide 
 recognition as an author. That he has found time to write 
 a great deal is attested by his list of books, namely: "Miracle 
 Mongers and Their Methods/' "The Unmasking of Robert 
 Houdin," "The Sane Side of Spiritualism," "The Right Way 
 to do Wrong," "Magic Made Easy," "My Training and my 
 Tricks," "Paper Prestidigitation," "Handcuff Secrets," "Magic- 
 al Rope Ties and Escapes," "Good Night Stories for Children," 
 "Dan Cupid the Magician" (a series) and "Magicians' 
 Romances." Numerous magazine articles and stories swell 
 his literary output to greater proportions. Editor for two 
 years on standard work of magic, "The Conjurors Magazine." 
 
 In addition he has also written the stories for the feature 
 films in which he was starred, namely, "The Man From Be- 
 yond" and "Haldane of the Secret Service," which were pic- 
 ttirized by his own producing organization, Houdini Picture 
 Corporation ; "The Grim Game" and "Terror Island," written 
 in collaboration with Arthur B. Reeve and John W. Grey, 
 produced by Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. 
 
 HOUDINI PICTURE CORPORATION 
 
 In 1921, upon returning from his triumphant tour of Great 
 Britain, Houdini orgnized his own film producing company 
 for the purpose of making special feature pictures. The com- 
 pany, incorporated as Houdini Picture Corporation, capitalized 
 at $500,000, began operations in the spring. 
 
 At the time of this writing two features have been com- 
 pleted — "The. Man from Beyond" and "Haldane of the Secret 
 Service." The first is characterized by those who have seen 
 it at private pre-release showings as the most unusual picture 
 ever screened, containing, as it does, originality of thought, 
 novelty of treatment, and a thrilling finish that encompasses 
 any thrilling situation yet produced for motion pictures. 
 
 The second picture, with interlocking scenes taken abroad, 
 tells a mystery story and likewise demonstrates the ingenuity 
 and resourcefulness of Houdini as producer, author and star. 
 
 Both pictures will soon be released to the public. 
 
 57 
 
Scenes from Photoplays 
 
 a 
 
 
 
 JESSE L. LASKY 
 Presents 
 
 1 \>WTr%* * ~ ~ v- "' 
 
 
 HOUDINI 
 
 IN 
 
 H» Jjfl 
 
 "The 
 
 ^^//k El ^ 
 
 Grim 
 
 r"" i! *-$■ • 
 
 Game" 
 
 ^H 
 
 A Paramount-Artcraft 
 Picture 
 
 — wk M 
 
 ■P 
 
 
 
 
 BlHi til 
 
 This picture con- 
 tains the only air- 
 plane collision in the 
 clouds ever photo- 
 graphed. 
 
 $1,000 reward to 
 anyone proving the 
 collision in the 
 clouds is not genu- 
 ine. 
 
 58 
 
Starring Houdini 
 
 JESSE L. LASKY 
 Presents 
 
 HOUDINI 
 
 IN 
 
 "TERROR 
 ISLAND" 
 
 A Para mount -Arte raft 
 Picture 
 
 The most amazing 
 under water scenes 
 ever enacted were re- 
 corded by the camera 
 for "Terror Island." 
 
 68 
 
Scenes from Photoplays 
 
 HOUDINI PICTURE 
 
 CORP. 
 
 Presents 
 
 HOUDINI 
 
 in 
 
 "The 
 Man 
 From 
 Beyond" 
 
 Shortly to be 
 Released 
 
 60 
 
Starring Houdini 
 
 HOUDINI PICTURE 
 CORP. 
 
 Presents 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 j 
 
 H O XJ O I N I 
 
 in 
 
 "Haldane 
 
 of the 
 
 Secret 
 
 Service" 
 
 An International 
 Mystery Drama 
 shortly to be re- 
 leased. 
 
 61 
 
Picture Plays, Confessions Album. 
 
 No. 14.— MR. HARRY HOUDINI 
 
 1. What is your favorite theater? 
 
 All the world is a theater to 
 jae. 
 
 2. Which is your favorite hobhy? 
 
 Browsing in old bookstalls, 
 seeking old dramatic items for 
 my library. 
 
 3. Which is your favorite pastime? 
 
 Out door athletics and long 
 distance swims. 
 
 1. Which is your favorite song? 
 ' ' Auld Lang Syne. ' ' 
 
 5. Which is your favorite sweet- 
 meat? 
 
 Candied fruits. 
 
 6. 
 
 Mrs. HARRY HOUDINI 
 
 What is your idea of com- 
 fort? 
 Seated in a large arm chair 
 
 in library and hearing Mrs. 
 
 Houdini call up: "Young 
 
 man your lunch is ready. " 
 
 7. Which is your unlucky day? 
 
 Haven't any; an unfortunate 
 incident at any time simply 
 builds a foundation for some- 
 thing better. 
 
 8. What is your favorite motto? 
 
 "And this, too — shall pass 
 away. ' ' 
 
 10. 
 
 When have you felt at your 
 worst? 
 
 Once when sailing round the 
 world, at a longitude ox 80', we 
 had two Tuesdays in one week 
 and no Wednesday, which meant 
 losing a Christmas, and I was 
 seasick at the time. It will be 
 an awful thing to eclipse my 
 painful anguish. 
 
 What is your pet aversion? 
 
 The bald-headed man who 
 says: "Ah, I remember you 
 when I was a boy." 
 
 11. 
 
 MY MOTHER 
 
 What is your greatest am- 
 bition? 
 To live a life and die being 
 
 worthy of the mother who 
 
 bore me. 
 
 12. 
 
 13. 
 
 11. 
 
 What is your favorite holiday 
 resort? 
 
 Hollywood, California. 
 Who is your favorite author? 
 My dad. 
 
 What is your idea of misery? 
 
 Arriving in a town at mid- 
 night on a drizzly wet, foggy 
 night, and finding all the hotels 
 full up. 
 
 62 
 
Snap shot photograph of packing case containing six hundred pounds 
 of iron weights and Houdini, as it was dropped into New York Bay. 
 Houdini escaped from the box at the bottom of the bay in two minutes 
 and fifty-five seconds. 
 
 63 
 
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 64 
 
How w 
 
 JAMES H. HAWHI, W. C»»TSON U**EW. 
 
 WftftOffk OEPUTY WARDEN, 
 
 United <§iate§ @I<ail, 
 
 9$£*&«^4», 2D. *&., January..6th, /#?6 
 
 This is to certify that Mr. Harry Houdlni , at the United States 
 Jail today, was stripped stark naked, thoroughly searched, and locked 
 up in cell No. 2 of the South Wing, --the cell in which Charles J. 
 Guiteau, the assassinator of President Garfield, was confined dur- 
 ing hie incarceration, from the date of his commitment, July 2nd, 
 l88l, until the day on which he was executed, June 30th, 1882. 
 Kr. Houdini, In about two minutes, managed to escape from that cell, 
 and then broke into the cell in which his clothing was locked up. 
 He then proceeded to release from their cells all the prisoners on 
 the ground floor. There was positively no chance for any confed- 
 eracy or collusion. 
 > Mr, Houdini accomplished all of the above-mentioned facts, in 
 addition to putting on all his clothing, in twenty-one minuteB, 
 
 Warden United States Jail, D. C. 
 
 AUDUBON PRINTERS 
 MITCHEL SQUARE 
 N K W YORK 
 
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 CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT 
 
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 ALL BOOKS MAY BE RECALLED AFTER 7 DAYS 
 
 1 -month loans may be renewed by calling 642-3405 
 
 6-month loans may be recharged by bringing books to Circulation Desk 
 
 Renewals and recharges may be made 4 days prior to due date 
 
 DUE AS STAMPED BELOW 
 
 SENT ON ILL 
 
 WAYlOfflff 
 
 •■'EB 1 7 2006 
 
 RbC. C 1 UPR 21 '77 
 
 <J.C BERKgjjEY 
 
 DEC 26 1979 
 
 kccir. NOV 31 1979 
 
 iJCCz 197J 
 jflLfiML DEC 2 1979 
 
 2 1980 
 REC.cia.Juna 3 3 p 
 
 FORM NO. DD 6, 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY 
 BERKELEY, CA 94720