HARRY HOUDINI, THE AMERICAN HANDCUFF KING, SUES THE COLOGNE POLICE FOR
LIBEL, AND WINS!!!
A Condensed History of the Lawsuit Against the Cologne Police!
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 "magnetic" 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 published 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 press of Germany had
copied; but was simply laughed at for his trouble.
Engaging the best lawyer of Cologne, Herr Rechtsantwalt Dr. Schreiber,
Louisenstrasse 17, this able lawyer defended Houdini in all three
instances.
[Illustration: Houdini, as Chained and Handcuffed Before the Judges in
the First Trial of His Action Against the Royal Police of Cologne.]
The first trial occurred in Cologne, Feb. 19, 1902; in this trial
Houdini charged the Schutzman Werner Graff for publicly slandering 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, "Strafkammer."
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.
* * * * *
The following is a free translation of what the press had to say at the
second trial.
[Illustration: Houdini as Handcuffed and Manacled by the San Francisco
Police, July, 1899.]
In the highest court (Strafkammer zu Köln Yuli 26, 1902) Police Officer
Werner Graff was found guilty of slandering Harry Houdini, heavily
fined, he must pay all costs, and insert an advertisement in all of the
Cologne newspapers, proclaiming his punishment, at the same time, "IN
THE NAME OF THE KING," openly apologize to Houdini for insulting him.
This open apology is the severest punishment 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 Schöffengericht Köln, 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 to 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
would open it_.
This lock they challenged Houdini to open, to prove that he was not
misrepresenting.
_Houdini accepts the challenge, walks into the room selected by the
jury where he could work unhindered. In four minutes, with a quiet
smile, reenters the court room, and hands the judges the prepared 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.
[Illustration: Houdini as Handcuffed and Manacled by the Dresden
(Germany) Police, September, 1900.]
[Illustration: Houdini as Handcuffed, Elbow-ironed, and Thumbscrewed by
the Berlin Police, October, 1900.]
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 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: