How He Picked the
"Mirror" Handcuffs in One Hour and Ten Minutes-Telegram of
Thanks
Not a
seat was vacant in the mighty Hippodrome yesterday afternoon when Harry
Houdini, the "Handcuff King:' stepped into the arena, and received an ovation
worthy of a monarch.
For days past all London has been aware that
on Saturday night last a representative of the Mirror had stepped into the
arena, in response to Houdini's challenge to anybody to come forward and
successfully manacle him, and had there and then made a match with America's
Mysteriarch for Thursday afternoon.
In his travels the journalist
had encountered a Birmingham blacksmith who had spent five years of his life in
devising a lock, which, he alleged, "no mortal man could pick." Promptly seeing
he was in touch with a good thing, the press man had at once put an option upon
the handcuff containing this lock, and brought it back to London with him
|
Applauded to the
echo, the Mysteriarch then retired within the cabinet that contains so many of
his secrets.
All correct chronometers chronicled 3.15.
In
a long line in front of the stage stood the committee. Before them, in the
center of the arena, stood the little cabinet Houdini loves to call his "ghost
house." Restlessly pacing to and fro, the Mirror representative kept an anxious
eye on it.
FALSE HOPE OVERTHROWN
Those
who have never stood in the position of a challenger can scarcely realize the
sense of responsibility felt by one who has openly thrown down the gauntlet to
a man who is popular with the public.
The Mirror had placed its
reliance on the work of a British mechanic, and if Houdini succeeded in
escaping in the first few minutes it was felt that the proceedings would
develop into a mere farce.
But time went by; 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes
elapsed. Still the band played on. Then, at 22 minutes, Mr. Houdini put his
head out of the "ghost house," and this was the signal for a great outburst of
cheering. |
For a few seconds the journalist considered. Then he replied: "I am
indeed sorry to
disoblige you, Mr. Houdini, but I can- not
unlock those cuffs unless you admit you are defeated."
The reason
was obvious. Mr. Houdini had seen the cuffs locked, but he had never seen them
unlocked. Consequently the press man thought there might be more in the request
than appeared on the surface.
FROCK COAT SACRIFICED
"Ladies
and Gentlemen-I am now locked up in a handcuff that has taken a Houdini
evidently does not stick at trifles. He maneuvered until he got a penknife from
his waistcoat pocket. This he opened with his teeth, and then, turning his coat
in side out over his head, calmly proceeded to cut it to pieces.
The
novelty of the proceeding delighted the audience, who yelled themselves
frantic. The Mirror representative had rather a warm five minutes of it at this
juncture. Many of the audience did not see the reason of his refusal, and
expressed their disapproval of his action loudly.
Grimly, however,
he looked on and watched Mr. Houdini once more reenter the cabinet. Time sped
on, and presently somebody recorded the fact that the Mysteriarch had been
manacled just one hour.
Ten minutes more of anxious waiting, and
then a surprise was in store for everybody.
VICTORY!
The band was
just finishing a stirring march when, with a great shout of victory, Houdini
bounded from the cabinet, holding the shining handcuffs in his hand-free!
A mighty roar of gladness went up. Men waved their hats, shook hands one
with the other. Ladies waved their handkerchiefs, and the committee, rushing
forward as one man, shouldered Houdini, and bore him in triumph round the
arena.
But the strain had been too much for the "Handcuff King;'
and he sobbed as though his heart would break.
With a mighty
effort, however, he regained his composure, and received the congratulations of
the Mirror in the true sportsman- like spirit he has shown throughout the
contest.
PRESENTATION MODEL
The
journalist intimated to the audience that a beautiful solid silver model of the
handcuffs would be made, and asked Mr. Houdini's permission to present this to
him at no distant date.
Mr. Houdini told the audience that he had
been challenged many times before, but he had never experienced such
gentlemanly treatment and fair play in any contest he had been called upon to
enter.
Mr. Houdini's wife was present at the performance, but just
before he cut the coat from him was so overcome that she had to leave the
Hippodrome.
Mr. Houdini calls his charming wife his mascot. "Eleven
years ago she brought me luck," says the Handcuff Marvel, "and it been with me
ever since. I never had any before I married her." Mrs. Houdini is a fair,
cultured, beautiful American lady, petite, fascinating, and
clever.
A SPORTSMAN'S TELEGRAM
Late last night Mr. Houdini sent us the following
telegram:
EDITORS, MIRROR
2 Carmelite Street,
London, E.C.
"Allow me to thank you for the open and
upright manner in which your representative treated me in today's contest. Must
say that it was one of the hardest, but at the same time one of the fairest
tests I ever had.
"Harry Houdini" |
It was submitted to
London's best locksmiths, who were unanimous in their admiration of it,
asserting that in all their experience they had never before seen such
wonderful mechanism.
As a result the editors of the Mirror
determined to put the lock to the severest test possible by challenging Mr.
Houdini to be manacled with the cuffs.
Like a true sportsman, Mr.
Houdini accepted our challenge in the spirit in which it was given, although,
on his own confession, he did not like the look of the lock.
MIGHTY AUDIENCE
Mr. Houdini's call was for three o'clock yesterday, but so intense
was the excitement that the 4,000 spectators present could scarce- ly restrain
their impatience whilst the six excellent turns which preceded him, cheered to
the echo on other occasions, got through their "business."
Waiting
quietly and unnoticed by the arena steps, the Mirror representative watched Mr.
Houdini's entrance, and joined in giving his opponent-to-be in the lists one of
the finest ovations mortal man has ever received.
"I am ready:' said
Houdini, concluding his address to the audience, "to be manacled by the Mirror
representative if he be present."
A hearty burst of applause greeted
the journalist as he stepped into the arena and shook hands with the "Handcuff
King."
Then, in the fewest possible words, the press man called for
volunteers from the audience to act upon a committee to see fair play, and Mr.
Houdini asked his friends also to step into the arena and watch his
interests.
HOUDINI HANDCUFFED
This done, the journalist placed the hand- cuffs on Mr.
Houdini's wrists and snapped them. Then, with an effort, he turned the key six
times, thus securing the bolt as firmly as possible.
The committee
being satisfied as to the security of the handcuff, Mr. Houdini said: -
"Ladies and Gentlemen-I am now locked up in a handcuff that has taken a
British mechanic five years to make. I do not know whether I am going to get
out of it or not, but I can assure you I am going to do my best." |
"He is free! he is free!"
shouted sever- al; and universal disappointment was felt when it was
ascertained that he had only put his head outside the cabinet in order to get a
good. look at the lock in strong electric light.
The band broke
into a dreamy waltz as Houdini once more disappeared within the canopy. The
disappointed spectators looked at their watches, murmured "What a shame!" gave
Houdini an encouraging clap, and the journalist resumed his stride.
At 35 minutes Mr. Houdini again emerged. His collar was broken, water trick-
led in great channels down his face, and he looked generally warm and
uncomfortable.
"My knees hurt," he explained to the audience. "I am
not done yet."
The house went frantic with delight at their
favorite's resolve, and this suggested an idea to the Mirror representative.
He spoke rapidly to Mr. Parker, the Hippodrome manager, who was at
the side of the stalls. That gentleman looked thoughtful for a moment, then
nodded his head and whis- pered something to an attendant.
A WELCOME CONCESSION
Presently the man appeared bearing a
large cushion.
"The Mirror has no desire to submit Mr. Houdini to a
torture test," said the representative; "and if Mr. Houdini will permit me, I
shall have great pleasure in offering him the use of this cushion."
The "Handcuff King" was glad evidently of the rest for his knees, for he
pulled it through into the "ghost house."
Ladies trembled with
suppressed excite- ment, and, despite the weary wait, not a yawn was noticed
throughout the vast audience. For 20 minutes more the band played on, and then
Houdini was seen to emerge once more from the cabinet.
Still handcuffed!
Almost a moan
broke over the vast assemblage as this was noticed. He looked in pitiable
plight from his exertions and much exhausted.
He looked about for a moment, and then advanced to where his challenger
stood.
"Will you remove the handcuffs for a moment," he said, "in
order that I may take my coat off." |
