The San Francisco call. [volume], September 01, 1907, Page 36, Image 36

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
HARRY HOUNDINI, "HALF-DIME
NOVEL"
UTILITY
MAN
Arthur L. Price
MRS. HOUDINI does not appre
ciate her husband, I fear. She
said that if the public found
.-out how he baffled, all the po-:
• iliccmcnin the world from St. Peters
burg to" Eddy street and had risen
ton the stepping stones of unfastened
han<j[cu.ffs to the headine on the Or
: pheum ': bill,' . Harry f Houdini ='• would
. cease *.t&. ."draw" and they 'twould have
to.. >\-ork;.for their.l iving;" ;.!-.. '\u25a0'} .
.;\u25a0 ': : She -underrates the iuihandme, cuff
= ,king;' When, a man 'is an Alcibiades,
•a. Leonardo da Vinci or a Mayor Tay
v lor of the vaudeville circuit,- with sev
eral hundred odd, ends and entireties
\u25a0 ; c/i professions in his. fingers and toes,"
• <fan break jail with: impunity, is a real
'•Hero.' 'a Lincoln Steffcns of prestidigi
tation, king of card tricksters — he per
'forraed fbr.:me : — and besides all that
has'-.ihf scenario of a Krerricr melo
• drama fo-r his.biography, there is little
.; clanger, that '\u25a0'his "wife ever woultl have
\u25a0to tak<i" : in J typewriting.' j .•' ."
" .\u25a0\u25a0When" you saw Houdini on the Or
:. p.3jeu'm;stagc y;6u marveled .at his dex
..terity in iindoing- - handcuffs, and' that
\u25a0is but the .professional," the sordid,
.'\u25a0\u25a0 side of his careerl ' : •. .. "\u25a0 • -.' .' .
i .:Mrs>"; Houdini, • if. the ' world: ever
1 earns Ijqw.. the handcuff. trick is done
: ; aii'd . ; the' vaudeville \ trust cancel's : the"
"j3iea.l : /ticket, jiist*. .telep-hQntf-to. the
.nearest newspaper -shop -and get' a
•ieady reporter whp can take dictation
; from yonr husband. , let' Mr. Houdini
-:'.tell the . story- of • life.: into /the
5 keyboard, . get the copy printed, and
"'serve' it hot between [lurid covers'.in
[ rhc .path' of ' rn.essejigcE boys' and
ilierth.v Ml Glay's impressive. cl.icnjfele.
There's money. in it at 5 cents. a. copy.
Ho>y to Write the Biography. \u25a0
\u25a0j -.For- instance, start", it: off this; way:
:':'-jr. '\u25a0' -i," .CHAPTER I '\u25a0;'< :^';'
•\u25a0\u25a0.\u25a0•"'.'; The Boy 'Contortionist; ;:."•,= .•
m "S^e \u25a0 a : pj u .and pick' it up, then
you'll always, liave good luck.' . ]\u25a0'
\u25a0\u25a0 "There., was a- stir, in • Appletou, Wis.,
on that beautiful June morning. . Life
:\vas again worth living/ even children
were happy; Jack Hocfler's circuswas
•coming to, town. The stupendous ag
.sfegation; ;of acervative \u25a0 muchness
Mould show iii Bill Binkers .lot at
.2:30. The teachers of the Appleton
school played to; empty beirches^ and
,tlic bunch at the Appleton • Grand
hotel, did nothing but gape .at the
circus poster showing a .beautiful
maiden most indecorously clad play
!ing peek-a-boo with -a white steed
through a paper hoop.
"Suddenly all eyes were, turned
from the brilliant mural decoration
on Jones' livery stable to watch the
egress of a wondrous damsel from
the portals of the caravansary.. •
*' 'It be her,' gasped the leading citi
zens. as the girl approached in queen
ly dignity. As she passed the group
a glittering diamond pin fell from her
bonnet, the point sticking into the re
inforced wooden sidewalk. . ... ?^-
Wins Job by Eyelid
"'•l will pick it up for you, lady,'
said a gentle voice, and a blue-eyed
J»ciy with "curl y black hair stepped
from the . awestruck- throng. He
ttood with his back to the pin and
bending over until his lithe body de
>cribed a gothic arch, aimed one eye
for the pinhead, closed his lids with
decision over the jeweled setting and
plucked the pin from the pavement.
Thus did our hero, Harry Houdini,
for it was no other, than he. make a
hit with the circus . lady and get a
job in the show." ;
. \u25a0 : ' : It would be needless for me to vouch
for the truth of that chapter, for
. Harry Hondini told me himself that
he had begun life as a boy contor
tionist and that his first famous trick
was picking up pins from the floor
through, the ingenious prehensibility
of his eyelids. ;\ ' .
* Now nearly all of our trades have
their domestic as well as their public
side. A carpenter's talent for driving
nails is invaluable when he wants to
cage, the baby in the . crib and a"re
porter's adroitness in using words and
his imagination comes in profitably
when he has a love letter to invent,
but I could not at first see how Hou
dini ever, turned his propensity for
getting out. of jail to advantage in a'
social waj-. He doesn't look like a
young man who would need even an
•clisor. .* . ,
In. the interest of : scieucc I won-
\u25a0dered if . fate had -ever been, kind
enough to furnish the. opportunity to
match the rare ability.
Uses Fillmore Street Talk
.He told me that it had. He spoke
iii the fluent, pliable language of Fill
more, street and not in the Parisian
English which he uses as a stage dia
lect. '\u25a0_;\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0;\u25a0\u25a0;-;.; •
[? The amanuensis might lift this.bod
ily from the interview, even though
it is in autobiographical form, and in
-sert it in the half dime novel in this
fashion:'
; .CHAPTER VI
"The Great Rhode Island Jail Delivery
. .*VStone walls do not a prison make J
Nor iron bars a cage.'
\u25a0\u25a0??l was with a small show doing
Rhode Island one summer. They
don't stand for Sunday performances
there, but our. manager ; thought that
as the fine for breaking the law ..was!
only $3 a head he would let us give
ihe show, and even though, we got
pinched he'd pay the fine all around
and still make money/ We were
pinched, all right; the : whole bunch,
the two girls that did "the sister act
in song and dance, the skinny dudcl
\u25a0 . .
and the ossified man. We were put
in the detention cell at the calaboose,
while the manager chased up the jus
tice to get" our fine paid.
"'The gang started to kidding me
about not being able to pick a lock
and break jailwhen I had to. I took
them up on it and before the manager
came back we were all out all right,
hiking back to the lot where the show
was. . You ought to see . our pictures
in the paper next day.' "
Tells of 14is First Feat
I had in my pocket a pair of hand
cuffs lent to me' by Captain Frank
Norman of Chief of Police Ander
son's office and eventually I had in
tended. to try them on my victim/ So
I \6d gently up to the subject of
slipping out of ''prison jewelry."
"When did you first open a hand
cuff?''-
"When I was apprenticed to a lock
smith in Appleton, Wis," he replied,
categorically. "The town marshal
handcuffed a man, so tight that he
could not unlock the irons. '. He
brought him to the locksmith's shop
and I started to file away the metal,
but made slow work. Then I got
the idea of picking the lock. I did it.
Nobody but that prisoner and myself
know ho\v it is done. My nrst stunt
in the show business was to untie any
knot that .was. fastened on me — I can
untie knots as well witli my toes as
with my hands."
.From a symposium on knots, dur
ing which Houdini expressed. his pro
found contempt for people who per
mitted ' themselves to be irrevocably
lashed to the mast or tied to the
burning sta*ke, the conversation drift
ed to what • Houdini considered his
mbst thrilling feat — a leap from the
Detroit river bridge in December,
when, ice was floating. This versa
tility was supernal; just the minute
before Houdini had handed me a mag
azine; "The Conjurers' Monthly."
What other .magazine editor ever
jumped from aTbridge? But Houdini
not only jumped from the bridge; but
he wore handcuffs when he did it.
In his' magazine Houdini uses the
muckrake oh Robert Houdin, a prede
cessor in magic.
"Youmust have been able to help
people out of predicaments, Houdini,"
I. suggested, seeking another chapter
in the. career of this man.
"I was in a hotel, the Zum Kaiser
hof, in Hanover, Germany, in 1902
when the place got on fire. I opened
the doors of 14 rooms. I could do
it quicker, than the people inside,
could turn the keys in the locks. The
proprietor said that if I ever came to
Hanover again and stopped , at any
place but his there would be trouble."
That was all he said about it, sim
ple narrative, and even those meager
details had to be probed out of him
with interrogation points.
Again we let the professional mat
ter lapse to consider the social ad
vantages of being a lock picker. Hou
dini^ told me two thrilling burglar
stories. These should go into the
5^ cent novel. Once, in Coffeyville,
Kans.. he was forced by a gang of
armed gamblers to pick the lock of
a gaming den that they might get in
to mark the cards. He picked the !
lock successfully, but jumped quickly
through the opened door into the area
and slammed it in the face of the
frustrated gamblers. They took a
shot at Houdini. He showed me the
bullet wound in the back of his hand.
Skill Aids Two Burglars
"Burglary No. 2" happened in Dom
strasse, Cologne. Our hero is run
ning for a train, he sees a man and a
woman trying to open an obstinate
lock, he puts his superior skill at
their disposal, the next moment the
door flies, open.
On the following day he reads in
the . papers that a house iii Dom
strasse had been robbed in a mysteri
:IT^^fSAK/•MAN(XfeGO^OALI: IT^^fSAK/•MAN(XfeGO^OALIi t ' SUNDAY, , SEPTEMBER 1^1&)7^
ous manner; he reports to the police;
the man and woman : are captured. !
"I hope that you eloped with your
wife," I suggested tentatively, for I
could see little -in being, a : lock
picker and legerdemain and half-dime
novel utility man if you did hot have
opportunity to perform some such
feat. - . :-'\u25a0
"Oh, that's Avhat you want,'"*he
said, his blue eyes twinkling and his
boyish face illuminated with a cheery
smile. "I'll. tell y*ou about it."
And he told this story, which must
not \u25a0be omitted from the biography,'
for it is the quintessence of romance,
and shall be told in \u25a0 the hero's .own
words and called:
"Chapter XXIV. Love (And Our
Hero) Laughs at Padlocks."
*"I eloped with my wife from her
school books: that was 14 years ago,
and she was then just 16 years old. I
was only about 20 and was working
in a little Brooklyn theater, which she
used to pass every day coniing, from
school. Her name was Wilhelmina
Rahner and she came about No. 9 in
a family of 14 girls.
Willing Wilhelmina
"'I saw her passing the place 'one
day and I said, "Hello." \u25a0 ••
" "Howdy do?" said shei " i .;^;
"Tdoas I please,' I said. \u25a0 i
"'I asked if I might take her home
after school. "Yes ; ; but don't g let
mother see you," replied the gjrl,
smiling a bit.
"She thought I was a real actor, a
sort of Booth or Sir Henry Irving,
and I didn't put her wise. - ; -
" 'How'd you like .to be an actress?'
I asked her one day, knowing, that
most girls were crazy about the stage.
"She said she would like it.
"'Would you marry me?' I asked
quickly.
" 'I would if you'd ask me/
'"Well, I ask you.': \u25a0gj
"That* was on. Thursday; Saturday
night she met me and we went' over
to New York City and were married
in the city hall 1" . '" . - :
(The breathless interviewer had an
ticipated some lock picking magic and
was disappointed that the castle wall
had not to be scaled or the portcullis
shattered. He made inquiries).' .
"'Yes,'" (replied our hero, coming
to the breach like a major), "'I had*
to pick the lock of the kitchen door
and the back gate 'to get out the
trunk. 1 " ... - -v, • \u25a0'-
The WifeWiii Not Tell \ ;;/
Then we went across the street to
the Orpheum and. met Houdini's "bet
ter two^thirds," ; as he called her.' Mrs.'
Houdim has -a soul , above art . and
handcuffs. \ ; '.*_ .* ':.*-.- '.'\u25a0} :;. • '"'
•>"Do you do any bridge jumping? 1 '
I asked hopefully.-. ."
Her lips, brightly "vermillioned with
"make-up,"., smiled a little. •
"No, and L wish he wouldn't do it."
"Do you slip' handcuffs?" • >-"
"N67- JJat first, iiseU to' help him in
illusions; we did all sorts of acts un
til, lie "settled on. ; :this. one; this'is the
easiest.". . • : . •• •: • -. ! --.v. '\u25a0?••
"Do you know how he opens hand
cuffs?" / ;;.•.., •.;... :•;;. : - ..,.-..
kept \u25a0after'him 1 until he
,told iriei. 'But. I^ll^iever tell.the-.secret:
if' it: Avcre\knownitKe act- wouldn't
;dfawJa'nssw,cNl; hayc-to wqrk-for'our
Hying/V"-." *\u25a0";:'•* / . - .'•-/" V* •:, •..,,'
;i'She said it \vistfully; i as if . : she were
really, afraid ,tha{;- something might
happen, though Houdini wouldn't tell
and you couldn't bribc7the secret froro
lier-wUh-adyance. sheets" of ah October
feshioij »naga?ine.; Little 'Wilhelmina
seemed^ tor? forget "that.- .handcuff ; slip
ping and jail breaking : |s such a. small
part oi >Houdmi's,cquipment.^t.*---.
: I had forgotten about : the :dernon
stration I was to have with th*e. maha-
, cles borrowed from Captain Norma"n
when Houdihi' re-entered th*e'rd<)th:
"Have you 'got, your cuffs?" he asked
briskly;;.;,/ '-",,.; ..••,'.;•"•;\u25a0 *.
i "The jr 'are \ attached ta' my- shirt—
oh.yes^he're they/are." "' : -;.-. "- ! - *;, :
I drew the;iro4is from my pocket
and ; slipped them' on ; the ; Handcuff
King. ; ; Houdini went out in the • hall
way and rushed back in a minute with
the unfastened "cuffs." . Our, Hero of
adventure and romance had turned his
" smallest .trick. • '|^B|BSS
Neither Stevens,'!, the artist, nor I
was thrilled by this phenomenon... "As
we; had walked "down the hallway
toward the Houdini r dressing room
the ? wife had, run ahead lightly and
used a key— a vulgari commercial key,
to open the ordinary Yale lock on the
door.; There had been lost a glorious
opportunity for a little spontaneity on
the • magician's .part. We were impo
litely, cool i when he" offered back the
cuffs. : The « feat was accepted I impas
sionately as we accept the sunrise,
which,. I -understand," is a very.spleh
didlrhanifestation, but is so customary
that comparatively, few people stay
tip -all; night "to welcome lit. . . -\u0084-,
Frohman Engages Kubelik -' "
' - P anicl :' Frohman . announces that al
ready ;. ; he has booked more than 100
concerts for. Kubelik, the great vlo
lini*t.i and I the \u25a0\u25a0._ teur > under ' his direction
will include. Canada, Mexico and Cuba.
Frohman first , Introduced this artis t
*»' » "'^wimderkind," but ho Is one O f
the few child wonders who have more
than lived 1 up to their early promises,
for Kubelik now. stands at the top of
his- profession. Will L. Greenbaum Is
Frohman's local representative.
• \u25a0 • • • ' * .
Noted Play at Ye Liberty
" Few romantic \u25a0 costume • plays In thi
last 10- years have achieved suoh a
distinct success all over the countr
as Paul Hester's dramatization o.
Charles Major's charming: novel, "When
Knighthood Was in Flower," which
will be, presented by the Bishop's play
ers at the Liberty playhouse, Oakland,
this week.
• The piece, was Julia Marlowe's most
conspicuous success as a star unde"
Charlea Frohman's management TbV
leading character, that of MaryTudo.
will be played at the Liberty by Miss
lasetta. Jewel, who 13 • well known to
San. Francisco theater goers. Henr
C. Mortimer will be the young lovei
Charles Brandon* and, Henry Shumei
George" Friend. Frank/ Bacon, Landers
Stevens. Getfrge Webster. Blanch*
Douglas, Georgie Cooper and Mabel
Blake will all have Important roltja.
. "When Knighthood Was in Flower"
will >be given for the first time at
special matinee performance on La*,
day (tomorrow).
"The Girl I Left Behind Mo" 1*
nounced to follow.
\u25a0 • • *
"Black Hussar" at Idora
At Idora park "The Geisha" wl
presented for the. last times this/ :
ernoon and evening. There will be
usual three band concerts and :
big skating rink will be open all di
At tomorrow's matinee '(Labor day) *
company will appear In Mlllock
"The Black Hussar." It Is full
catchy melodies and stirring marcl
A special feature of the Labor day ct
bratlon at Idora will be an elabor
and extensive display of fireworks
the evening, including many sped
designed and appropriate set pi*
'.'Ship Ahoy" will be the next pre
tion. '„
* ' ' * * 'X\ \u25a0
Miss Busley at Van Ness
"In the Bishop's Carriage." the dra
matization of Miriam Mlchelson's novel
of the same name, is one of the great
hits and distinct dramatic sensations of
the present theatrical season. Its pre
sentation at the Van Ness has aroused
interest among local theater goers. The
play differs from the book in many Im
portant respects, and while treated
mainly In a brilliant comedy vein has
several powerful situations. Miss Jes-
Ble' Busley. well known m many im
portant plays., interprets the role of
Nance Olden, and the critics and public
speak in generous terms of the mar
velous ability of this rising actress. \u0084
\u25a0: * • m . \" f\
Orpheum Always Crowded -J
'.The fortunes of the Orpheum could
not possibly be brighter, for at every
performance \u25a0 this >opujar vaudeville
theater is. crowded. The program for
the week beginlng this Sunday matlneo
has an attractive look. The principal
feature is Chris Richards, an English
singer and dancer, who for years has
been the rage of the London mu*Jc
halls. The Farrell-Taylor trio, consist^
Ing of Frank Taylor. Blanche Daven
port and Tom Carter, will make their'
first appearance and Introduce their 1
novel and entertaining, sketch, "Tko !
Minstrel Man," which is voted initho !
east to be one ot the most diverting
skits In vaudeville. The Ruppelts, eel- !
ebrated-^ European equilibrists, and ;
Fred's monkey actors will be the other '
new candidates' for popular approval '
Houdini, the amazing prison breaker'
and handcuff king, will enter on his I
second week. He is causing a sensation 1
and' ts appropriately styled "My3teri
arch, for of all the human.beings thati
have appeared before an audience he is i
certainly the most puzzling. The local!
police force is said to have registered,
a vow that It will yet manacle him In
possible/ to freo himself.
|The ShaughraurT at Alcazar * j
.Denis' aSulUvan, the famous Irish :
actor and singer, will conclude: his en
gagement at the New Alcazar theater '
this -week' In a production of Dion
Bouqlcaulfs famous play. The Shau/rh-
IV 1 ?"-? 1 ? thl3 O'Sullivan will play the
part 6T Conn, a typical .Irishman, who {
is somewhat of- a . scapegoat but who^
possesses- the great faculty of belnr
loyal to his master. During the prog
ress of the play, O'Sullivan will sin-*
"The Oulaghaun," . "Caolne" /S
"The Ould Plaid Shawl?" 'The Short
Cut to the Ross;; rPhe-Smith Son!"'
BTannl|an"^ lnS . Overs> ' and "MolJy,
\u25a0 . Ther actions the play takes place in,
the county SHgo, where Conn ttte
&haughraun. is one of the real village
Characters, The British government'
has declared war on the tES£S£££
; ment and among those sent into esila
fa Robert Folllott. Hehas the audacity
L Lt r^ turn to the c ««Btpy even when
ihe knows that his discovery would
; mean immediate death. 'He comes back
1- t e s , sw f eth cart. Arte O'Neal, and
a placed in jeopardy by the Informa
tion given the British by Harvey -Duff
an informer, and police spy. Folllott
jl3 arrested and thrown into jail, but
Conn his escape and imperson
i own life, for, he is shot as he attempts
I?/?" t a l ay ll rr ° m the Brltisn \u25a0oldleral
He is taken home for dead but soon
regains consciousness and . everything
ends -happily when Conn wins for £2
Dofan ya * the P rett y nlec «> of Father
"The Shaughraun" will run the en
tire week, opening with a special mat!
nee, tomorrow. Labor day, and will b«
followed ( by an elaborate production <kf
Shore Acres." In this play Stage DfV
; reefer Fred J. Butler will play the leadV
tthe part made Xumou3 by James a!~
i Hcrne, ._:_.\u25a0 -