Tomorrow marks the day that Houdini first performed the Water Torture Cell. It was April 29, 1911 that Houdini performed the escape in South Hampton, as part of a 1 act play with 2 scenes called Challenged or Houdini Upside Down.

So today, I thought I would share the actual challenge from the play:

Dear Sir,

We the undersigned members of the Eccentric Club, hereby challenge you to escape from the aquarium we have in the lounge-room at our clubhouse, into which we intend to place, you, under the following conditions:

First of all, we have constructed a lid or cover, to fit over this aquarium, which separates in the middle, as per drawing herewith:

This cover will be fitted with four locks, such as are used on traveling trunks, with long brass hasps. We intend locking your feet in this cover, after which we place around this cover a metal square so that, even if the locks were opened, you could not possibly release your feet.

On this metal square we will have rings placed and, after we have you securely locked into this cover, we will place two locks in these rings, fastened to a cable and, with the aid of derrick or winch, we will hoist you up into the air, turn you in an upside-down position, and place you over the aquarium.

We will then lower you down into the aquarium, head first. Excluding the possibility of your breathing when under water, we will proceed to lock the lid down to the aquarium at each corner, making use of our locks and as many of these as we see fit.

We will allow you make use of any covering or drapery you wish, and allow you in this way to conceal your methods of escape.

In the event of any accident occurring which will prevent your making your escape, we are not to be held responsible for this accident in any shape or form.

If you manage to release yourself and make your escape, we stand willing to pay the sum of L1,000 which we have deposited as a side-bet. You may attempt this feat either publicly or privately, as you see fit. We demand the right to select our own committee, and you can select a like number of gentlemen to represent you.

Trusting to hear from you, we remain

I find the description of the first Water Torture Cell and cover with a metal square placed around it very interesting.

I wonder what happened to this prototype?

Special Thanks to George Goebel for sharing the play with illustrations during our very special visit.

Note: The one act play and its two scenes can be read in its entirety in Patrick Culliton’s excellent books, Houdini’s Strange Tales (collection of fiction by the legendary Harry Houdini) and Houdini – the Key.

Bonus:A one of a kind broadside for this challenge sold at Potter & Potter Auction yesterday.

I recently have come across two Chicago Footlights Theatre Magazines with Harry Houdini:

• September 1903
• June & July 1904

And thought I would share some snippets.

The first one is Volume 1, Number 3 for September 1903 that I found on eBay. It prints a letter Harry Houdini had written from Moscow, Russia on July 25, 1903.  The Houdini letter appears on page 8 and takes up about 2/3 of a column and is addressed “My Dear Old Pal”. The letter describes the great success “Harry Money Houdini” was having in Russia which he describes as “…the biggest sensation ever made in Russia”. Houdini also reports that he “… had sent more money home from this country in four months, than any other country in ten.”

 

A LETTER FROM MOSCOW, RUSSIA

Follow’s a letter from The Great Houdini. It speaks for itself. He is a wonderful little man and all America wishes him continued success.

Moscow, Russian, July 25, 1903

My Dear Old Pal: Seeing your life’s history in Clipper, also when you were captured and your released put me in mind that it would be proper to drop you a few lines, an as to let you know that we are still in the land of the living, and have managed to keep out of the clutches of the law even up to this late day.

Have made the biggest sensation ever made in Russia and have sent more money home from this country in four months, than from any country in ten.

Why, I do not know but nevertheless it may come in handy some day, when they will refuse to book Harry Money Houdini.

April 27^th, I managed to break out of the M Siberian Transportation Cell, and that is what started the salary list rifling sky high. So you see that even though we are doing the old act, we are doing a new act getting money.

From what I hear from Chicago every once in a while, I hear that you are away up on top!

Am greatly pleased to hear of this, and trust that you will keep the good work up.

…

It may interest you know that I was speaking Russian like a Turk. When I return to America, I think I will open a small Education of Domestic School of Languages for I have had to speak my introductions in no less than eight languages.

Magical news is very scarce, so can’t tell you of anything that would interest you. Will share with kindest regards and best wishes to you and Mrs. In which my Mrs heartily praise, I remain as ever your friend.

H. HOUDINI

My bookings three months ahead so in case you had time drop me a line. Month of September, Circus Carre, Groningen Holland

Month of October, Central Theatre, Dresden Germany, after that we return to England

…

The second one is Volumes 1 & 2 for June & July 1904 that I found at the McCord Museum.

And the article on Harry Houdini appears on page 4 and takes up about 2/3 of a column. The article describes a man who became “successful” and yet “was not too busy to run all the way from New York to Chicago to see his friends and reward his benefactors of other times.”

HARRY HOUDINI

Houdini like a soft summer zephyr off the lake on a torrid day, blew into our sun burnt city, from over the seas, a few days ago, and did as much good, and was the cause of as much joy to many of his old acquaintances, as one should suspect a ministering seraph to do and for a suffering soul about to depart this earthy fever. Success is a mighty fine sensation. All of us can become accustomed to adversity, but few ever learn to bear upon them lightly the mantle of prosperity. Houdini is as natural in the role of a rich man all covered over with success and diamonds as he was in the poor struggling days when together we sold Hostetter’s almanacs for magic books in Mr. Hedge’s museum.

Harry has purchased with the good old coin he made by slipping out of handcuffs, $40,000 worth of New York municipal bonds at 4 per cent, and owns a large flat building in New York which yields him enough to buy ten dollars worth of ham and eggs at every meal for life, no matter how long the strike keeps up. Softly, — Harry sought and found all his old friends who treated him kindly in the bleak hours, and one particularly, who had slipped down the greasy way to uselessness — a good man, intelligent, and at one time a worthy, respectable citizen, but who tried to drink up all the whiskey in Chicago, — (he is too sincere and honest and old man to mention his name, —) Houdini found this old acquaintance who, with tears in his eyes, sobbed out his thanks as he was dressed up in new underwear, shoes, socks, ties, suit, hat, gloves, shirts, —everything,— was given a modest little roll to tide him over and because why, — because he had been kind one day to a hard working man who did tricks for a living and who meant  to succeed and did. All honor to him. We wish he had a bank full of money. Houdini who never called himself “great” but is. Remember the name, Harry Houdini, —an actor—a magician,—a success,—a man. Above all the man who was not too busy to run all the way from New York to Chicago to see his friends and reward his benefactors of other times. Remember his name Harry Houdini,—handcuff king.

Kenneth Silverman published photo (above) of Houdini waving a checkered flag in some auto race [???] in his Notes to Houdini! on page 179.

So where was this photograph taken?

• [A] Worcester, MA
• [B] Montreal, Canada
• [C] Detroit, MI
• [D] None of the above

Let’s explore each of the possible answers.

[A] The caption under the photo in Silverman’s Notes reads as follows:

Inscribed on the back by N.J. Weiss, Houdini’s sister-in-law: “Worcester, Mass, King, driver, last picture of Harry, 1926″.

Well, Houdini performed in Worcester September of 1926, he did the Buried Alive on stage at Worcester Opera House (the week of 9/27), Submerged casket test at YMCA pool (9/28) and Sealed casket test at Summerfield’s (9/30).

So, was there an auto race in town? So far, I haven’t found any evidence. The New England Fair was in town, but it featured horse racing from 9/28 to 9/30.

However, I did find out via an October 7, 1934 photo (above), that the first name of the driver was Bob. [Source: Dirt Track Auto Racing, 1919-1941 A pictorial history by Don Radbruch]

[B] Per an Oct 19, 1926 letter (McCord Museum) addressed to Houdini at Princess Theatre, Montreal:

Would you be interested in an automobile “stunt” for a display ad, to be run by the manufacturer of the motor? It would probably simply mean a picture in [by] the car.

Well, Houdini performed in Montreal from October 18^th to October 23^rd, he got punched (10/22) in dressing room of theatre and left Montreal (10/23) on the 11 pm overnight train (where is appendix burst on the way) to Detroit.

So, was there an auto race in town?  No, apparently the only early racing was in 1917 and 1918 at Deslormiers Park in Montreal. [Source: Don Radbruch]

[C] Per December 2008 Genii Thread, Houdini’s Last Photograph:

The photo was given to niece Marie Blood by Bess Houdini [and] Marie was led to believe it was that final (show) date in Detroit.

Well, Houdini performed that final show, October 24, 1926 at the Garrick Theatre in Detroit. The show was supposed to start at 8:30pm, but didn’t start until about 9pm.

So, was there an auto race in town?  The answer is Yes.  According to the 1926 AAA Championship Car Season Schedule and results, The Detroit 100 was run on October 24^th at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway. But, would Houdini squeeze an appearance at an auto race in his condition before his evening show.

Or is it [D] none of the above. The car has Shenandoah printed on it.

According to Wikipedia:

Oh Shenandoah, the song appears to have originated with Canadian and American voyagers or fur traders traveling down the Missouri River in canoes

Shenandoah is a town in Virginia [hot spot for fairground auto races], but there was also a Shenandoah in other places like New York.

Well, Houdini was in New York from October 10^th to October 17^th. At the time, New York was also a hot spot for fairground auto races. So…?

Conclusion:

All of this said, we still don’t have the smoking gun.

But we did learn about a possible automobile “stunt”, the first name of the driver in the car, and that there was a auto race in Detroit on October 24^th.

For now, we’ll have to go with [A] Worcester, MA, but would like to see some more evidence, besides the inscription on the back of the photo, supposedly written by N.J. Weiss, Houdini’s sister-in-law. I am not aware of a sister-in-law with that name; He had a brother, named Nathaniel Josef Weiss, who married a Sadie Glanz Weiss. Sadie divorced Nathan and married Houdini’s brother Leopold. So was it Nat [brother], Sadie [sister-in-law] or someone else related to Houdini who wrote the inscription on the  photo.

Thoughts?

Related:

• Near Death Photo

Our friends, Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz, of the Houdini Museum in Scranton share the following Houdini News with us:

1) Dorothy Dietrich on Mysteries At The Museum:

• Scared to Death episode airs again on the Travel Channel, Wednesday April 17th at 7pm | 6c

2) Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz on Night-Light with Host Mark Eddy. They discuss the legacy of Houdini which includes his friendship with the T. Nelson Downs, the Daily Mirror Challenge, possible new info (to be revealed at a later date) on how Harry got his name and more.

3) A new Mason Blog with an article on Harry Houdini

• Harry Houdini The Masonic Magician

4) Two part series about a Hopewell man’s (Professor William Dunlop Tait) connection to Harry Houdini. You may recall that Prof. Tait invited Houdini to Lecture on Fraudulent Mediums at McGill and commented that he Looked Deathly at Lecture.

• The Hopewell professor and Houdini’s mysterious death – Part 1
• The Hopewell professor and Houdini’s mysterious death – Part 2 [Note: The photo is from a movie short and not of Harry Houdini performing at the Princess Theatre]