Houdini's first failed handcuff escape and his last!

Here's the story:-

Sgt Waldron of the Chicargo police dept locked Houdini up in a pair of his own 'special' handcuffs. Houdini struggled for over an hour to try to escape but failed. These handcuffs were doctored by Sgt Waldron and had to be sawed off Houdini's wrists. Sgt Waldron admitted that he'd placed a lead shot into the lock to jam it.

So, my question is... does anyone here know what make/ model of handcuff was used? Does anyone know more about this story any photo's?

Houdini got good publicity from the above failure, stating that Sgt Waldron 'had played a joke on him'.

A hard lesson learn't by Houdini and one never to be repeated, from that day forward he always checked the handcuff etc was in working order.

Thanks for your help,

Harry

Well, if it means by "lead shot" that the "slug" was a lead pellet from a shotgun shell, that pretty much rules out they were Towers as it would not fit into the keyway.

I am inclined to think Bean prison/patrolman or maybe even a Cummings as a small lead B.B. could certainly be forced through the keyway since these cuffs do not have a keypost and narrow bit.

Steve Santini

Here's the story:-

Sgt Waldron of the Chicargo police dept locked Houdini up in a pair of his own 'special' handcuffs. Houdini struggled for over an hour to try to escape but failed. These handcuffs were doctored by Sgt Waldron and had to be sawed off Houdini's wrists. Sgt Waldron admitted that he'd placed a lead shot into the lock to jam it.

So, my question is... does anyone here know what make/ model of handcuff was used? Does anyone know more about this story any photo's?

Houdini got good publicity from the above failure, stating that Sgt Waldron 'had played a joke on him'.

A hard lesson learn't by Houdini and one never to be repeated, from that day forward he always checked the handcuff etc was in working order.

Thanks for your help,

Harry

Click to expand...

Do we assume that neither side of the cuff could be opened, or was it a cuff with only one lock?
Paul

Here's the story:-

Sgt Waldron of the Chicargo police dept locked Houdini up in a pair of his own 'special' handcuffs. Houdini struggled for over an hour to try to escape but failed. These handcuffs were doctored by Sgt Waldron and had to be sawed off Houdini's wrists. Sgt Waldron admitted that he'd placed a lead shot into the lock to jam it.

So, my question is... does anyone here know what make/ model of handcuff was used? Does anyone know more about this story any photo's?

Houdini got good publicity from the above failure, stating that Sgt Waldron 'had played a joke on him'.

A hard lesson learn't by Houdini and one never to be repeated, from that day forward he always checked the handcuff etc was in working order.

Thanks for your help,

Harry

Click to expand...

In one of the Houdini biographies, it mentions that one of the cuffs withstood the escapologist's efforts.

This sounds like one wrist would not release.

I wish I could remember the source. It may have been the Christopher bio book.

Steve Santini

Here's the story:-

Sgt Waldron of the Chicargo police dept locked Houdini up in a pair of his own 'special' handcuffs. Houdini struggled for over an hour to try to escape but failed. These handcuffs were doctored by Sgt Waldron and had to be sawed off Houdini's wrists. Sgt Waldron admitted that he'd placed a lead shot into the lock to jam it.

So, my question is... does anyone here know what make/ model of handcuff was used? Does anyone know more about this story any photo's?

Houdini got good publicity from the above failure, stating that Sgt Waldron 'had played a joke on him'.

A hard lesson learn't by Houdini and one never to be repeated, from that day forward he always checked the handcuff etc was in working order.

Thanks for your help,

Harry

Click to expand...

I don't know if this is the same handcuff but in the magic castle is a pair of Cobb handcuff (one, both?) has been sawed thru. They are framed with a letter from Houdini, who has sent them to a guy (Todd) who asked about them. I am trying to locate a copy of the text.

The smallest shotgun pellot is about 2mm round, could fit into Peerless first model but this incident was very early in his life, If it happened at all or just an excuse to check and then sell how different cuffs were opened.

Ian

Here's the story:-

Sgt Waldron of the Chicargo police dept locked Houdini up in a pair of his own 'special' handcuffs. Houdini struggled for over an hour to try to escape but failed. These handcuffs were doctored by Sgt Waldron and had to be sawed off Houdini's wrists. Sgt Waldron admitted that he'd placed a lead shot into the lock to jam it.

So, my question is... does anyone here know what make/ model of handcuff was used? Does anyone know more about this story any photo's?

Houdini got good publicity from the above failure, stating that Sgt Waldron 'had played a joke on him'.

A hard lesson learn't by Houdini and one never to be repeated, from that day forward he always checked the handcuff etc was in working order.

Thanks for your help,

Harry

Click to expand...

I think a similar thing happened a few months later. Maybe in Tennessee. Houdini could handle it by then--turn the crowd against the bad guy and such.
The letter from Houdini which is in the Seance Room at the Castle is a phony written by Milt Larsen. Complete fiction.
The cuff is real--but it wasn't Houdini's.
The Houdinigram letterhead is real, the body of the letter is on a separate piece of paper which has been pasted on.
Milt forged the signature.
I'm getting delivery of my books (278 copies of Houdini--the Key) on Friday.
I'm going to start mailing out Houdini--the Key on Saturday. First one that goes in the mail is for Joe Lauher, to say thanks for this site.
Patrick Culliton

Here's the story:-

Sgt Waldron of the Chicargo police dept locked Houdini up in a pair of his own 'special' handcuffs. Houdini struggled for over an hour to try to escape but failed. These handcuffs were doctored by Sgt Waldron and had to be sawed off Houdini's wrists. Sgt Waldron admitted that he'd placed a lead shot into the lock to jam it.

So, my question is... does anyone here know what make/ model of handcuff was used? Does anyone know more about this story any photo's?

Houdini got good publicity from the above failure, stating that Sgt Waldron 'had played a joke on him'.

A hard lesson learn't by Houdini and one never to be repeated, from that day forward he always checked the handcuff etc was in working order.

Thanks for your help,

Harry

Click to expand...

Thanks for the comments so far. Very interesting.

Harry

Here's the story:-

Sgt Waldron of the Chicargo police dept locked Houdini up in a pair of his own 'special' handcuffs. Houdini struggled for over an hour to try to escape but failed. These handcuffs were doctored by Sgt Waldron and had to be sawed off Houdini's wrists. Sgt Waldron admitted that he'd placed a lead shot into the lock to jam it.

So, my question is... does anyone here know what make/ model of handcuff was used? Does anyone know more about this story any photo's?

Houdini got good publicity from the above failure, stating that Sgt Waldron 'had played a joke on him'.

A hard lesson learn't by Houdini and one never to be repeated, from that day forward he always checked the handcuff etc was in working order.

Thanks for your help,

Harry

Click to expand...

The smallest shotgun pellot is about 2mm round, could fit into Peerless first model but this incident was very early in his life, If it happened at all or just an excuse to check and then sell how different cuffs were opened.

According to Winchester, US Standard No 12 shot, which is hard to find, is 1.27mm diameter. No. 9 shot is 2.30 mm. Internationally, shot probably differs.

Those were probably the smallest shot sizes available at the time.