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HHCE Search for New York World Vanishing Elephant Photos

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The only known photos of Houdini’s Walking Through A Brick Wall can be found in the August 2, 1914 New York World Magazine. The Harry Ransom Center (HRC) at The University of Texas at Austin has made a copy from their Harry Houdini Scrapbook Collection available online:

Courtesy of HRC

The World Magazine, also did an article about Houdini’s Vanishing Elephant. The elusive article is said to show six photos of the illusion, but it has vanished, just like the “Holy Grail”.

At Wild About Harry, Patrick Culliton commented:

[Nov 13, 2013] About the six photo spread about the elephant in The World, it was supposed to be in the rotogravure section of the Sunday N.Y. World one week early in the run of Houdini and his elephant in “Cheer Up” at the Hippodrome. In the microfilms of the World, every Sunday rotogravure (a magazine section) is recorded–but that week’s rotogravure section is missing.

 

[Dec 16, 2016] Why wasn’t that page or pages of photos in the Walter Gibson scrapbook? It would HAVE to be. Why isn’t it in any collections, the Robinson-Locke scrapbooks or Houdini’s own scrapbooks? I wrote down the date of that Sunday issue the rotogravure section of which was to contain the photos. I went straight to the microfilms. The paper was there, but, no rotogravure. I have since misplaced the date, but, I went through the Sunday NY Worlds from Dec. 1917 to Dec. 1918, ONLY ONE ROTOGRAVURE WAS MISSING. And it was the one that was supposed to have the photos. I firmly believe that the bosses saw what Houdini saw and out of genuine friendship, they killed the little magazine that one time.

Armed with the above information, I (HHCE) decided to conduct my own search.

I started by seeing what libraries had the NY World Newspaper and noticed that the Univ of Texas at Austin had it. My thinking was, well they had the issue with Houdini Walking Through A Brick Wall, in their Houdini Collection, why not the Elephant Issue in their newspaper archives.

Courtesy of HRC

Below is my correspondence with Univ of Texas at Austin:

[Aug 26, 2019] The library is supposed to have old copies of The New York world newspaper:

https://catalog.lib.utexas.edu/search/0?searchtype=o&searcharg=13486042

I am interested in the volume: NEWSPAPER  1917-18 APR-DEC FILM POS (AVAILABLE)

Specifically, I am interested in the rotogravure (The World Magazine section) of the Sunday N.Y. World that has a six-photo spread about Houdini and his vanishing elephant. It should either be in the World Magazine Section of the December 30, 1917 or January 6, 1918 newspaper. If you have it, I would love to get a scan of the six-photo spread about Houdini and his vanishing elephant and would pay whatever it costs. This is for a research project on Houdini.

Please advise if this is request is something you can help with or if I need to send my request to another part of the library.

Thank you for your time,

Joe M. Notaro

 

[Aug 26, 2019] Hi Mr. Notaro,

We’ll try, but we never seem to have any luck with New York World! There were different editions of this newspaper, that were published with different frequencies, and we only own the tri-weekly edition. I’ve placed an order to have the microfilm reel sent to our office from remote storage; I think it should arrive tomorrow, and I’ll take a look for the article about Houdini. To be honest, though, I’ll be surprised if I find it.

 

Best wishes,

Rachel

 

[Aug 27, 2019] Hi Mr. Notaro,

 

I’m afraid my hunch was right. I’ve just looked at the reel in question, and confirmed that we don’t have any Sunday editions of the New York World. The tri-weekly edition was only published Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

 

Sorry we can’t help,

Rachel

 

[Aug 27, 2019] Hi Rachel!

Thank You so much for all your efforts to look into this for me. You were very helpful. I can now rule out the tri-weekly edition. Any idea what institution would have the Sunday edition for 1917 and 1918?

Much appreciated,

Joe

 

[Aug 28, 2019] Good morning Mr. Notaro,

So, I’ve examined the records for this title in OCLC First Search, and I’m attaching a PDF of the entry for the daily edition. If you scroll to the bottom of the record, you’ll see that the OCLC number for this ed. is 13846132 (a useful number to have handy when you’re placing an Interlibrary Loan request).

 

I’m also attaching a PDF of the libraries listed as owning at least some of this title. We’re listed, but as you can see, we only have a few scattered issues of this edition. That seems to be the case for most of the holders, but there are a few that appear to have complete runs of the title… especially, as you might expect, in New York. The New York Public and New York State libraries (NYP and NYG, to use their OCLC codes which I always do since it’s quickest) both look like good bets. There’s also the University of Arkansas (AFU), Syracuse University (SYB), the Library of Congress (DLC), University of Massachusetts (AUM), Duke University (NDD), Princeton (PUL), Cornell (COO), and the University of Washington (WAU).

 

Good luck! I hope you can find that article.

 

Best wishes,

Rachel

 

[Aug 28, 2019] Hi Rachel,

Thank You for the additional information. I was using the wrong OCLC number (ie. 1077831862) for the edition I want. Now that I have the right OCLC number (ie. 13846132) and a list of holders, I have more avenues to pursue for this elusive article.

Cheers,

Joe

Armed with new information, I figured that the New York resources had already been tapped by others so I decided to contact the University of Washington and below is my correspondence:

[Aug 31, 2019] Question: The library is supposed to have old copies of New York world daily edition newspaper from 1893(v.23)-1931 (v71). The OCLC number for this edition is 13846132
I am interested in the years 1917(v57) and 1918(v58).
Specifically, I am interested in the rotogravure (The World Magazine section) of the Sunday N.Y. World that has a six-photo spread about Houdini and his vanishing elephant. It should either be in the World Magazine Section of the December 30, 1917 or January 6, 1918 Sunday newspaper. If you have it, I would love to get a scan of the six-photo spread about Houdini and his vanishing elephant and would pay whatever it costs. This is for a research project on Houdini.

 

[Sep 5, 2019] Dear Joe Notaro,

One of our graduate students just did a pretty extensive search of the New York World newspaper on our microfilm copy, but did not find a photo spread of Houdini and the vanishing elephant. This is her report on her findings:

“I spent the better part of two hours today looking for this “six photograph spread”. I checked the dates that were suggested, Dec. 30, 1917, and Jan. 6, 1918. Although the paper does contain a World Magazine and a section dedicated to photos called the “New Gravure” there were no photos of Houdini. All of the photos shown in these two issues pertained to World War I. I also checked the Sunday issues on the following dates: Dec. 9, 16, and 23, 1917; Jan. 13, 20, 1918. I was unable to find anything pertaining to Houdini in those issues as well.

After looking through the film I decided to do a bit of searching online. I did find that Houdini performed his act with the vanishing elephant on Jan. 7th 1918. I was also able to find an article about Houdini and his career in the New York Times on Jan. 13, 1918. I even looked on Chronicling America and I did find a newspaper called “The Evening World” but it looks like it wasn’t published on Sundays.”

Sorry not to be of more help, but let us know if there are other papers you would like us to check. You could also request the microfilm of the New York World through your local library’s interlibrary loan system.

Best,

Kian

 

[Sep 5, 2019] Please thank the Graduate Student for their efforts to search for this elusive 6 photo spread of Houdini and the vanishing elephant in the New Gravure section of the World Magazine found in the Sunday World Newspaper.   It is very much appreciated.  The New Gravure section of the World Magazine for Sunday is definitely where it should appear.  I thought it would have appeared before Houdini first performed it, but apparently not.  Houdini performed it for 19 weeks from Jan 7, 1918 to May 17, 1918, so it is supposed to be in one of these Sunday Magazine New Gravure Sections of the World Newspaper.  Many, many years ago, a Houdini expert and colleague of mine searched the run of microfilm for The World at another institution, and every Sunday New Gravure section was recorded but one, the one with the 6-page spread of Houdini was missing, but he couldn’t remember the week that was missing.  My hope was that your library would have this missing week, but that would require a more extensive search of the rest of the 1918 Sundays issues through the end of May.  Unfortunately, I live in Southern California, or I would schedule an appointment and do the search myself.  Would love to know if all the Jan thru May 1918 Sunday World Magazines are accounted for at your library and ultimately find this elusive 6 photo spread.  Please advise if you have someone willing to do this extra research.

 

Either way, I really appreciate everyone’s time.

 

Joe

 

[Sep 9, 2019] Hi Joe,

I’ve passed your thanks (& message) along to the graduate student who has been working on your question. While we don’t have the staff resources to quickly research the Jan-May 1918 issues of the Sunday World Magazines, our graduate student will start chipping away on the search over the course of the next couple of weeks. Once we’ve concluded the search or come across the photo spread in question, we will let you know. We appreciate your patience!

 

Best,

Kian

[Oct 13, 2019] Hi Kian,

It’s been 5 weeks since we last touched base. Just thought I would check in to see if the graduate student had any more time to see if all of the Jan thru May 1918 Sunday World Magazines are accounted for at your library and ultimately find this elusive 6 photo spread.

Thanks for your time,

Joe

 

[Oct 14, 2019] Hi Joe,

Thanks for checking in — we’ve checked through February 17th and haven’t found the photo spread yet. We’ve been busy with the start of the quarter, but will continue to find time to check additional issues when the opportunities arise.

Best,

 

Kian

 

[Oct 15, 2019] Hi Kian and Chris,

 

I spent majority of the day looking through the rest of the Sundays for the World Magazine, circa 1918. I could not find the Houdini page spread in any of the New Gravure sections. Most, if not all, were related to World War I. I also looked at all of the Sunday issues carefully to see if the spread may have been included somewhere else and no luck. Here are the dates that I looked at:

 

Feb. 17

Feb. 24

Mar. 3

Mar. 10

Mar. 17

Mar. 24

Mar. 31

Apr. 7

Apr. 14

Apr. 21

Apr. 28

May 5

May 12

May 19

May 26

 

I cross referenced these dates with the NewsBank calendar for 1918  to get all the approximate Sundays, checking off each one on my search.

 

Best,

Addy

 

[Oct 16, 2019] It looks like you have accounted for all the weeks/issues.  Finding this photo spread is turning out to be as difficult as finding the Holy Grail.  Although we didn’t find it and make Houdini history, at least I now know where it isn’t.  Please thank everyone who was involved in the search for this elusive photo spread.  I truly appreciate all the time and efforts. If I ever find it, will let you know.

Sincerely,

Joe Notaro

 

Conclusion: So, if all of the Rotogravures are accounted for, then the planned New York World elephant spread would have had to have been replaced before the magazine was published, as opposed to just pulling the magazine from the newspaper.

Special Thanks to everyone who helped at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Washington.

A Look Back at 2019

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2019 was an amazing year for Harry Houdini Circumstantial Evidence (HHCE) for a number of reasons.

Celebrated the 100 year anniversary of The Grim Game movie by attending screenings and sharing some incredible ads, photos, and not widely known info about the movie:

Also, shared info about some of his other movies.

Terror Island:

Master Mystery:

Received Joe Posnanski’s new book, “The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini”, which included how I discovered the name of the daily mirror reporter, my current thoughts on how Houdini escaped the mirror cuff, and my research on two other endings to the Tony Curtis movie.

Shared some special posts that included not widely known information about Houdini:

Shared my research on the McGill Lecture:

Shared a number of items from my personal collection:

Shared a number of McCord Museum Collection related posts:

Shared additional information on the Mirror Challenge:

Shared news from Houdini Museum – Scranton:

Ended the year by receiving, studying, and commenting on unpublished Houdini footage to be shared next year.

All of this said, the highlight of 2019 for me, was the discovery of a message from the clouds, the Australian Grim Game Advertising Card, used as a bookmark:

2020 should be another amazing year for Houdini.

The Amazing Exploits of Houdini – “Stop Thief!”

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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.

  1. The Bride & The Orangutan.
  2. The Jewel Thieves.
  3. “Stop Thief!”
  4. The Gold Melters.
  5. Adventure of the Midland Express.
  6. In The Dead of Night.
  7. 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.

Master Mystery 101 Years Ago – Motion Picture News; Moving Picture World

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The Master Mystery (first four episodes) was first shown at a special trade show on November 7, 1918 at the Strand Theatre in New York City.

To honor this special event, I am sharing from my personal collection, the following 1918 Master Mystery Newspaper Reviews on the day they appeared 101 years ago:

And at the conclusion (next week) of this series, I will do a special post that ties it all together.

Today, I share the reviews from Motion Picture News and The Moving Picture World:

Master Mystery 101 Years Ago – Exhibitors Trade Review; Billboard

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The Master Mystery (first four episodes) was first shown at a special trade show on November 7, 1918 at the Strand Theatre in New York City.

To honor this special event, I am sharing from my personal collection, the following 1918 Master Mystery Newspaper Reviews on the day they appeared 101 years ago:

And at the conclusion of this series, I will do a special post that ties it all together.

Today, I share the reviews from Exhibitors Trade Review and The Billboard:

Hanging out on Maui without a book to read

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Hanging out on a tropical island on the day of the long awaited release of Joe Posnanski’s book, The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini.

You can get the book by ordering it at Amazon.com (US release Oct 22) and Amazon.co.uk (UK release Oct. 31)

My copy should be waiting for me, when I return from vacation. Can’t wait to finally read it.

BTW, I have been told that how I discovered the name of the daily mirror reporter, my current thoughts on how Houdini escaped the mirror cuff, and my research on two other endings to the Tony Curtis movie, are in the book. which is very exciting.

My next planned post will be on Halloween.

Houdini, Hanging by Feet, Slips Straight Jacket Before Crowd on Minneapolis Street

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Six years ago, I did a post, titled: First Suspended Straitjacket Escape Not 98 Years Ago Today (September 29). The Minneapolis escape was the second public suspended straitjacket escape, after the September 8, 1915 escape from the Kansas City Post building in Kansas City, MO.

At the time of the September 29 post, I didn’t have a photograph for this Minneapolis escape, nor much information, but that changed when I visited the McCord Museum last year. The very first scrapbook, I looked at had a lot of newspaper clippings that included straightjacket escapes, like the one that took place 104 years ago on September 30, 1915. That’s right, the escape actually took place on September 30, 1915, not September 29, 2015 as previously documented by others.

As evidence, I share the photo and text from the following two newspaper ads:

  • Star Tribune, Thu, Sep 30, 1915

At 12:05 today, Harry Houdini, to whom padlocks and cells present no more difficulty than that offered to the ordinary person by an open door, will essay to make his escape from a straight-jacket while suspended by his heels from the sign in from of the Tribune. This is a feat similar to one he accomplished upon a previous occasion, and unless Minneapolitans succeed in fastening the straight-jacket more securely that Houdini supposes he promises to extract himself with a few moments. The jacket will be adjusted by entirely disinterested parties so that there is no chance for any suspicion of collusion, and the jacket used is of a regulations type.

Houdini, who is appearing at the Orpheum, is said to enjoy an international reputation for the case with which he escapes from handcuffs, prison cells and other impediments. He has appeared in almost every large city of the civilized world and in each metropolis had baffled the police by his dexterity. He is said to be the only man ever to escape from one of the famous Siberian convict wagons, a conveyance far more dreaded and more formidable than the Black Marias familiar to citizens of American towns.

 

  • Minneapolis Journal, Fri Oct 1, 1915

Before a crowd which thronged Fourth street from Nicollet to Marquette avenue, Harry Houdini, the “worlds champion self-liberator,” freed himself from a straitjacket while suspended by the feet—which were bound—from the electric sign in front of The Tribune building at noon yesterday. When the jacket had been adjusted by Minneapolis detectives and policemen and his feet securely bound, Houdini was swung high over the heads of the crowd. The immense throng was unexpectantly quiet as Houdini began his work.

A few convulsive , serpentine wriggles, a few movements of his powerful shoulders, and Houdini’s arms, which a moment before had been securely held by leather and canvas jacket were free. As he unfastened the straps which had defied all comers, he smiled down at the officers who had adjusted the straitjacket and remarked that he would join them in a moment. He slipped the apparatus over his head and allowed it to fall into the arms of the officers below and gave the signal to “lower away.”

The straight-jacket was furnished by the police and was the most powerful they have. It was put on by several plain clothes men under the direction of Thomas P. Gleason, who tested each strap and said he was satisfied it was “according to Hoyle.”

Tonight on the Orpheum stage, Houdini did attempt to escape from a packing case which has been prepared by the employees in the shipping room of the New England Furniture & Carpet company. The packers have made a box which they believe will defy all the powers of the wizard.

“I do not promise to get out the box,” declares Houdini. “However, I have never failed yet, and certainly will try.”

This feature will be presented instead of the regular act which Houdini offers.

Bonus:

Also, courtesy of the McCord Museum, here is a newspaper image not previously posted for Houdini’s December 4th, 1915 suspended straightjacket escape from the Express Tribune building.

For details of this escape and other images, see John Cox excellent post:

 

“HOUDINI” NITE at CHECKER INN

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According to a scrapbook clipping at the McCord Museum, it was Houdini night at the Checker Inn 93 years ago today:

A $1.50 dinner and all kinds of smokes free for all members in good standing. Remember, everything free, “HOUDINI” will be there, and we also have a magical surprise for you. Remember the date, time, and place, -Wed, Sept. 22 at eleven P.M. at the “Checker Inn” – 477 Stuart St. near Huntington Ave.  Seats still on sale at the box office of the Majestic.

If you are not in good standing – Bordicott will be there – nuff sed!

Bring a guest if you wish, but remember that it is a stag party, and it will cost you $1.50 per guest.

Related:

The Amazing Exploits of Houdini – The Jewel Thieves

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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.

  1. The Bride & The Orangutan.
  2. The Jewel Thieves.
  3. “Stop Thief!
  4. The Gold Melters.
  5. Adventure of the Midland Express.
  6. In The Dead of Night.
  7. 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 “The Jewel Thieves” found in the May 1 1920 v1 n2 issue:

Houdini is sleeping in a hotel room on the seventh floor. When he stays in a hotel with a telephone in the bedroom, he makes it a point of screwing off the bell before retiring, thinking that the shock of ringing will not be so great. On this night, the sound of the vibrating hammer was more terrifying than any bell would be.

Houdini answered the phone and was told that the hotel was on fire and he needed to leave his room at once and make his way outside by the back staircase, since the main staircase was ablaze and impossible.

Half asleep, Houdini jumped out bed, and dashed out the door toward the back staircase used by the servants. To make his way down the pitch-dark stairs, he had to feel his direction with his hands on the wall. Suddenly, Houdini received a blow on the back of his head from some hard instrument, dropped to the ground, and was hurriedly searched, but nothing was found.

Houdini was awakened by the corner of a door pushing into his ribs. A man with no shoes on dashed across to a window, opened it, and disappeared.

Houdini slowly rose to his feet, crashed through some swinging doors and on to the floor of one of the hotel corridors. He had a splitting headache and didn’t remember that the building was on fire.

Rising to his feet again, Houdini staggered forward perhaps a dozen yards, when a door opened and a man whose face was drenched in blood from a cut on his forehead, yelled that “They’ve bagged the lot. Taken every dashed thing.”

Houdini asked what happened?

Thieves broke into his room, hit him on the head and stole his diamonds.

Houdini told the man he got hit on the head also and that he should telephone the cops.

Houdini staggered towards the man’s room and threw himself on his bed.

The police were sent for. Slowly recuperating and trying to gather his scattered and wounded wits together, Houdini was able to reconstruct the adventures of the night. Houdini remembered the alarm of fire sent over the telephone, his scramble down the back stairs, then being hit on the back of the head by some unknown assailant. Then it dawned on him, that the thieves somehow called him up on the telephone instead of their victim, their purpose evidently being to decoy the man from his room whilst they robbed him of his jewels.

Houdini rose from the bed and pushed his way past the hotel servants who were attending to the victim of the robbery. Houdini made his way through the door of the room which the man had climbed was situated. It was still open.

The window gave on to a lower roof of an adjoining building. The drop from this window to the roof would be about eight feet. Houdini curiosity was aroused, and despite his aching head he decided to investigate.

Just beneath Houdini, on the top floor of the building, he could see a lighted window. There was no reason for a lighted room at that time. Almost before the resolution was made, Houdini’s leg was over the parapet; a drainpipe ran down the front of the building, Houdini tested its strength. It appeared to be safe enough. Houdini risked it, and clinging almost like a fly, slipped down the sill of the window.

Only a corner of the room was visible, but a side of a table was in view. At this table, he could see one hatted man removing precious stones from their settings.

Suddenly, without the slightest warning, the spring of the blind was released. Houdini discovered there were three men in it, the one at the table, another one at the other side of the table, and the one who by letting up the blind had exposed Houdini.

The man nearest the window moved towards Houdini and raised the sash. As Houdini waited his fate, he felt a strong hand grip his ankle and then another took hold of his other ankle.

Houdini was dragged into the room and bound hand and foot. Houdini smiled!

Houdini’s back against the wall, freed his hands; Tied behind him, it was quite a simple matter to hide his actions from view of the men.  Then, working very gingerly, got his feet loose, undetected.

Houdini reached for a revolver from his hip pocket and covered the three men.

Houdini ordered the men into the corner of the room. When they were safely in the corner, Houdini picked up one of the instruments which they had been using and threw it through the window.

Down below in the street, you could hear pattering of feet, and then the shrill blast of a policeman’s whistle.

Within five minutes, three policemen, hammered their way into the room where Houdini held the men prisoners.  All facts were so conclusive. The jewels on the table were sufficient to condemn the men.

Of course, Houdini was thanked by the victim of the robbery. “You must have been called up on the telephone instead of me.” he said. “As a matter of fact, I occupied your room on the previous evening.”

What really happened on October 24th, 1926 between the train arriving and the show in Detroit?

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What really happened on October 24th, 1926 between the train arriving and the show in Detroit?

Let’s see what the biographers have to say.

According to Williams & Epstein [1951]:

he took his scheduled train that evening, to Detroit. The doctor’s summoned to meet him at the station in the morning diagnosed appendicitis and ordered an immediate operation, but Houdini insisted that he must appear in the theater that evening. When he walked out on the stage he had a temperature of 104 degrees.

According to Gresham [1959]:

Urged by Bess, Collins sent a wire ahead of them from the train. When they pulled into Detroit, they were met by a doctor. Houdini’s temperature was one hundred and two degrees.

He scorned going to a hospital. But when they got to the hotel he crawled into bed and had Bess pile blankets on him. His chill, which shook the bed, lasted a half hour.

In spite of his loud refusals, Bess sent for a committee of doctors. They were unanimous—Houdini had appendicitis and needed an operation at once. Bess wept and argued all day when Houdini was not dozing uneasily. When curtain time approached he asked for news from the box office. The report came back, “Sold out. Not a vacant seat in the house.” That settled it, “Help me up. They’ve paid their money to see Houdini. “By God, they’re going to get a show.” His temperature was now one hundred and four.

According to Kendall [1960]:

“You can’t take that train to Detroit tonight,” Bess insisted, “show or no show”. He was scheduled to appear in Detroit the next evening.

“A train ride won’t hurt me. I always do my best thinking on trains.”

Stubbornly, he had his way. But as the train clacked onward across the autumn-colored landscape, all thought was driven from him. He was conscious of only one thing, pain driving through him with every turn of the iron wheels on the rails. At last he was forced to give in to the pleas of the nurse and Bess that a wire be sent asking a doctor to meet the train at the station in the morning.

The doctor was there. As soon as Houdini could be gotten to a hotel, the doctor his temperature and examined him. The thermometer measured 102 degrees. Then a severe chill gripped him and he lay shaking for almost a half hour. Other physicians hurried to his bedside.

“Your symptoms indicate acute appendicitis,” one of them told the shivering and sweating magician. You must be operated on at once.”

Houdini clenched his teeth and asked Bess, “How many tickets have been sold for the show tonight?

“All of them, someone else spoke up. “A full house.” “I’ll go through with my act,” Houdini said.

That evening when he walked out onto the stage his temperature was 104 degrees.

According to Christopher [1969]:

A telegram was hurriedly dispatched to George H. Atkinson, the show’s advance man in Detroit, when the train made a brief stop at London, Ontario. He was instructed to have the best doctor in the city ready to give Houdini a thorough examination before the opening, Nurse Rosenblatt took Houdini’s temperature, it was 102 degrees.

The Montreal train arrived late. Collins doubted they could track the equipment to the theater, hang scenery, and get the magical apparatus uncrated and assemble before curtain time. Rather than check in at their hotels, the entire company went directly to the theater. There was no doctor waiting at the Garrick despite the urgent wire. Houdini pitched in and helped stagehands and his assistants set up the heavy gear.

Dr. Leo Dretzka and the show’s advance man paced the lobby at the Statler Hotel. The doctor had to leave for a medical convention that night, but he had promised to examine the ailing escape artist first. After asking a dozen times at the desk if Houdini had checked in, Atkinson finally phoned the theater.

There was no cot in Harry’s dressing room at the Garrick. He stripped off his clothes and stretched out on the floor. Dr. Dretzka knelt and touched the inflamed stomach. Bess didn’t hear the doctor say that an ambulance should be called immediately, that Houdini was suffering from acute appendicitis. Had she known the danger her husband was in, there would have been no performance that night.

Harry dressed for the show. The theater manager had stopped to say the house was sold out and standees were lined outside to get in. “They’re here to see me,” Harry explained as the worried doctor rushed away to make his train. “I won’t disappoint them.”

According to Fitzsimons [1981]:

After the show the company boarded the train for Detroit, where they were booked for a two-week run. When the train started, the pain was so intense that he could hide it no longer. He told Bess about the blows to his stomach. Nurse Rosenblatt took his temperature and it to be 102 degrees.

The train was scheduled to stop at London, Ontario, and from there a telegram was dispatched to the show’s advance man in Detroit, instructing him to have a doctor waiting. When Houdini arrived the doctor examined him. He diagnosed acute appendicitis and ordered an ambulance to be called immediately. But Houdini refused to go into hospital right away. The theatre was sold out and he would not disappoint the audience.

According to Brandon [1993]:

Houdini closed in Montreal that Saturday, 23 October, and was due to open in Detroit the following day for a two-week run. On the train he was no longer able to conceal his suffering. Bess, distraught, and barely recovered from her own illness, telegraphed ahead to the show’s Detroit advance man instructing him to get the best doctor in Detroit ready to examine Houdini before the opening.

The train was late – too late for them to check in at the hotel before leaving for the theatre. The doctor was waiting, meanwhile, in the hotel lobby. Finally the advance man, waiting with the doctor, thought to telephone the theatre. The doctor rushed round and examined Houdini on the dressing room floor, there being nowhere else he could lie down. He diagnosed acute appendicitis and said an ambulance should be called at once to take Houdini to hospital. Bess did not hear this, and Houdini did not tell her. Nor did the theatre manager, who was present during the examination. He had his own worries. The house was sold out and queries were still waiting outside the theatre. He said, “We have a $15,000 advance sale. What are we going to do? to which Houdini replied, “I’ll do this show if its my last”.

He was now running a temperature of 104 degrees.

According to Silverman [1996]:

Scheduled to open in Detroit the next evening, he, Bess, and their entourage got to the train late that night. Once on board he experienced such severe stomach pains that a wire was sent ahead asking for a physician to meet the train at the Detroit station in the morning.

Houdini arrived in Detroit with a temperature of 102. After examining him hurriedly, a physician found signs of appendicitis. Houdini nevertheless checked into the Statler Hotel, where for a half hour he shook with chills. He was determined to give his opening night show, even though at curtain time his temperature had risen to 104.

According to Kalush [2006]:

After Saturday’s evening show, the troupe prepared to take an overnight train to Detroit, where they were scheduled to open their run on Sunday night.

The opening night sold-out crowd at the Garrick Theater in Detroit was getting antsy Houdini’s show was scheduled to start at eight-thirty, but after a short announcement that there was a delay due to the late arrival of personnel and equipment from Toronto, it was almost nine and there was still no sign of the mystifier. Suddenly, the familiar strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” echoed through the theater and Houdini walked onstage.

“We have just made a thousand-mile journey from Montreal, and we are tired,” he exaggerated, as he began to perform magic.

A doctor had examined him before the show and had urged him to the hospital immediately, but Houdini had refused. “They’re here to see Houdini,” he spoke of the sold-out house. “I won’t disappoint them.”

So what is the source for these different versions.  It appears, Williams & Epstein, Gresham, Kendall, and Silverman’s source was Kellock [1928] and the New York Times, 1 Nov 1926.

According to Kellock [1928]:

He had to make a train for Detroit, where the show was due to open the next evening.

Houdini was so ill on the train that his attendants wired for a physician to meet him at the station in the morning. His temperature on arrival was 102. As soon as he reached his hotel in Detroit he had a chill which lasted twenty-five minutes. Several physicians, who had been called insisted that he cancel his performance. They said that his symptoms indicated appendicitis, and an immediate operation was imperative.  Houdini, informed that the house was sold out, doggedly declared that he must go on. Just before the curtain went up his temperature was taken at 104.

According to NYT:

He suffered no distress at the time but after he had boarded a train for Detroit, he complained of pain. At first he attributed it to something he had eaten but as it increased he called in the company’s nurse, who in turn arranged by wire to have a physician meet the magician in Detroit.

Dr. Leo Kretzka, a prominent physician, made a hurried examination and told the patient there were symptoms of appendicitis. He left it to Houdini to decide whether it would be advisable for him to appear that evening at the Garrick Theatre for the opening night of the show. Houdini would not disappoint his admirers.

Fitzsimons, Brandon’s and Kalush source was Christopher, although neither mention a Dr. Dretzka. And Christopher’s source was the Conjurer’s Magazine May 1948 article, The Last Man to see Houdini Alive, by Bruce Reynolds:

George Atkinson, Dean of Theatrical Press Agents, told me the story one evening in the Lambs Club in New York City. “Then the fateful day when I was in Detroit where Houdini was to play next. I received a wire from his manager who was in Montreal, that ‘The Great Man’ had suddenly been stricken ill and that I was to have a doctor meet the train upon his arrival.  He was due in Detroit on Sunday afternoon and was scheduled to give a performance that night. I had a doctor waiting at the hotel but Houdini did not come to the hotel; instead he went directly to the theatre, and there in grave alarm I found him running hither and thither, anxious about his props. I quickly phoned the doctor back at the hotel. The doctor rushed to the theatre and found Houdini sitting on a packing case, with his funny little hat pulled down over his eyes. His temperature was 103. The doctor hurried him into his dressing room, laid him on the floor and made an examination. ‘Appendicitis,’ the doctor said. He ordered Houdini to his hotel and to bed. Cold compresses were to be administered at regular intervals. Houdini scoffed at the doctor’s orders. Defiantly, he went on about arranging his props and he gave a show that night.”

So did a physician see Houdini on the train, the floor of the dressing room at the Garrick Theatre, or at the Statler Hotel? Did Houdini go to the Statler Hotel before going to the Garrick Theatre, or did he go directly to the Theatre?  I tend to believe the following:

According to Sophie Rosenblatt’s (nurse) affidavit [Feb 15th, 1927]:

He had to leave Montreal that night for Detroit and on the way to the railroad station and at the station itself, he was very sick and constantly complained of pains in his stomach. I took him in a restaurant to get a cup of hot boiled water and took a bottle of black coffee for him on the train. He was unable to sleep all that night after leaving Montreal and constantly stated that he had pains in his stomach.

The following morning I took his pulse and told Mrs. Houdini that her husband was a very sick man. I asked Mr. Stuckel, his manager, to have a physician meet the train at Detroit as I realized that Houdini was very ill and was getting worse ever since the blows were struck in his dressing room. Dr. Leo Dretzka of Detroit was the physician who first saw him in Detroit. His temperature was 102, his pulse from 120 to 128 and his respiration 46. At the hotel in Detroit where he went upon leaving the train, he had severe a severe chill which lasted for about twenty-five minutes. At that time his temperature was 103.6, his pulse was 130 and his respiration 48. We then called Dr. Richards, the hotel doctor, who saw Houdini at about 6:30 in the afternoon and prescribed pills for Houdini to take every half hour for his pulse and respiration. He went to the theatre to give his evening performance. He was practically helpless and was unable to dress himself for the performance. We took him to the theatre and he was in bad shape throughout the performance. It seemed that he was unable to open his eyes while he was putting on his make-up for the performance. After each act he literally fell down almost helpless and dragged himself on the stage again. After the performance he was carried to the hotel and his condition was reported to Dr. Richards who was then out of town. Dr. Richards recommended Dr. Cohn and Dr. Cohn called on Dr. Owen who took a blood count. It was then decided to call in Dr. Watkins and Dr. Kennedy, distinguished surgeons of Detroit, to examine Houdini. He was taken from the hotel to the Grace Hospital in an ambulance and an operation was decided upon.

I suppose its also possibly that Houdini went to the theatre first, saw Dr. Dretzka, who ordered him to his hotel where he saw Dr. Richards and then returned to the theatre to perform.

What do you believe?

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