(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
millions. 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 accomplished mixed with a
little imagination would create as many more suppositions of this kind
as this book could contain.
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 of Houdini's powers. It is often
the best way to see the full scope of a cause by carefully ascertaining
its effect. This analytical method is equally applicable to Houdini,
and recognizing the harm he would receive were his secrets confided to
unworthy 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 marvelous knowledge of
human nature, to his physical prowess that is far greater than appears
from a merely superficial inspection, and, last and greatest of all, to
the fact that the majority of people witnessing his wonders attribute a
quasi supernatural power.
His press clipping books teems with 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 handcuff escapes. Columns upon columns of
laudatory press criticisms 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 what 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 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 his escapes. And so, ad infitum.
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 endeavors 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 exploits to amuse and
entertain the audiences, Houdini hit upon the feat of escaping from
ropes tied round him in every conceivable 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 trial shows, got a
contract for two weeks, then one for six months at £60 a week.
[Illustration: HOUDINI AT DIFFERENT AGES OF HIS CAREER]
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 admissions all over Continental Europe.
In the week he performed 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 prisoner." 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 [Illustration: pointing]
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.
[Illustration: NEW YORK
THE GREAT WHITE WAY]
His leap from the Frederichstrasse Bridge, in Berlin, Germany, heavily
manacled, September 5th, 1908; his daring plunge into the Weser,
Bremen, having to break through ice, Paris, from the roof of the
gruesome Morgue, April 7th, 1909, brought record houses at the Circus
Busch, Berlin, and Alhambra 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, Landshut, Bavaria, April
14th, 1909, and was drowned.
Cold waters have no terrors for Houdini, as he dived manacled 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 Elephant, 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 Submarine 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 inventions, 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 gave his services to the Government, giving performances in
the camps, for two consecutive years, not accepting 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 originally 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 January, 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
contract 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.