The Forum at Handcuffs.Org

Houdini-Kleppini/French Letter-Lock Cuffs

38 visible archived posts · 38 preserved total · topic ID 3113

lauher 01 Jul 2009

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

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Ian McColl 02 Jul 2009

Thanks John for putting up the photos. Now many people can see what all the discussion is about.

Ian

Patrick Culliton 03 Jul 2009

Again I am at a disadvantage. Everything I know about Kleppini I learned from Houdini.

Before I advance a theory of mine, I want to point out that Houdini thought that anyone who would switch a lock on a handcuff King or escape artist was a very bad guy. Silverman talks about that in relation to the slander trial.

"In Germany," Houdini tells us, "there is a man who calls himself Kleppini. He is either a crazy man or a handcuff man on the style of the once well-known Cherry sisters, who were such wretchedly poor actresses they drew a large salary and large crowds simply to see how really bad they were... This Kleppini belongs to this category. He has a shirt-front jammed full of medals, and a very large stage 'diamond' star hanging on a red ribbon; across his collar he has in golden letters reading, 'the Champion of all Champions of Handcuff Kings.' the last time I saw him in Dortmund, Germany, he had four medals pinned to his back.

"His handcuffing trick is to allow you to bring along your own locks, and you can hang these on his Chinese Manacles.

"His Chinese Manacles were nothing more nor less than a common set of hand and foot irons, on which you could hang your own locks. Kleppini's secret was to take a pair of strong cutting pliers and file, cut away the original Rivet, and replace it with a new rivet.

"In case anyone would bring a handcuff instead of a lock he would with great presence of mind say, 'pardon me, sir, but will you please wait with your cuff until the second part of my entertainment, then I shall be only too pleased to accept your handcuffs.' Naturally the party bringing the cuff would wait. Kleppini would do his act, and down would come the curtain. The committee would be dismissed whoever brought a cuff would simply have to grin at the manner in which they had been 'taken in' by a most illiterate man."

Culliton here: digest that and we will move on to the letter lock. Remember, this is Houdini telling us about Kleppini. He might be entirely honest and accurate. He might be honest but not accurate. Whether he is correct or not, this is what he said. (to be continued in my next post)

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Steve Santini 03 Jul 2009

Now there is a word and a trait we are giving most graciously to a man who made a career out of telling lies.

Certainly there are many theories that can be put forward for what Houdini did and why.

But the fact remains Harry stretched the truth often and more often told outright lies.

Case in point... the Russian Transport Van.

I think the failing here, and I expect to be pounced on for this comment, is that we are assuming Harry and Kleppini had anything to do with each other.

For me at least, a mere look at the French Letter Cuffs combined with my own locksmithing knowledge telling me the combo on the cuffs could not be changed destroys anything Harry passes down to us on the matter.

Simply put, Harry has destroyed his own credibility by the mere existance of these cuffs.

Add to this the fact that "CLEFS" could not be fully spelt out on the cylinders and we have a chain of oral "evidence" that falls apart at every turn.

As for the Kleppini fetters where one had but to remove the hinge pin and achieve release; let us not forget that Harry himself had such a set of hand and neck irons as illustrated in the Houdini Scrapbook by Gibson.

Don't get me wrong... I think that Harry was a master of the media of his time.

He was also a habitual bullshitter.

Steve Santini

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Patrick Culliton 03 Jul 2009

What exactly did Houdini say about the Siberian Transport Van?
I haven't gotten to my point about the letter lock. I just wanted to establish that Kleppini, according to Houdini (God help us, but, you gotta trust somebody sometime!), ducked handcuffs. Kleppini's challenge was for audience members to bring their own locks to fasten on his "Chinese Manacle." Locks.
More later.

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Bruce Thomson 03 Jul 2009

Maybe we should consider that Houdini was writing for the public, who would have a passing interest and no desire to investigate to the level that people here have done.
It is the combination of artistic license and actual achievements that make Houdini so interesting to this day.

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jbushey 03 Jul 2009

HI,
The whole Kleppini story fabricated by Harry is a GREAT story.
Regardless of it not being true, and although it is enjoyable
and educational to put our knowledge together to find truth
and fact among the fiction today, as many have put it - Houdini
was a myth maker, and a legend in his own time. No one can take
that from him. The original French lettercuff was really two padlocks
from France which Houdini had altered. He had the bows changed out for
hinged handcuff bows, and then attached the locks with chains.
Here is a photo of an original French Letterlock, slightly smaller
than the one used for the lettercuff. The next size up padlock
also contains 5 wheels, but the 5th is used to lock in the combo and isn't lettered,
just as in the original cuff. I have photos somewhere
of two of these original French letterlocks. I wonder if the same person made this cuff as the
Russian Manacle, Seance cuff, Bell cuff, and Mirror handcuff???
Pat - please finish your story and thoughts.
Best wishes, John

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Ian McColl 03 Jul 2009

Glad to see others following this (our story) of Houdini and Kleppini. Houdini might have said Kleppini swapped handcuffs but as stated above, Houdini did the same thing. In Houdini handcuff secrets, he went on to say 'what everyone else did to effect escapes', suggesting that these methods were not his and that he stood alone.

Many people who want to be seen to be different, put themsleves above the failings of many others but when the truth comes out, they are just like everyone else. Houdini is no except, he is the rule.

For publicity and showmanship, do what you need to.

Ian

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Steve Santini 03 Jul 2009

Hello,

I have attatched a picture from my collection that is very likely the only still surviving example of a Russian Prison Van, or "Carrette" , from the same time period that Houdini would have perfomed in Russia.

Notice that a simple bar latches the door with a provision for a padlock which can be easilly reached.

In Houdini's promotional poster of this event he shows a taller and more narrow door with bars and openings so narrow and tight it would have been impossible to reach the lock at all.

This picture is proof positive that the real deal was not quite as formadible.

Also, Houdini stated that the key which locked the door would not open it and that the key which opened it could only be found when the van reached it's destination of Siberia.

Highly unlikely that anyone would have gone to the trouble to fit a vehicle like this with such a lock.

A simple padlock with an oridinary mechanism would have done the job just as well.

Any escape attempts would no doubt have been countered and dealt with by guns, swords, lash, or clubs.

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Patrick Culliton 03 Jul 2009

#10

First of all, I didn't mean to imply that Kleppini ever switched locks on Houdini. As a matter of fact, I think Houdini switched locks on Kleppini.

I was just establishing that Houdini considered switching locks on a handcuff worker, especially when the handcuff worker was Houdini, was against the rules. When a lower ranking policemen named Lott warned Houdini that a fellow officer was going to chain him then switch the working lock for a "dead" lock, Houdini was so grateful he gave the man a cash reward. The guy who put the lock on Houdini (apparently getting into a little scuffle with Bess, who caught him switching the lock) claimed Houdini filed through the chain and that he had not rewarded Lott, but, had bribed him. This guy, Graff, told this to the newspapers and Houdini sued him for slander.

Back to Kleppini and the letter lock. Notice, I say letter lock. Houdini says that Kleppini's manager, a man named Reutter, came to his hotel room on June 18, 1902, to discuss the terms of Houdini's challenge to Kleppini, which was to take place that evening. Houdini had brought, he tells us, a dozen pairs of handcuffs with which to challenge Kleppini. The manager took a great interest in what Houdini refers to as "a pair of French letter cuffs. promising not to tell Kleppini, Reutter asked Houdini what the combination was and Houdini told him: "clefs."

Now listen to what Houdini says:

"That night at the circus I occupied a box seat, and when Kleppini threw out his daring challenge, I entered the ring with my bag of cuffs. I said that I had no objection to his advertising his willingness to let me handcuffing, but I did object to his stating he could get out until yet made good. The audience was with me and I told him to take his choice of the 12 cuffs. As I anticipated, he sprung like a tiger on the French letter cuff. He had taken them closed and ran with feverish haste into his cabinet. He remained within about three minutes, whereupon I cried:

"'Ladies and gentlemen, do not let him tell you that the cuffs have been locked. They are open. He will return and say he opened them.'

"This brought him out of his cabinet waving the cuffs like a crazy man, and crying,'I will open these cuffs. I challenge Houdini to lock them on me. I'll show him that it is us Germans who lead the world.'

"As he tried the cuffs in his cabinet, he was positive that he could beat them. And I was just as positive that the opposite conditions would prevail. He now started to goad me into locking them on quickly pressing me all over the circus. So violent where my efforts, that my heart beat like a trip hammer, and my face turned pale from exertion. From this Kleppini gathered that I thought myself even been defeated. So we walked to the center of the ring, with the handcuffs locked upon him, and cried: 'After I open these handcuffs, I will allow Mme. Kleppini to open them. She is very clever in this branch of work, and she will open them in 5 seconds.'

"I smiled grimly and took the floor.

"'Ladies and gentlemen, you can all go home. I do not lock a cuff on a man merely to let him escape. If he tries this cuff until doomsday, he cannot open it. To prove this, though the regular closing time of the circus is 10:30, I will allow him to stay here until 2:30.'

"He went into his cabinet at nine o'clock when the big ballet feature came on at 9:30 he was not ready. At 11, almost the entire audience had gone, and Kleppini was still in his cabinet. Herr Director Sidoli became enraged, and instructed his servants to 'out with Kleppini,' and they lifted the cabinet up bodily and threw it over. Kleppini ran like a hunted animal into the manager's dressing room. The rest of the show might've gone on, but the audience rose as a man and went out.

"At midnight, by which time I had left my place in the box, and was standing guard over the dressing room door, I permitted Mme. Kleppini to join her husband at his request. About one o'clock the manager asked Kleppini if he would give up, and Kleppini begged me to enter the room and releasing, which I refuse to do without witnesses. We then sent for the Herr Director Sidoli, Herr Reutter, and a reporter. at last Kleppini said he had the word 'clefs' and I laughed.

"'You are wrong. If you want to know the word which opens the lock, it is just what you are -- ' fraud,' and as they fell into their respective places he was freed.

"The locks, you see, were changeable, and it required only a short moment for me to change the word. When he went into the cabinet, he tried the cuff, and it responded to the word 'clefs.' While locking them on him, I changed the word to 'fraud,' and he even with his eagle eye, failed to recognize that he had been trapped.

"The next day, however, being a boastful man, and unwilling to acknowledge defeat, he actually circulated bills stating that he had defeated Houdini and one 5000 marks; but the newspapers guyed him unmercifully, and published the true facts."

Culliton here: in my next post I will advance a theory.

The photograph shows that the original and Ian's reproduction are really beautiful objects.

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Kevin Connolly 03 Jul 2009

#11

There's a picture of the Siberian cell opn page 132 in the Houdini Spy book. It's much different than the one above.

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Steve Santini 03 Jul 2009

#12

I would be interested in seeing it.

What is the original source of the photo in the spy book?

Steve Santini

P.S. The photo I posted is of a bonafide Russian Prison Van, or "Carrette" that currently is on public display in Poland. It dates to the same period as Houdini's time in Russia.

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Atlanta*Casting 03 Jul 2009

#13

Steve, Do you know if the seats at the back of the prison van used for the guards to sit,

or to carry some extra prisoners?

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Kevin Connolly 04 Jul 2009

#14

The photo posted above is probably not an original or not the transport cell. It looks too good for the conditions over there. IMHO.

The photo in the book is from the Pavel Goldin collection.

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Patrick Culliton 04 Jul 2009

#15

There are times when Houdini writes with sincerity and honesty, for instance, the chapter on strong men and strong women in Miracle Mongers and their Methods. Or, the beautiful pieces he wrote about Alexander Heimberger and Henry Evans Evanion. I could mention many examples. Even when Houdini is being completely forthright and honest, he still makes factual errors: spelling of names, dates, etc.

In the case of the Kleppini/letter lock episode, we know that Houdini is not being factual, but, he has given us a lot of material to check on: names, dates, places, and many details. The problem is, when Houdini himself reported on his confrontation with Kleppini, he only mentioned what occurred on we must call night number one, which I believe would be June 17, 1902.

According to Houdini's account of the Kleppini affair, that first night, the night he wrote about in his column for Mahatma Magazine was a mere preamble for the following night. This was the night that Kleppini became trapped in the French letter cuff, June 18, 1902 at the Circus Sidoli in Dortmund, Germany. Houdini said the papers gave Kleppini a very bad time. There has to be a paper trail. But not necessarily. When Houdini had his confrontation with Jess Willard in Los Angeles the L.A. Record ran a headline: Houdini K.O.s Willard!

I searched through the archives, the microfilm, of the L A Record and couldn't find the headline. That is because the headline was on an extra edition, and that edition didn't make it onto microfilm.

Houdini wrote "I told him to take his choice of the 12 cuffs. As I anticipated, he sprang like a tiger on the French letter cuff."

After the cuff was locked on Kleppini, Houdini said, "ladies and gentlemen, you can all go home. I do not lock a cuff on a man merely to let him escape. If he tries this cuff until doomsday, he cannot open it. To prove this, though the regular closing time of the circus is 10:30, I will allow him to remain here until 2:30."

Houdini tells us that around 1 A.M., Kleppini admitted that he knew the word "clefs" was supposed to open the lock, but, it hadn't. Houdini writes that he said, "you are wrong. If you want to know the word which opens the lock, it is just what you are -- 'fraud.'

"And with this I grabbed his hands, quickly turned the letters till they spelled 'fraud' and as they fell into their respective places he was freed.

"The locks, you see were changeable, and it required only a short moment for me to change the word. When he went to the cabinet, he tried the cuff and it responded to the word 'clefs.' while locking them on him, I changed the word to 'fraud,' and he, even with his eagle eye, failed to recognize that he had been trapped."

Several times, Houdini refers to the French letter lock handcuffs, but, he also calls the letter lock a "cuff" -- a cuff that opens with a word or let us say a series of letters. Houdini says five letters and we know that wasn't true, it was four letters, but, the cuff could have spelled "clef."

I don't think that Houdini challenged Kleppini with the French letter lock handcuffs. I think he may have challenged him with a single cuff, probably used as a padlock in some way. Houdini tells us that Kleppini had to chase him around the circus trying to get him to put the letter lock cuff on him. Houdini tells us he had a canvas bag with a dozen handcuffs in it. I believe there is a good chance that after Kleppini tried the letter lock and found that the word, let's say it was "clef," opened it, Houdini switched it for an identical lock with a different combination.

Remember, Houdini himself said that switching locks on a Handcuff King was cheating. So, he couldn't cop to that. And he came up with this cock and bull story about changing the combination as he was locking the cuff on Kleppini.

If Houdini had locked a pair of letter lock handcuffs on Kleppini, it would make no sense for the two locks to use the same combination. Houdini says he spelled the word fraud and is the "lock" opened. The lock. The cuff. I think Houdini meant to refer only to French letter lock handcuffs in his recounting of the Kleppini affair in Handcuff Secrets, but, he slipped up and made several references to a single cuff and a lock.

Don't take this as the theory, it's just a theory.

In the case of the French letter lock handcuffs, we have them, as opposed to the big box that Houdini used to make the elephant disappear or the Russian carette. We also have Houdini himself going into considerable detail about the letter lock and the Kleppini episode and I think there is enough information to maybe dig up something in the microfilms.

When you're searching for the truth, you'd be giving up awfully easily if you decide that Houdini was too completely full of bullshit to be given any credibility at all. As a liar, Houdini reminds me of this character that Andy Devine played on a Twilight Zone. He sits on the front porch of a little general store and tells preposterous stories all day long. Aliens from outer space land near his store to pave the way for an invasion of the earth. Andy tells them some of his stories, and the aliens decide that if this superhuman earth man is any example of his race then they are no match for the people of Earth and they get into their spaceship and leave. Next day, Andy has added the tale of how he saved the Earth from aliens, but, of course, no one believes him.

I actually knew a guy like that. He got names wrong. And dates. He tended to exaggerate but the most outlandish sounding things he told us all turned out to be true. By that time, at least one of our friends refused to believe anything this guy ever said. Too bad.

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Ian McColl 04 Jul 2009

#16

All those who have a big interest in Houdini should be familiar with what Houdini has said on any topic. Most people know what Houdini has said about Kleppini's manager, bag of twelve cuff and how he changed the combination. However as many of us have worked out from the information gained from locks, cuffs and other peoples stories that not much of what Houdini says has much truth in it.

We could repeat what Houdini says for years to come and no-one will be any wiser.

The 1903 hallmark on the Mirror cuff, the unchangeable French letter lock cuff and the drawing of the Van above shows how nothing Houdini himself says has any real credibility. The sources which need to be found are those from other people who were there at the time or what independent journalists write.

There is an excellent small publication on Houdini's time in Australia by Leanne (?)

It reveals that the names and address's of most of the challengers to Houdini in Australia weren't real people and the address's weren't correct.

In 1910, one person called 'Sceptic?' used to write to the newspaper and say he had looked up names and address. only to find out they were false.
I think Houdini's reply was, that he didn't have the information at hand when he had the challengers printed and as time wasn't on his side, he wrote up what he thought he remembered as the right address's. (and left it at that) for most part people don't care, it seems that of all the people in Melbourne or in Sydney at the time, only one person 'sceptic was concerned.

Houdini is not a reliable source to know about Houdini.

Ian

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Patrick Culliton 04 Jul 2009

#17

You trust journalists and other observers as opposed to Houdini? They may not be as erratic as Houdini, but, journalists and observers aren't that much more trustworthy than he. I've studied Houdini for over 52 years, and I've learned a lot from him. From studying what he did and what he said.
The 1903 hallmark could have been stamped as late as May, 1904. I hope that wasn't the only way you knew the Mirror challenge was a fix.
What the hell has a drawing of the carrette got to do with that photograph of one example of a carrette and how does that destroy Houdini's credibility? (Houdini? Credibilty?) Apparently, he did escape from the damned thing.
Finally, I offered a theory about the Kleppini/letter lock incident. I pointed to clues. I pointed to a paper trail that may never have existed, may have ceased to exist, or may exist yet.
I don't read German and I'm not in Dortmund. I can't take it to the next level.
What are we deciding here? That since the letter locks use a four letter combination and not a five letter combination and the combinations cannot be easily changed, that the letter locks never figured into a challenge to Kleppini or that the challenge never took place? If you start there, having proved a negative to yourself, you will never discover anything more than the way the locks worked.
Houdini has suggested that the lock has a history--referring to its role in the Kleppini episode. Houdini said the papers covered it.
Perhaps, someone can dig up some coverage.

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Andy-58 04 Jul 2009

#18

Hello,
there seem to be an arcive in NRW ("Nordrhein Westfalen" a state in germany): Archive in NRW/Kommunalarchive/Kommunalarchive A-D/Kommunalarchive Ortsbereich B/Stadtarchiv Bergisch Gladbach/Bestände/Beständeübersicht.

That means, that someone near Bergisch Gladbach (it is near cologne) can go to the archive an have a look. They have micro films of the time from April 2 1892 to Februar 27 1933 of the Rheinische Zeitung. Perhaps an article can be found there. The internetsitehttp://www.archive.nrw.de/LAV_NRW/jsp/b ... tektId=126 does not have film scans online, so you have to be there to see them. For me the distance is too long, i am from munich...

The article will be of coarse in german, but here are also some german members who can translate it.

Best regards
Andy-58

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Ian Mccoll 04 Jul 2009

#19

Hi Pat, some where between what Houdini says and what is written about him is closer to what really happened that believing one or the other.

Houdini told stories and the press aren't much better. My point of view is that Houdini's words shouldn't be the last and only words on what he did and how he did it.

The Kleppini affair as is alleged in the paragraph of the German newspaper, says that Houdini made a fuss and the show went on. No mention of an actual challenge and not with a bag of 12 cuffs and the combination cuffs selected. If this is closer to the truth than Houdini's story, then there is no reason to theorize of cuff switching in this account.

As to the drawing of the carrette, it shows that Houdini possibly had the drawing altered to make it look harder than what it was, adding more drama to the event and yes he did escape, but like many escapes, it's made to look harder than it really is.

I mentions the hallmark off the top of my head as a possibility but you are right , the cuff could have been made during that time. I am more likely to believe the ideas as in Bill Liles article (1993? Houdini Historical society), a cuff made to a fix size would have had to be made to fit Houdini's wrist, either that or he could slip them or not fit in.
The Mirror newspaper had just started (month or two before?) and I feel it was a total set up. Publicity for both the newspaper and Houdini.

As to theories, I have about 10 different theories for Houdini Mirror handcuff challenge in my head, but until I can narrow them down to something more tangible, they are only theories.

The only point I am trying to make is that Houdini's versions of stories have holes and I would like to see almost anything other than what Houdini said.

Having done work for and worked with many escape artists, I will agree with what my friend Nick Janson said, "there are usually three stories to every escape, the real one the escape artist knows, the ones close friends are told and the one that the audience sees.

Houdini's tells the stories for the audience.

Ian

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Steve Santini 04 Jul 2009

#20

With Ian.

When it comes to Houdini, it is inadvisable to trust either what he said or often what the media of his day reported.

As I do escapes and know about locks, I have found the best way to unravel Houdini related mysteries and try to seperate fact from fiction is to look at photos of the gear and props he used.

This can offer many clues.

Steve Santini

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Patrick Culliton 04 Jul 2009

#21

Houdini's book Handcuff Secrets is available as a free pdf download at:
http://www.houdinisecretsrevealed.com/p ... ecrets.pdf
I wonder if some of you aficionados could give it a read.
It's a very short, well illustrated book--very easy reading.
I would just be interested in some objective opinions. Is the information in the book good? Could you study the book and do a Handcuff Act (circa 1908)?
Houdini tells some personal stories in the book (beating the Bean Giant, for instance) which are probably completely unprovable.
One story, about Kleppini, inspired Ian McColl to create one of his most beautiful reproductions.

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Patrick Culliton 04 Jul 2009

#22

What combination or combinations opened the locks on the letter cuffs, and do we know of anyone changing the combinations since Houdini's time?

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Ian Mccoll 04 Jul 2009

#23

Hi Patrick, can you explain your questions again and what is the type of answer you are seeking (in post above)

Ian

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Patrick Culliton 05 Jul 2009

#24

It's OK. I've got it.

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Patrick Culliton 06 Jul 2009

#25

"I think the failing here, and I expect to be pounced on for this comment, is that we are assuming Harry and Kleppini had anything to do with each other."
Did somebody actually say that in a post?
In one of the collections at one of this nation's great institutes of learning, is a scrapbook compiled by Houdini consisting of clippings gathered by clipping services about Houdini's imitators. There are several clippings about Kleppini, all in German, but at least one clearly establishes (as Dr. Silverman translated it) that on or about June 18, 1902, Houdini "slapped Kleppini into a 'simple French police cuff' in which Kleppini gave himself the lie by failing to escape." (Silverman, p 87).
That same scrapbook contains a letter from Kleppini to Houdini.
But Houdini wasn't finished with the French letter cuff.
It's all in my book.
And to the guy who said "I think the failing here, and I expect to be pounced on for this comment, is that we are assuming Harry and Kleppini had anything to do with each other." To that guy I say, "Don't worry, nobody will pounce on you. Nobody has the heart.

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Steve Santini 06 Jul 2009

#26

"I think the failing here, and I expect to be pounced on for this comment, is that we are assuming Harry and Kleppini had anything to do with each other." To that guy I say, "Don't worry, nobody will pounce on you. Nobody has the heart."

Say what you will but I still have the feeling that these two had very little and in fact perhaps nothing to do with each other in the way of an actual escape challenge taking place.

It has been said that it was reported Harry was in the news for being thrown out after causing a disturbance at a Kleppini show.

However, that in and of itself does not speak to the fact that an actual handcuff challenge went down.

Have no fear Partick, you are far from having a battle of wits with an unarmed man.

Rather, just a highly skeptical one where anything Houdini states as fact is concerned.

Steve Santini

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Patrick Culliton 06 Jul 2009

#27

Some people out there need my book "Houdini--the Key" more than others.
Some people want to be know-it-alls without doing the work.
Some people can say anything that comes into their head in a forum. They get attention, maybe even get off.
For those who are interested in learning what some people are never going to get:
Houdini--the Key will be published Oct. 4.

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Steve Santini 06 Jul 2009

#28

Patrick,

For a guy I have never even met you sure are being rude.

That said, I have found many Houdini collectors, fans, etc, are at times very similiar to fans of people like Elvis Presley, (who BTW, I happen to like myself), in that they prefer to hold a sterling memory or ideal of what that particular celebrity did or was capable of despite the truth indicating sometimes indicating otherwise.

In my early years doing escapes I myself thought of Houdini as some sort of super hero and I tended to accept much of what was written about him or he wrote himself as the gospel.

It was only many years of doing escapes and learning locksmithing myself that brought about a change in my thinking and allowed me to see the man and his accomplishments in a somewhat different light.

Nowadays, I prefer to think of Houdini as "The Ultimate Carney" working those games of chance where very few people ever seem to win really big despite how "fair" they are told the game is.

Meaning, there is what we are told and then there is the reality of what actually is.

If this way of looking at Houdini and his career and accomplishments offends people then perhaps those same people need to take stock of why they look at the man in the particular way they do.

Steve Santini

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Bruce Thomson 06 Jul 2009

#29

"That Houdini sure told some whoppers"
- Said by a friend of mine with no interest in magic after I pushed a Houdini book at him to read.

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Patrick Culliton 06 Jul 2009

#30

The word that opened both cuffs on the Letter Lock Handcuffs, when the cuffs were in Houdini's possession, will be in my book. Houdini--the Key, Oct 4 this year.

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johanahlberg 06 Jul 2009

#31

Gentlemen,

If there is one person living in the world today that have knowlege about the French letter lock handcuff then it is Ian mc Coll. There are no need to run around like headless chikens searching for information that Ian already knows. Ian is one of the few people thats really know the mechanics in that handcuff and not even the current owner of the cuffs could open them.

Steve Santini also knows the trade as an professional escape artist. Houdini was a genious to get publicity using every method he could. Lets face it he was a master magician he lived on PR and no magician are giving away of a secret on a poster like the escape from the Sibirian prison van. Many of the books written on Houdini is wrong and wrong again, even his brother Hardeen said about one well known book "its full of lyes" Houdini was a myth maker many storys have been altered back and forth so its hard to find the thruth but many challenges was to his favors or he would have been caught. That what happend in Germany 1902. Houdini was caught with the transport chain according to the court articles. Houdini had to saw of the chain to get free. I have the copys of these court procedings and have read them its highly interesting.

... --- ... Johan

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patrick culliton 06 Jul 2009

#32

Good post, but Jon Oliver knows as much about the French letter cuffsw as Ian and I know something Ian doesn't know and would like to: the combination Houdini set the locks to.
Patrick Culliton
P.S. I know as much about the slander trial as anyone on earth.

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Ian McColl 06 Jul 2009

#33

Pat, I have thought that their was a mutual respect here. You with your knowledge of Houdini and mine with Handcuffs. I have asked you other questions and you ignore them.

I don't mind being wrong when warranted but I don't like being told I have no idea of what I am talking about and then find that you didn't even know how the letter cuff worked or how a padlock is changeable.

Frankly, the illusion of authority is worrying me. I guess the new reworked book will have a description of how the cuff works and then the text modified to suit, so all appears seamless.

I am sure it will be padded with your opinion wrapped around a small fact or two.

With the recent thread on the earliest date of a Hamburg eight, I am guessing that you wanted to be the authority and verify the cuff in question. I am sure when you passed information on, you didn't credit Fred Pittela and John Bushey for all their hours of hard work searching thru scores of paper work and any others who added to the discussion.

Better to be a hard head than a patsy and gullible to authority. I have never heard of Silverman thinking he needs to be on a pedestal.

you post " I know something Ian doesn't know and would like to: the combination Houdini set the locks to."

I already know the combination as Jon has told me. and I don't want to know what you know. I was interested in how you came with your theory, not what the theory is.

You believe the cuff Jon has is authentic, You have now been told that it is not changeable, something you didn't even understand a week ago but now you say you think it's conceivable that it has been changed. Again if you knew about the cuff and have seen the cuff, there are no signs on the cuff that it has had the rivets removed and then reassembled.

It all seems that any information is twisted to suit.

I have tried to be open and helpful and explain here the operation of the cuff freely, at no time did I say, if you want to know about the cuff, buy one! but the reverse has happened to me. I get an email saying, "if you want to know what I know, buy the book!" I was hoping that in emails I would have got a little bit of info to make me think the book had merit but now I am more sceptical than ever.

Ian

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Patrick Culliton 07 Jul 2009

#34

How dare you tell lies about what I said and what I know. You arrogant punk. You emailed me privately to wheedle and whine some information I have and you don't out of me about the letter cuff. You deliberately tried to feed me false information. When I see you in October, you will have a chance to apologize.
I won't go into the lies and misinformation you have postulated in this particular forum.
But lying about me, personally, is going too far.
If indeed you know the combination because Jon has told it to you, that means you lied in your email to me.
When you make an ass of yourself in public, doesn't it embarrass you a little?
You said I didn't understand how the cuff worked a week ago. That is a lie. A deliberate lie.
If you ever try to put words in my mouth again, I promise you I will make you eat them.
Patrick Culliton

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atlanta*casting 07 Jul 2009

#35

Need info on the October event.

(Genuine Houdini era photo)

I may want to attend just to see this ...

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Ron Spitz 07 Jul 2009

#36

Atlanta---here is the link to the October event put on by Cannon's Great Escapes. Always a great time.

http://www.cannonsgreatescapes.com/Conv_2009/Info.htm

Will see you in October,

Ron

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atlanta*casting 07 Jul 2009

#37

Ron. Thanks for the info.

I thought October was the lock show.

My bad I guess...

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lauher 07 Jul 2009

#38

Ok Guys. This is getting a little too much. We are all friends here.

I suggest we resolve this with dueling wits at twenty paces, Saturday morning, October 3, at 2:00 am in John Busheys hotel room in Ontario. Joe Fox will be the referee, Fred will buy refreshments (thanks Fred), Sheila will protect us from the house police, and Stan will sleep through it all.

Until then . . .

Joe

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