During my visit to the McCord Museum, I was fortunate enough to have read a compilation (April 24, 1920 v1 n1 to June 5th 1920 v1 n7) of “The Amazing Exploits of Houdini” found in The Kinema Comic.
- The Bride & The Orangutan.
- The Jewel Thieves.
- “Stop Thief!”
- The Gold Melters.
- Adventure of the Midland Express.
- In The Dead of Night.
- Out of The Sky.
Each issue contains a several page serialized fictional story (by-lined by Houdini). This week I share my paraphrased version of “Stop Thief!” found in the May 8 1920 v1 n3 issue:
The hour was late and the London streets empty, when suddenly Houdini was approached by a runner, who flung a bag into his arms, and said:
“Here! Quick! Mother McGinty’s in the Mile End Road, at five o’clock. I’ll take the cops off the scent.”
Then, without the slightest warning, a policeman tackled Houdini.
Houdini told the police who he was and that they got the wrong guy.
“The Handcuff King?”, questioned the inspector laughingly at the station, as he locked Houdini in a cell.
The cell into which Houdini was put presented no difficulties. Years ago he had broken out of the condemned cell in Liverpool Bridewell, and had even exchanged some of the prisoners and placed into different cells in which the authorities had placed them, to the sheer surprise of the governor.
Houdini went to work very quietly on the lock of the cell, and soon had it undone. Then, opening the door quietly, removed his boots and crept quietly along towards the charge-office.
The passage by the side of the counter, which led towards the door appeared to be perfectly clear.
Houdini reached the door of station, took the boots he had been holding in his mouth, put them on, and was on his way to Mother McGinty’s.
It was a little broken-down hardware shop, obviously a receiver’s pace, and Houdini knocked loudly on the door.
The door was opened a few inches, and Houdini asked, “Had he got back?”
The reply was that Jim got back about an hour ago and has been waiting.
Houdini stepped inside the shop and told Jim that he was the one who passed him the sack and mentioned the name of the road.
“Who are you? Jim asked.
“I’m the fellow who got the sack and I’ve had to plant it because the police kept on my track.”
“Oh, where?
“Well, that’s hardly a fair question. Now that I’m in on this outfit, I think I ought to be on a share and share alike basis. Come with me, and I’ll show you where.”
“All right, Jim said. ‘I’ll come with you.”
Houdini saw Jim slip a revolver in his pocket and realized that what he intended to do was to get possession of the sack of valuables, then bolt, leaving Houdini shareless and perhaps lifeless.
They left the shop, and together tramped along the Mile End Road, until Houdini was fortunate enough to get a hold of a taxi returning to the garage.
Houdini explained that they wouldn’t be able to carry that large sack through the streets at this time.
When they were safely in the cab, Houdini gave the driver the address of the police station, and told him to drive straight up to the door and pull up suddenly.
As soon as they pulled up a the police station, Jim suspected the trap, and made a dive for the pocket with the revolver.
Although Houdini was only average height, he was strong and had Jim on the floor of the cab before Jim realized it, and the revolver in his possession.
The rest of the adventure was elementary. With the revolver leveled at his heart. Houdini commanded Jim to walk with him into the station, which he did.
The expression of the inspector’s face when he saw Houdini driving this man into the station was really funny.
Houdini said, “This is the burglar you are looking for, and the man you should have arrested instead of me.
The inspector’s lower jaw dropped as he looked towards the door leading to the cells.
Houdini said, “I know, I told you I was Houdini, but you would not believe me, and I had to demonstrate the fact to you.
A servant from the house which had been burgled identified the man captured as the burglar. Jim got three years, and Houdini was thanked by the judge for the part he played in the capture.
