This is a printers block of an escape artist from the early 1900's. The print size is 4 1/2 X 6 1/2 inches and it mounted on heavy wood. From its size I would think it was used for advertising theater cards. Does anyone have any idea who this escape artist might be?



Thanks

Ron

Hello,
perhaps it is Mr. Hardeen, Brother of Houdini. There is a very similar picture of him, you can see it for example athttp://members.tripod.com/sjfloats/houdini/hardeen.html

It is a different strait jacket, but nearly the same style and it may be the same person. Difficult to identify unless you find the exact same picture with description...

Best regards
Andy-58

The face looks like Hardeen's

I think you may be correct. Andy-58, I just did a side by side comparison of the second picture of your post and there is a very good match in the facial profile.

I was thinking of Hardeen but wanted to get the opinions of other collectors. This was on ebay a few weeks ago and is in great shape for its age with just a few scratches.

Thanks for your inputs.

Ron

I don't think it's Hardeen. Hardeen parted his hair in the middle.

Definitely not Hardeen, nor a Hardeen/Houdini jacket.
I don't think the block is that old.
And he does look familiar.
Pat Culliton

Thanks Kevin and Patrick. Somewhere there must be a poster or article of this guy.

In more of my search, I came across this picture of Hardeen with his hair parted on his left side. (Unless this is a reverse image since the inscription is correct.) The early pictures of him are defiantly parted in the middle. I also found his voice recording that Kevin had a post about. Interesting listing.



Ron

My first impression was that it wasn't Hardeen...but who knows?

Who's to say that it's not simply one of a thousand "backyard magician-escape artists" of the time - who simply posed with a straitjacket on?...and who's identity may never be known.

Hi, I dont think its hardeen
I may be wrong but, my first glance told me it was jj trudell
probably not, but thats who I thought it was

The Hardeen photo looks late 1930's to me. I have one here, but I have to find it to see if he added a date to it. The one I was talking about was photo of him from May 1907. I have a couple of Houdini imitator photo books here. While I'm looking for Hardeen, I'll look for your guy too.

Thanks everyone. Got to thinking about the print block process and it should be a mirror image of the actual image. Therefore, his hair is really parted on his left side. The block shows it on the right. Just went through my Trudell stuff, no pictures of him just a lot of fliers from the 50's. I do have a lock pick set from him which is marked on the holder.

Ron

Seem wrong for it to be Hardeen.

Steve Santini

How about Hardeen Jr., Douglas Geoffrey? I just ran across a couple photos of him. I'm still looking.

I found some Hardeen photos. The one above that I said was late 1930's, maybe at least 10 years before that. Still looking.

I just looked at a couple of Trudel photos. It doesn't look-like him to me.

As for Brindamour, he looks-like he's related to one the Herrmanns.

Still looking....

Ron,

This printing block may later than the 1900's. The jacket is what caught my attention. The photos I have of earlier jacket of seem to be made of mostly leather. Then it seems to switch to canvas and leather in later years.

As most know, I'm not a hardware guy, just a paper guy. I could be well off on this angle.


Still looking.....

Houdini/Hardeen straight jackets are tailor made, form-fitting. They make the performer look dynamic and strong.
See the blousey waist of the jacket in the block? Not a Houdini jacket.
The guy reminds me a little of an older Raymond, but, I haven't seen photos of Raymond when he was older. Not Raymond. I know who it isn't, I just don't know who it is.
Pat Culliton

Kevin,

I have never seen most of the pictures you are referring to. It sounds like you are having a ball going through your collection. It would be great if some way this history could be made available to the community. History is so important and too much of it is getting lost with the passage of time and those involved who lived it.

Thanks for your time and maybe we will hear from some of the other Houdini collectors that are out there.

Ron

LOL! I forgot. I wasn't thinking that others might not have the photos. As for maybe a book, that would be in another lifetime.

This one just came up. How about Van Tone? He looks close.

The Great Van Tone! Joe has an article by him posted in another part of this Forum. However, no picture.

Patrick had an interesting comment about the cut of the jacket which is interesting and lead one will away from Hardeen.

The quality and size of the print block would lead me to believe it was used for lots of printing to advertise this guy. Wish my library was larger. Not much doing a web search.

Ron

The size of your block is similar to a size of a postcard. It may have been used for that purpose.

I just ran across a photo of Houdini putting on a straight-jacket. The jacket is large, large enough for Hardeen. The photo is latter on in his life, so why kill himself?

The performer bears a very close resemblance to English escape-artist:

VAL WALKER

page 197 gibsons houdini scrapebook

just kidding, i'm looking too.

Its not Hardeen. It looks close to the Brittish escape artist Vall Walker as pictured in Handcuff Annual 2007 page 116.

It looks-like Joe and Johan got it. It looks close enough for me.

Now, how the hell do I get this stuff back where it came from!

Lots of interesting research. There are two more pictures of Val and other interesting info on straight jackets at

http://www.houdini-connections.co.uk/4-info/Topics/sj-John%20Bull.htm

It could be Val, and the pictures on the site are of the same background and style as the block. There is something about the face that still makes me wonder.

Thanks to all, it has been informative.

Ron

That was me above Ron's post. The stuff is back!

Hi all,

I had a look at this link and saw mention of an unusual arms down version straitjacket called the "John Bull" jacket.

It is said that Houdini was challenged with this jacket and then got out, possibly cut cutting his way free, and then cut the entire jacket into bits and threw it to the crowd to maybe destroy the evidence he had cut himself out of it.

I am not sure I believe this story because I believe I many times saw the original jacket as a teenager on display at The Houdini Museum in Niagara Falls, ON.

The jacket at the Houdini museum was no doubt genuine as to age and was manufactured out of VERY thick canvas with leather mitts, straps, and a high leather collar.

Same arms down pattern, same positioning of body and arms straps, everything the same.

Apparantly the one at the Houdini Museum was said to have been made to challenge Houdini by some saddle makers in Scotland but, like most of the items in the museum, there was no supporting provenance to bear this claim out.

Personally, I find it a little odd that two sperate people would design the exact same identical jacket with the same positioning of the straps, etc.

Just food for thought.

Perhaps the "John Bull" jacket was not destroyed at all.

Steve Santini

The web page in my last post is run by Jim Stewart. I emailed him telling him about this thread. I thought this might stir up some new information and it already has from Steve's post. Since Stewart had contact with Val's son thou many year ago, I am hoping he can provide some information. Stay tuned.

Ron

The mentioned, and indeed strange straightjacket, can be seen in Walter Gibsons book "Houdinis fabolus magic" page 43 where Mr. Radner wears it. It was claimed that Houdini was challenged in Scotland with this "torture" straight jacket and escaped!

Its impossible to tell the age of the jacket on the picture but its heavy made in leather arms down style but its a formidable device.

Ops It was I that put in the info on the Houdini straight jacket and Gibson book!

Yes, the one in that book is the same straitjacket I saw many times in person at The Houdini Museum.

I cannot help but wonder if Houdini had the heavier one made to defeat other escape guys because if he was challenged with the original "John Bull" canvas and leather one and had to cut his way out why then would he bother to take on a challenge with one made out of even heavier materials?

Likely as not Houdini had the one in the Museum/Gibson book made to defeat other escape guys or had it made as something he could use in a lobby display.

To my knowledge there are no know photos of Houdini wearing it or trying to escape from it so it may be one of these last two possibilities.

Cheers, Steve

I wouldn't have thought there be so many escape artist collectors here. If anyone has escape artist pitcgbooks, photos, letters, etc. for sale or trade, please drop me a line. This also applies for Houdini and Hardeen too.

A good ammount of Dunninger's original collection of escape artist photos and paper.

A rather nice collection.

These now reside in the capable hands of John Bushey as he bought the lot from me.

Steve Santini

Luckily Flosso introduced me to Dunninger. He lived 5 miles from me. He had some wild stuff.

Hi Steve.

Its an intriguing straight jacket of unusally design and I am shure Houdini had a method to escape from it. It would be a formidable escape king defeater specially if your arms are to loong for the sleevs then it gets interesting.

There could have been loads of photos that where destroyed by Theo Hardeen- I once asked mr.Radner about it but no respons, I wonder if Radner stills have this jacket or if it was sold. Radner also had other full lenght canvas jacket that Hardeen used. One of these was in a documentary and as far as I can remeber Milbourne Christoffer was in this film as well.

Yes we are a few fellow collectors and escape historians around the globe. I have always admired Houdini and all the master locksmiths that once constructed masterpieces of fine mechanics.

Johan Ahlberg
Sweden

Just my opinion. Not Hardeen. Email Fred Pitella, if anyone knows besides
Kevin, it would be Freddy. His collection of escape artist memorabilia is
in my opinion one of the tops in the world. Check with him. Nice piece.
Best Wishes, John

I have had several emails with Jim Stewart and he sent this information in part:

"Regarding the photo: My two conversations with Val Walker's son Kevin in the early Seventies threw up some facts and a lot of fiction (shades of Houdini himself). I borrowed two of his father's jackets. Both were then quite old and well-used .., and I was told that the John Bull jacket was a copy of the one originally made (in Birmingham) to challenge Houdini at the Kingston Empire. My interest was in how efficient various types of jacket could be - so I made accurate copies of both the Walker jackets so that they could be put to the test. At the time I already had experience of making jackets for professional Escape Artists - but I was more interested in make something Escape-proof. Later in the Seventies this hobby became a business from which 'Fetters' grew.

I discussed the 'John Bull' story with Prince Wheeler at the time. The ripping apart and throwing pieces to the audience story was pooh-poohed by the surviving Houdini authorities at the time - because before Silverman's book, it was heracy to admit in public that HH was as ruthless and devious as he undoubtedly was.

Several jacket designs I was given access to from prisons and museums I made accurate copies of so they could be put to the test by skilled practitioners - and I was no mean 'tester' myself in those days. On my web site the collection of jackets I sold two years ago is described and pictured."

Jim is trying to contact Kevin Walker.

I have tried to come up with a timeline of the print block and the two pictures of Val that are on Stewart's site. The picture on the bottom left with him wearing the "Bull Jacket" I would place in the mid 1920's. The two pictures of him on the right I would place in the mid 1950's early 1960's. My plate would fit into the late 1940-1950's time frame.

I am basing this on age and fullness of the face and chin areas.

This is fun,

Ron

J,

I sent Paypal on Saturday. Just checking to see if you sent the items. Email when you send the stuff out.

Thanks....Kevin

Ahh, Jim Stewart!!! I was just discussing him in passing with a fellow collector and was saying that is a person's mind who needs to be tapped for all the knowledge he has acquired over the years and record it. He has a wealth of knowledge and a fine gentlemen in his own right. However being in the Mid Atlantic states and not in the UK this would be a task for someone on the other side of the pond.

I'm a techno-idiot when it comes to Internet discussion groups.
But, having watched recent discussions here since Ron Spitz first drew my attention to this interesting thread, tonight I decided to risk saying 'Hi'. Especially in the light of kind words of 'Dorson'. Sorry to sound impersonal Dorson, I will contact you so I get a name.

My interest in Houdini-related information and activity first emerged when I was eight years old and has continued ever since - so that's 69 years! Material stored during that time is to a great extent already on the website www.houdini-connections.co.uk
The site is a mess. There is more there than most individuals need, because it covers so many "connected" issues. A simple site map is desperately needed to ensure that people do not stray into territory they find either irrelevant or offence. I'm still seeking help towards achieving this. But, the site can be searched from the Home Page for a specific topic.

Since the the mystery strait-jacket photo thread started, I have up-dated my on-site Index of strait-jacket references; see www.houdini-connections.co.uk/4-info/Topics/sj-index.htm

Here, this being primarily a handcuff collector group, feel free to aim straight for www.houdini-connections.co.uk/4-info/Topics/hc-collection.htm
For a better overview of the site as a whole, the first few introductory pages start at www.houdini-connections.co.uk
Not a promo for the site - but individual the aim of the site has always been interaction.

So, please feel free to contact me, especially if you become frustrated with the disorderly complexities of the site.
My direct e-mail is jimstewartUK@BTinternet.com.
With all good wishes to all.
Jim Stewart

PS. In drafting this message - the first attempt disappeared. I hope the unfinished message did not get sent!

Jim

Welcome to the Handcuffs.Org forum. It is an honor to have you.

I have several of your custom items in my collection including your "challenge jacket" and one of your John Bull jackets. They are true highlights of my collection.

Joe


For those of you who don't know Jim's work. It is of the highest quality. Here is a picture of escape artist Andrew Bosso modeling Jim's John Bull straitjacket.

After many attempts to get a "good" image from the block, the best I could do without major Photoshop is this image made on a scanner.

I don't think it is Val Walker and might never know who it is, but it has been fun and even learned quite a lot in the process. I do believe it is from the 1940's.

Thanks again to everyone for their ideas and thoughts.

Ron

Kinda looks like Stan Willis!

I'm flattered, but you need new glasses or you havn't seen me in many years.
Stan

Hello Dear Collectors,

first of all my compliments for all of you and Joseph for this great site. One can learn so much from you about this very specific topic. I am from Germany and have collected primarily antique weapons, and by chance antique restraints (mainly pre- industrial ones). After my first visit to this interesting Site, I have started to collect this vintage stuff as well. One day I have aquired a nice Maltby, which is now one of my favourites of the more modern restraints.

But now back to the thread: I know a collector who has an original Bull straitjacket, not an English, but a German one. I was told that the great Houdini came to Germany to challenge the Chief of Police in Berlin, who blamed him a charlatan. This resulted in an excusion to Houdini before court then. Houdini made some performances with the Cirus Busch then. Somewhere he was offered to escape from a straitjacket. This was the only restraint, Houdini refused to escape from (please correct me, if I´m wrong, as I am not an Houdini expert).

Anyway, it is the same arms down pattern, made of very, very heavy canvas and leather. It is from about 1900 1920, and it is marked August Muehlenfeld on the leather straps. I´ll try to get some pictures.

Cheers,
Rainer, the Hanseatenhans

Whenwever I read the Mühlenfeld-name I am close to a heart-attack, so when you can provide photos this surely will be very interesting.

Best wishes,

Michael

I don't remember Houdini refusing to wear the jacket. As a matter of fact, many of his German challenges were some of his most vicious and inhumane, some leaving permanent damage. The Bull jacket, IMHO, could be easily handled by Houdini.

Houdini went to Cologne to sue a police official for slander, etc. Houdini won the case and the fololowing appeals.

Hello Rainer and welcome to the handcuff forum.

With your knowledge of Houdini's time in Germany, does the story of Houdini challenging Kleppini come to mind.

I believe it was around 1901 and Houdini challenged Kleppini to get out of a handcuff while at a circus in Dortmund.

I am told that the story is about a parargraph long, printed in a Germany newspaper at the time. I am looking for a copy of that article.

The story that Houdini told, is far different and much longer, but I would really like to hear what the newspaper said at the time.

hope you can help

Ian

The date of the challenge should be 1902.

Ian

Hi Ian,

It was on circus Sidoli the great Kleppini was challenged by Houdini and as the story goes on Houdini offerd 5000 mark if Kleppini could escape from Houdinis handcuffs and another 5000 mark if Houdini was to lock him in a pair of stocks standing on the stage.

The straigt jacket Houdini was challenged with was on order from count von Schwerin chief police commissioner in Hanover September 17th 1901. Its not certain what style this straight jacket was. When reading Houdinis book "Sensational Perplexer!" there are photos of the standard straightjacket but it could well be a leather jacket from Aug. Muhlenfeld "Ausrustungsstucke fur kommunal-Polizei. In their catalouge they have one "Zwangsjacke no.300" for only 33.50 Mark, maybe they also had other styles?

Hello Michael, Kevin and Ian,

Thank you for your welcome on this forum. Kevin, you are right, it was not Berlin, but Cologne. Ian, I have read the section in houdinis handcuff secrets (very, very interesting book, I didn´t know it), it was not Dortmund but Essen. So one should search for newspapers of that city. I would like to advice you to google for Zirkus Cesar Sidoli. Kleppini was the escapologist star of that circus. To be honest, I can´t remember from whom I have learnt this story, at first I thought that it was from the collector who owns this jacket, but I have checked that already and it wasn´t he. Michael, I am trying to get an appointment with that collector, he will allow me to take some shots of the jacket.

Best wishes
Rainer

The Kleppini and Scherwin stories should be in the Silverman and the Houdini spy book. You may want look into the spy book set for where they got their information.

You may also want to look in Mein Traing, Mein Tricks for references and photos to these two stories. Sensational Perplexer editions may be too early to have contained the stories.

Also, try a search with Circus/Zirkus Busch Houdini.

Hi Ian,
I think what you are thinking of is the following:

"By the by, this countryman of yours, Houdini, is certainly a grandstand performer. Recently, in the Circus Sidoli, and imitation handcuffed act was engaged called Kleppini, being advertised as the absolute master of all handcuff workers, also that he had just made a match with Houdini and came out of it with victory. While Kleppini was giving his exhibition one day a man wearing a false mustache and blue goggles entered the ring and pulling off his meager disguise he announced himself, to the surprise of all, to be none other than your Harry Houdini. key had once denounced the false reports and statements made by Kleppini and was willing to match him at once for fun or 3000 m. This of course Kleppini refused to do. Needless to say that the medals worn by this imitator were bogusand resulted in closing him at once."

I can't give you the date, but, this is from a 1902 New York Dramatic Mirror. "Notes from our European Correspondent, Herr N. Osey."

That's what this guy Osey says, but, why should we believe him instead of Houdini?

There is a mistyped line in my last post. The second sentence which reads: "and imitation Handcuffed act," as you may have suspected, should read. "an imitation Handcuff act."
P.S. I know who Herr Osey was.

Hi Guys, thanks for your info on the subject.

The story I am after and verbatim if possible is the article in the (Essen?) newspaper.

Where I am told, houdini entered the circus and made claims and hurled abuse at Kleppini. Houdini was thrown out and the show went on.

The story in the 'Houdini was a spy' book is just the same old story as told by Houdini about changing the combination of the handcuff which is impossible. If the book had have been well researched, there could have been a picture of the authentic handcuff and the information about why Houdini's story was false.

Ian

Ian,

This aticle is only a paragraph long? I never heard of it. Where did you hear about it? I'll have to give Houdini the nod on this one, until something else turns up.

Hi Kevin, the story was told to me by Jon Oliver, owner of the French handcuff with letter lock. It would appear that Houdini's outburst didn't rate much mention in Germany and therefore only got a parargraph.

I guess with the time in getting back to the states and Houdini's ego, it gave him time to reflect and make up his own story, which is rather a good one (but un-true)

Ian

I may be wrong, but the Kleppini incident was after the Cologne lawsuits. With all the coverage he got from that, enough to fill a scrapbook, the papers could of had their fill of an American Jew. It's a possiblity. Also, a Essen newspaper also reported that Houdini contracted blood poisining from a handcuff and that his right arm would have to amputated!

You may want to check Silverman's Notes To Houdini. It mentions some sources and a scrapbook.

Hi Kevin, I have gone thru Silverman's Notes and couldn't find anything on the article Jon remembers seeing but has loss.

Ian

Try pages 48 + 49.

It seems to me that there is enough information in Houdini's account of the kleppini/letter lock episode to track it down and determine if any of it is true. Houdini is quite specific in saying that he had to interrupt his run at the Circus Corty-Althoff in Holland to go to Dortmund, Germany to confront kleppini who was appearing at the Circus Sidoli.

Like many other Houdini stories, this one is apocryphal. It might be true, it might not. Or, some parts of it may be true.

It certainly hurts Houdini's account that the two letter locks known to have belonged to him could not possibly have spelled either the word cleffs or fraud. The words Houdini, or his ghost writer, used in his account had five letters and the locks could only spell four letter words. It doesn't mean, this particular confrontation didn't occur.

On the other hand, it is impossible to tell a true Houdini story from a false one. He, or his scribe, gets things wrong or makes things up. It is true that Houdini escaped from inside the belly of a sea monster at Keith's theater in Boston. It is not true, as Houdini later wrote, that he was chained up in the belly of the sea beast and dropped into Boston Harbor.

Houdini's account of his adventure in the Great Pyramid of Giza was just as fanciful and fantastic as his ghost writer H. P. Lovecraft could make it, yet, on the cover of the magazine that published the story (as I recall) the story was called "the strangest true story you will ever read." In the story, Houdini is chained up by bad guys and thrown into the deepest bowels of the Great Pyramid where he is attacked by demon monsters.

In the Kleppini/letter lock story, Houdini attends a performance of Kleppini's act and confronts him on stage. That much is substantiated by the one paragraph article mentioned by Jon Oliver, which at the moment, does not seem to be findable, but, the one paragraph article by Houdini himself says exactly that: Houdini went in disguise to the Corty-Althoff and confronted Kleppini in a most dramatic manner. Houdini says that he did not leave the theater but rather returned to his seat. That would differ from the article Jon Oliver referred to.

Houdini writes that kleppini's manager tried to promote a confrontation between them in which Houdini would be billed along with Kleppini. Houdini says he would not do this, but, agreed to come up from the audience to challenge Kleppini with a lock. Houdini says he woke up the following day, June 18, 1902 to discover that Kleppini's people had papered the town with announcements that said "Houdini challenged and will appear at the Circus Ceasar Sidoli this evening."

According to Houdini, he locked the French letter lock onto Kleppini at the performance that night, and Kleppini was unable to open the lock.

I think that there would have to be something in the local papers about this, but, not necessarily. During a somewhat difficult engagement in Los Angeles in 1907, Houdini announced that he would dive into Westlake from the band platform. I don't know whether he did or didn't, because not a single newspaper covered it.

At the Chicago air show, Houdini did one of his most amazing stunts, dropping into the lake, handcuffed, from a plane. Almost none of the papers mentioned it, but, Silverman found it. It happened.

I think that the reason a drawing accompanies Houdini's account of the letter lock affair as opposed to a photograph is that the lock didn't match up with the text. I wonder if we will ever discover the true story.

There in lies the rub. Great post Pat. I think you hit the nail on the head.

Hi Pat, you are right, we may never know the real stories but I do like to gather as much as i can so I can at least pretend to myself that I know, what I believe to be the real story, based on all possible information.

I think the Silverman book Houdini!!!! was the best book ever on Houdini and very very well reseached.

Most other books have just been a rehash of available information and usually with the same old fables and nothing new.

Ian

I seem to recall that I read somewhere that Kleppini used to do an escape from a barred "jail cell" of his own design.

Perhaps the letter lock cuffs were not even used in this incident but instead Harry attempted to put a letter lock padlock on his cell.

This story, like many of Harry's self told exploits just does not smell right.

I sense a great deal of literary "expansion" in the telling.

Steve Santini

On the other hand, many of the documented Houdini escapes will never be done again. Not with the danger, the crowds, the coverage and the most overlooked, the duration and frequency.

There's Houdini and then there is everyone else.

Hi The article as it was told to me, didn't describe if or what challenge or restraint was used, the paragraph just noted that Houdini had come to the Circus and caused a bad situation and the management threw him out.

Kleppini probably didn't even get close to Houdini, let alone handcuffed.

Ian
(that's why I would like to see it, so it's not second hand info)

Gentlemen,

its highly interesting. I agree we will probarbly never know the exact facts about the Kleppini story. Another question are how many handcuffs with letter locks did exsist? One pair are photographed in "life and history of Hardeen" Was it the same pair Houdini had manufactured? The story of changing combination on the cylinders is wrong, its impossible.

Silvermans great book contains a lot of information.Many stories dosent add upp when you read old newspappers. Its the same with the Copenhagen story where Houdini claimed that he got the telegram arriving on the train station still the pappers tell how he did one preformance. I managed to find a copy of the Rheinishe Zheitung covering the full court story in Cologne. Its an entirely diffrent story than the one Houdini told. Its also the same when Hardeen visited Sweden to preform another story in the pappers.

Houdini was a genious to create publicity. Still after more than one hundred years latter we are still wondering what happend? How did he do it ?
Did he do it ? ? ?

I thought the Rheinische Zeitung went of business in 1843? Eevn it's a differnt paper, I don't think one article could cover all the Cologne cases. Just the collection from Houdini of the trials was made into it's own scrapbook. I THINK the cover title is Cologne Trials - Harry Houdini.

Hi Kevin.

The German Newspaper Rhenische Zeitung was real and did exist in 1902.

The newspaper articles on the courtcase with Houdini suing the German police and Meerfeldt, who seems to had slander Houdini in a article. Its interesting to read these articles since its a totally diffrent story than the one Houdini had in his articles. There are also talks about a lock that had been manipulated and some bribes, but Houdini did impress the court doing a escape from the fetters the police (Lott) had put on him.

This "Escape Artist" thread - has gone off into two different directions since it first started..the "Bull Jacket" and now "Kleppini".

For future reference to easily find this information again - perhaps two new threads should be created - and move the "Bull Jacket" and "Kleppini" info into each.

I read of another paper going by the same name closing in 1843. I think Karl Marx may have been the editor. It wasn't that Houdini MAY have been slandered, he was slandered. Him winning the cases bears that out. Before it was mentioned it was an article, now you refer to articles. Either way, the bottom line is that Houdini won. Some newspapers or their reporters could reporting with an agenda too. Houdini was up against a tough audience.

Joe,

Feel free to split this thread.

Gee, we don't have a news media in the US with an agenda do we?

ABC, CBS, NBC, New York Times come to mind.

Hi Kevin, to refresh my memory, what were the charges against Houdini?

Ian

Ian,

Houdini wasn't charged. He sued for slander. He was arrested from time to time during his lifetime, but not in this case that I know of.

Sorry I meant to say, what was the slanderous remarks made against him?

Ian

No problem. I'm sure you can find it the Silverman book, Spy book etc. I think basically it was that Houdini was lying to the audience.

As I recall, a cop, Werner Graff, accused Houdini of attempting to bribe him and of actually bribing another officer. Silverman covered it best.
Kleppini should have his own thread. Terrible thing is: everything I know about Kleppini, I learned from Houdini.
Houdini said Kleppini did a cross ascape and audience members could bring their own padlocks. Houdini said Kleppini was like the Dolly Sisters--an act that was so bad it was funny.
Houdini said he got a five day leave of absence from the Circus he was playing in Holland in the middle of June, 1902. Maybe something will show up that backs that up.
Houdini said a barber in Essen disguised him and that when he challenged Kleppini from a box, he leapt 22 feet to the stage. I'll bet he did, too.
The letter lock challenge, Houdini says, occurred the evening of June 18. Houdini couldn't have changed the letter combination as he said he did. I think, though, that he might have switched locks--something he said Werner Graff tried to do to him.
In fact, when another cop tipped Houdini that the guy was planning to switch locks, Houdini gave him a cash reward. I believe this figured in the "slander" case.

Thanks Patrick, I feel that Kevin really thinks Houdini cannot do no wrong.
I am sure he (Houdini) thinks he was slandered but I think what was said about him might be true. Similar stuff still goes on and just because he is a legend, doesn't mean he didn't have another side.

Most of what I know about Houdini is told to me by Houdini, for sure. It's nice to knock a few brick out of the wall and have a look on the inside though.

A few years ago, I was out shopping around and dropped in on a metal fabricators to get a quote for a large escape. When I told the guy about what I was after, he told me that six months earlier another guy had the same thing built.( Just pure chance I picked the same company) The strange thing was the guy was happy to tell me all about it face to face, but I am sure he would never have told anyone else, except for me jogging his memory and being interested in the same thing. (he would have never gone to the newspaper as while it is happening or people are making money , it is not a concern. As time passes, people forget or don't care. The only ones to tell the tales are those who see real value in it.

Ian

Ian,

No I don't think Houdini was perfect. No one is. When you can't even accept that Houdini was slandered, then maybe you have an agenda. If winning the documented court cases doesn't convince you, nothing will.

Gentlemen,

I have always higly admired Houdini as a master of his art and even as a magician he was more than "mediocer" in a way we are drifting away from the original questions on who was the man in straightjacket? Regarding Houdini he was no superhuman and the facts are in the old newspapers. I have spent many hours in the royal libararies and talking to other collectors to find material about him and not what was written in the ordinary books, many books have retold old storys that dosent add up with facts. Interesting are the storys Brain Lead and Roger Woods wrote concerning the Wilson story, the Fenton lock Houdini refused to be challenged with, The facts Mick hanzlick brought up on the mirror challenge, the handcuffs Mellmore challenged him with in England and the Copenhagen story. Its all there even if some reporters could at times alter facts but it cant be al reporters are wrong or liars.

"Houdini said Kleppini was like the Dolly Sisters--an act that was so bad it was funny".
______________________

Hi Patrick:

Do you perhaps mean the "CHERRY Sisters"

(as mentioned in "Handcuff Secrets"?) ---Joe

Hi Kevin, I was responding to your comment that Houdini was right because he won the court case.

With all things there are many different points of view or things that happen that are done for many other reasons and just because someone wins a court case doesn't mean that they were guilty or the allegation against them wasn't true.

If I was happy with your answer, sugesting houdini can do no wrong!, then there wouldn't be any point to reseaching, learning and thinking about what may have actually gone on.

In an earlier post, Patrick points out a good arguement for why there is no photo of the french letter lock handcuff with Houdini's article, it would have blown his story out of the water.

Maybe Houdini won the court case because in the country's best interest to have him lose.

My only agenda ( and thats an emotive word) is to learn and think, not to stop short becasue I read it in a book or that I because I see him as a legend in escape that he isn't human.

Ian

There is a photo of Houdini in Notes to Houdini (limited edition companion to Silverman's book, page 46), that shows hims wearing what looks to me like the french letter handcuff. It is an upper body shot so the cuff is somewhat clear in the image. The wheels are in plain view and the raised edges that would be used to grip and turn the wheels indicate four or five wheels.

Hi Bruce, this is the only photo I have seen of Houdini wearing the cuffs which is clear, the other photo is in Handcuff secrets of the cuffs only and the movie with Houdini in the French prison also has him wearing them.

The cuffs have five wheels but only the first four wheels have letters on them and the last wheel is blank, the letter are from A-N and therefore the words clefs and fraud cannot be made. The construiction of the cuff aslo means that the combination wheels cannot be removed and changed.

Ian

You could use Clef and Fake. That would work. I also think, as does Patrick, that Houdini would have switched out the handcuffs.

Hello,
i have also seen the article in handcuff secrets. In the description of the french letter handcuff itself together with other handcuffs (e.g. russian manacle) it was mentioned that there are letter cufs with 5 or 6 letters, both easy to open. If you look closely to the photo (russian manacle, old egypt leg irons with puzzle lock, russian leg irons for riveting and french letter cuff), the letter cuff have 5 wheels, but only four wheels have some markings. Markings would be letters, but you cannot see them clearly. Perhaps somebody has a better photo of original french letter cuffs where marking can be better seen.

Some pages later on page 44 there is a drawing of the parts, most interesting are the letter wheels, they are made of two parts each. The inner parts have one nut inside, cuff opens when all nuts are aligned in a row. The outer parts have 16 nuts inside and letters outside, so there are 16 positions the outer part can be mounted over inner parts. This means, that combinations can be altered but you have to disassemble cuff to do this. Same principle can be found in the cryptex model of the special edition of "the davinci code" DVD, it has 5 letters, outer rings have 26 nuts so every five letter word can be selected. Initial code is "TRUTH" but can be altered by disassembling.

If the article of handcuff secrets is correct, there are 16 possible letters for every wheel (maybe A-P or another subset of letters), 4 or 5 letters at all. Perhaps there are more than 16 letters on the outside of wheels but only 16 can be selected for a valid combination. But i also think, it is easier to change cuffs instead of changing combination by disassembling and reassembling the same cuff.

Best regards
Andy-58

My desire for researching the original Kleppini article is about finding out the fact from the fiction. I am interested in knowing what was reported as to the actual events on the night and not the guess work which seems to be creeping into the thread.

I don't think it is helpful to guess, change and think up ideas to fit the story.
Firstly, I correct myself, the letters wheels are stamped A-O, therefore Fraud and Clefts cannot be used.

Kevin writes: "You could use Clef and Fake. That would work. "
In earlier postings Kevin, you seem to want to believe Houdini story as the "fact". Houdini said the cuff was set on CLEFS and then changed to FRAUD, so it cannot be CLEF or FAKE.

You also said " I also think, as does Patrick, that Houdini would have switched out the handcuffs.'
As I have already said above, there is no mention of what, if any restraint was actually used on the night and that Kleppini was not even locked up by Houdini. So the idea of thinking Houdini switched cuffs would only need to be added to the mix to make Houdini's story work.,

Instead of Houdini having switched any cuffs, he could and should have had made a pair of letter combination handcuff which actually did what he claimed they do but he didn't.

Hi Andy, you are correct that the French handcuff pictured in Houdini's handcuff secrets has four marked wheels and one blank wheel, however, it seems that this cuff is most likely to have been made for Houdini, just like the Russian manacle, Bell lock handcuff and Mirror handcuff and these are not stock issue cuffs but customized restraints. Houdini probbaly would have added something like " there are letter cuffs with 5 or 6 letters," to give the impression there were more cuffs like it, but there is only one.

Several Houdini/handcuff enthusiasts like me, believe that the French cuff was made from two four wheel padlocks, common at the time. It is my theory that the blank wheel was added to widen the lock area and make it fit Houdini's wrist and the shackle has a hinge in the centre to allow it to open fully.

In normal letter combination lock, either with a straight or curve shackle there is no extra hinge in the middle.

The drawing of the inner working and how it is possible to change the combination is only a drawing of the idea and method and not an accurate drawing of any given model. Some of these padlocks can be changed ( as described) and other cannot be. Also some wheels can have 6 letters or numbers, other larger ones can have to full alphabet. All types can have three to ten wheels. It's up to the manufacturer.

The replica French handcuff I made was copied directly from the original Houdini cuff and I can tell you that it is impossible to change the combination due to it's construction and the lettering of the wheels will not match any words Houdini states.

Ian

Hi everyone,
Ian asked me to post this photo for him. It's a photo of the original
real Houdini French Lettercuff, and his reproduction. The top photo is the
real one. Enjoy. Best Wishes to all, John Bushey

I am stopping this thread simply because it is getting too long.
Please continue your posts on the newly opened threads.

Escape Artist (2)
Houdini-Kleppini/French Letter-Lock Cuffs

Joe