Chase gave a gasp of fear, and then cried, "Have you come to 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 Howlett 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 minutes 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 prisoners, 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 confederacy. Mr. Houdini accomplished all of
the above-mentioned feats, in addition to putting on all
his clothing, in 21 minutes.
"J. H. HARRIS.
"Warden United States Jail, D. C."
* * * * *
Major Sylvester yesterday prepared for Houdini the following 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 discovered
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
department has been instructed as to the adoption of
further security 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."
* * * * *