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Musings on the Mirror Handcuff

143 visible archived posts · 143 preserved total · topic ID 5806

lauher 07 Nov 2014

The Mirror Cuff thread keeps going and is full of wonderful information. We should gather the information together in a more permanent matter.
I would be pleased to create a special entry on Handcuffs.org devoted to the topic. Perhaps we could call in Musings on the Mirror Handcuff. It could collect together the various posed articles and pictures as well as contributions from anyone who has something interesting to share. A copy of the original Mirror article has been posted on the Handcuffs.org since the site’s beginning.

If someone would like to help coordinate the effort just let me know.

Joe

Ian McColl 07 Nov 2014

I think that would be a good idea.

would it be okay to use this particular thread to discuss sideline issued raised by the main Mirror thread.

example "why people may not have searched for narthan Hart at the time?"

Perry 08 Nov 2014

Looks like Paul found a N Hart.

lauher 08 Nov 2014

Ian
Sure. Use this thread as well. The other on is getting long to load.

Ian McColl 08 Nov 2014

Thanks Joe

I hope I can try to put other pieces in an orderly fashion so it can for followed.

Nathan Hart doesn't appear to exist as no real records can be found of his.
Paul D has located one article which is alleged to have been an interview with Nathan. Reading it is like reading so many of Houdini’s stories and wording seems similar.

Nathan Hart was not at the challenge on the day (no apology or reason was given)

The Mirror newspaper was fairly new at the time and this would have been a win/win publicity event for both the newspaper and Houdini.

In the article - Houdini historical Center newsletter the Mysterifier Vol 4 #1 1994. Bill Lilles makes a point of the Mirror cuffs fitting Houdini’s wrist despite the cuff being a fixed size.

In the article referred to above found by Paul D, Nathan says he met Houdini prior to the challenge but doesn’t mention he measured his wrists.

Mick Hanzlik makes mention of the amount of times that the “nested’ Bramah cylinder would take open.

I calculate 104 times based on 8 rotations to unlock, 7 sliders in the larger ring and 6 on the inner.

And if Houdini was to use the principles that Alfred Hobbs used, he would have needed three tools and definitely free hands.

Research into some other challengers for different escapes have failed to put real people to names and address cited. This implies that Nathan didn't need to exist for Houdini to still run with the challenge or story.

I remember more recently an escape that required an aircraft. This stunt was the focus of the TV special and only one person researched the event and found that the plane didn't even take off from where it was claimed. It was a different country.

LK 08 Nov 2014

Thanks Ron & Ian for your response to my question in the other thread!
Ian, on your response:

The knurling has also inspired some theories, is this what comes to mind?

It does and that theory is: that the key or key's,the pick's,the pillow,the removal of the jacket, the glass of water,the kiss, were all smoke & MIRROR'S !
you wouldn't even need key's if you could sit in your cabinet and unscrew the end's of the lock tube, disassemble the lock to the point of unlatching it, free your self, reassemble the lock, and whala !
There is an IDEA to control mass's of people which has been used so far back in time that we don't even know the names of some of those leaders. Most all of of our government's still use it on us today! One would be leader came along after the challenge used it and cost millions there lives, was quoted as saying "MAKE THE LIE BIG, MAKE IT SIMPLE, KEEP SAYING IT, AND EVENTUALLY THEY WILL BELIEVE IT"
--ADOLF HITLER--

LK D~D

Ian McColl 08 Nov 2014

Hi LK. you are right about repeating the lie over and over and mix it up with just a bit of truth. I'd quote Bush and Powel also not just Hitler (also why I am an athiest)

The knurling has always had me intrigued. I also think it could be used to just rotate one end cap. It would be ideal for rolling against the floor. I don't think the method needs to be overly complicated and I don't think it is.

With the position of Houdini's hands in the photo, the cuff could simply be a gravity operated mechanism and the 6 to 9 turns just for show but did nothing.
This could be why the cuff isn't around anymore, throw away to hide the truth.

Paul Davies 08 Nov 2014

Joe I suggest you lock the other thread if we need to move to this one.

I forgot to mention that in 1871 and 1881 when Nathaniel HUNT was an Ag Labourer and a Coal Miner that he was LIVING IN THE SAME HOUSE as William Squire Cabinet Lock maker born 1805 in Willenhall. A quick search matched the name and age to a member of this famous lock making company. Yet to be proven though.
Paul

Ian McColl 08 Nov 2014

Hi Paul, I thought this was where we could just crap on with ideas and leave the other Mirror thread for more factual stuff like all the info you are finding.

This thread would allow us to go a bit off subject to also add info.

I am still trying to look for the article or book in which I read about the packing crate challengers not existing in Melbourne or Sydney.

so don't lock the other thread.

Anonymous 08 Nov 2014

#10

I think Joe's concern is that the other thread is too big and takes to long to load.
Paul

Ian McColl 08 Nov 2014

#11

I found my source, thanks to Joe fox who send me this book years ago.

a few lines from the book.

“The attitudes of the press and public were almost uniformly positive towards Houdini while he was in Melbourne. There was, however, a minority which was cynical.”

One person wrote to the newspaper with concerns with

“....the able bodied seamen’s challenge to Houdini.
Some of the addresses of the challengers printed didn’t even exist, for example, there was no “Oxford’ street’ in Port Melbourne. One of the names did not appear in the directory at all.

mickhanzlik 08 Nov 2014

#12

I have always wondered about the knurled end caps. I think they may have had something to do with the escape, but this must be added to the loads of other theories. In fact, I have never mentioned this before, but now I think the time is right. I built in a release method in my replica Mirror Cuffs, which involved turning the end cap nearest the locking bolt, so the knurling was essential. It's really hard to turn, purposely, but no-one has ever found it.

Paul Davies 08 Nov 2014

#13

Bare with me.
1861 William Squire lives next door to John Pinson, Locksmith and family including daughter Mary Ann Pinson.
1871 William Squire, his wife Ester, adopted daughter Mary Ann Pinson, James Hunt and Nathaniel Hunt all in same house.
1872 William Squire dies
1881 Ester Squire, widow, Mary Ann Pinson general servant, Nathaniel and James Hunt all in same house.
1882 Nathaniel Hunt married Mary Ann Pinson.

This Nathaniel Hunt has married into the famous Squire family via the "adopted daughter" Mary Ann Pinson.
Mary Ann's father John Pinson (pad locksmith) had remarried

So, what I'm thinking here is Nathaniel Hunt may well be our man. Marrying into, and living with, the Squire and Pinson locksmith families. Sure he worked as a labourer and a coal miner at points in time but he may have had other skills including blacksmithing and his son was a locksmith in 1901. Remember Nathaniel Hart said he made handcuffs in his youth. We can't fill in all the gaps between 10 year Census'.

If the first interview with Hunt (Hart) got his name wrong it may have been perpetuated. Newspapers just regurgitate the stories from the original source. We still need to find the original published interview with Nathaniel H.
The article I posted here about Nathaniel from May 7 1904 was an Australian paper.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article ... by=dateAsc
It would have taken about 6 weeks for the newspapers with images to reach Sydney by ship, hence the delay. No time to correct his name and probably no one cared.

I realise there are long held views and reputations to protect. But keep your minds open to other possibilities in the absence of a Nathaniel HART.
Paul

ronspitz 08 Nov 2014

#14

Has anyone been able to post a picture via Photobucked lately? I am able to upload to PB via their site, since it no longer appears on the bottom of the Forum post. However I am not able to copy and past the address here and view the picture.

Ron

Unknown / guest 08 Nov 2014

#15

Here is a letter that Ian McColl has asked me to post.

Ron

Unresolved image reference ↗

Unknown / guest 08 Nov 2014

#16

I was not going to post this but the conversation is starting to talk about it. This is my second version on how the cuffs could be gaffed. It is much simpler than my first method.

Looking from the top of the cuff. The base of the bows is fixed and can be part of a casting only the end cap needs to be moved. The end of the base where it accepts the bow to lock, is just a slit. This allows the bow to swing out from the locking bolt. Quite simple and easy to make depending on how the mechanism to lock the end cap is designed.

The reason I do not think this will work is looking a the posted pictures it looks like the base of the bows is solid at the end cap. Too bad there is not a good picture of the open cuff so we could see the entrance point of the locking notch.

Ron

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MickHanzlik1 08 Nov 2014

#17

Ron, you must be a mind reader! That is EXACTLY the way that I gaffed my replicas! Later today, I'll photograph them to show you (if I can figure out how to get a picture on here!)

Unknown / guest 08 Nov 2014

#18

Ron, the end cap on mine is not removeable, it just revolves to give space for the latch to come out. This first picture shows the locking bolt in the fully locked position and the end cap in it's normal position.

Unresolved image reference ↗

Unknown / guest 08 Nov 2014

#19

Second picture shows the end cap turned enough to allow room for the latch to come out.

Unresolved image reference ↗

Joe M. Notaro 08 Nov 2014

#20

“Houdini had designed an earlier prototype of the Mirror Cuffs that featured a single Bramah lock on handcuffs shaped like a figure eight. He slyly called them “Hungarian Cuffs” after their inventor. Unsatisfied, he developed the diabolical Mirror Cuffs. Thanks to his friend’s Newspaper, a challenge was made; he accepted it.” [Kalush page 161]

I see finger knurling on the ends of the lock tube on the silver replica and the DC, but not on the Tatler. So is the Tatler another prototype? Or is the Tatler what we see in the Hippodrome photo? I tried comparing the lock tube in the Hippodrome photo with the lock tube of the DC and the Tatler, but it is hard to tell by the naked eye. I am assuming that the keyhole in the photo of Houdini on stage at the Hippodrome has the keyhole at the top?

Also, on March 20, three days after the challenge, Houdini offered a challenge to the Mirror:

“London Hippodrome, March 20, 1904

To Whom It May Concern!

Since my success in mastering the celebrated Daily Mirror Handcuff it has come to my knowledge that certain disappointed, skeptical persons have made use of most unjust remarks against the result of last Thursday's contest.

In particular, one person has had the brazen audacity to proclaim himself able to open the Mirror Handcuff in two minutes.

Such being the case, I hereby challenge any mortal being to open the Mirror Handcuff in the same space of time that I did. I will allow him the full use of both hands; also any instrument or instruments, barring the actual key. The cuff must not be broken or spoilt. Should he succeed, I will forfeit 100 guineas.

Furthermore, it has reached my ears that people are saying that at the contest I slipped one hand before undoing the Mirror Handcuff. I now agree to forfeit a further sum of 25 guineas to anyone who can pick the handcuff within twenty-four consecutive hours with one hand locked in the manacle.

Should anyone accept these challenges, with above simple conditions, they must agree to make the test in my presence.

Harry Houdini “

ronspitz 08 Nov 2014

#21

Thanks Mick. I think my Idea would work with your design of the base. From what I can tell from the photos of the DC's, the rectangular hole is not open ended at the end plate. I have been talking with Ian and he has both methods I came up with. Lots of fun just thinking on how it might be done.

Ron

Unknown / guest 08 Nov 2014

#22

Just in case you happen to be a new reader of this thread, it is a continuation of a previous thread that has a lot of good, interesting information. Here is the link:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/261154/t ... rror+Cuffs

Ron

Mark Lyons 08 Nov 2014

#23

This has been a very interesting thread.
I was not going to state any of my thoughts about the secret, but since others are offering their ideas, here are mine:

I have always wondered why the Mirror cuff was round.
Round usually means that something was designed to be turned or rotated.
It seems that the Bramah lock was turned several revolutions to screw a bolt into the shackle in a similar fashion to the way a Plug 8 drives a screw. I believe the lock was not gaffed.
The Mirror cuff would need the proper key to screw the bolt in or out as well.
If there were an inner cylinder nestled just inside the outer cylinder and the Bramah Lock was firmly attached to the inner cylinder, a proper key would be necessary to lock or unlock the cuff as long as both cylinders were locked together.
If the inner cylinder could be detached from the outer cylinder, the inside cylinder and Bramah lock could be spun a few rotations and would unlock the cuff just the same as using a key.
The knurled end cap attached to the inner cylinder would be used as a friction device to aid in the spinning of the inside cylinder by rubbing it against a piece of wood in the ghost house or perhaps the floor. Maybe it could be turned with the opposing hand.

The secret of the cuff would be how does one separate the outer and inner cylinders to allow the inner one to spin.
Maybe the key can unlock the 2 pieces when turned in a particular position or maybe a magnet could push or pull a locking device. Perhaps gravity is the secret by inverting the locked cuffs over the head.

I don't think this escape was based on expert lock picking skills.
The secret had to have been self contained within the cuffs.
I also think Houdini could have done this escape under water but then it would indicate that the cuff is much easier to escape from than what was demonstrated that day in London.

Just my thoughts

mark
O--O

Ian McColl 08 Nov 2014

#24

I was wondering why the name ‘Hungarian cuff’ came up by both, Dorothy Dietrich
& Joe M Notaro and thanks Joe for the reference.

Most of the Kalush book is fiction. No other author on Houdini has ever made up this
quote “He [Houdini] slyly called them “Hungarian Cuffs” after their inventor.”

The cuff was in the Sid Radner collection and is still with the family as I recall. This figure eight cuff with single Bramah lock has always been be known as the Seance handcuff.

If the story was researched correctly he could have provided a photo and talked to Sid.

Kalush did to Houdini what James Cameron did to the Titanic, re wrote history.

For continuity, could this cuff be only referred to as the Séance cuff please.

Paul Davies 08 Nov 2014

#25

Thanks Ron for opening up such a huge can of worms. It's the best fun I've had since the 4 of us looked into the Lilly Irons story - very similar, with long held views, red herrings and lots of circumstantial evidence.

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For others, to post an image , go to photobucket and upload your image, click on your image, click one of the 4 image option boxes on the right. I use the IMG image. clicking on that box automatically copies the link. Paste it into your message.

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So Houdini hears a report that he had slipped his hand before opening the cuff. In the Nathaniel story linked previously it is claimed that it was possible due to Houdini contorting his hand in some way then using a hidden key to free himself. So I would assume that Nathaniel's interview and maybe some other report about picking it within 2 minutes was published between 18 an 20 April. I'd like to see these original articles as I believe that at least the interview exists in print.

Some would have me believe the Nathaniel interview and the deformity reports are a Houdini Red Herring. To take that to its logical conclusion, Houdini is saying I slipped the cuff and opened it with a key, but i will only accept challengers of the cuff to do it in my presence without a key. Needless to say that challenge was not offered for very long, for later in the year the only challenge was to open Regulation Handcuffs used in his performance with a prize of 100 Pounds.

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Here is a web site with a brief family history for Squire (the lock company)
http://www.pacefamilyhistory.info/squire.htm
WILLIAM SQUIRE
Chr 10 MAR 1805 Willenhall
Father: JAMES SQUIRE
Mother: FANNY

This is the man that Nathaniel HUNT lived with for over a decade. Why would this man take in James and Nathaniel Hunt who were agricultural labourers and coal miners. Were they actually relatives?? These people all lived at New Invention, the aptly named place for the huge Squire factory.

I have already shown on the previous thread how when Hunt is written, it looks like Hart. I reiterate that a simple typo by a newspaper, caused by mis-hearing, or mis-writing by the reporter or mis-reading by the compositor of type could have been perpetuated.

Nathaniel Hunt would have had direct access to some of the best locksmiths and workshops in the land. A company that would have reverse engineered every lock in the world to try and improve their own. If Nathaniel Hart was not the actual maker of the cuff he was the go-between. That the cuff took 5 years to make is interesting. Wasn't Houdini in England 5 years earlier and able to commission such a cuff. Of the 5 Special handcuffs he had made, the Bell Handcuffs, the Russian Manacle, the French Letter Handcuffs, the Hungarian Handcuffs and the Mirror Handcuffs "a lock within a lock", how many of these could have been made by Squire.

There is still a lot to be researched -
the Squire, Pinson and Hunt families
the archives of Squires
The newspapers between 18- 20 March
The Pearson's and Tatler Magazines just to name 2
and every sock draw in New Invention,for the original Mirror Cuff - That's for you Perry

1861
[/IMG]
1871
[/IMG]
1881
[/IMG]
1891
[/IMG]
1901
[/IMG]
1911
[/IMG]
I also have a wonderful article from 1904 with photos of the workings of the Hippodrome and its staff, which might be too lengthy for this Forum.

I will be the first to admit that I might be wrong, hell, I even prove myself wrong sometimes. But there is very little other contemporary, documentary evidence being presented.
My holidays are now over, but the search will continue.
Paul Davies

lauher 09 Nov 2014

#26

Paul (and anyone else)
If you have something long or big to post, you can send it to me via email and I can post it directly on the handcuffs.org site and then add a link to this forum thread.

This is all getting quite exciting.
Joe

Joe M. Notaro 09 Nov 2014

#27

WRT to the figure eight cuff with single Bramah lock always being known as the Seance handcuff.

According to The Key by Patrick Culliton on page 141:
“Houdini named this cuff the Hungarian Manacle. It is known today as “the Séance Cuff” because Sid Radner uses it at his annual Houdini séances. It contains a Brahmah lock. The photo is from the Denver Post, June 12, 1904. “

According to The Secret Life of Houdini Laid Bare on page 109:
“From “Why Be a Prisoner?” unidentified clipping in Byron Walker’s Houdini scrapbook. The whole story of the Mirror cuffs challenge is shrouded in mystery. The so-called séance cuffs were called the “Hungarian Cuff” by Houdini and they were pictured by him in numerous articles as well as on his famous poster of 1906. Several places where they are called “Hungarian Cuff” are The World April 19, 1904, The Denver Post June 12, 1904, and The Boston American April 26, 1904. These photos and the famous photo of Houdini on stage at the Hippodrome the day of the Mirror challenge were all taken by Campbell and Grey, Cheapside and they might have been taken at the same session. It’s curious how many articles appeared directly after the Mirror success that have no mention whatsoever of this great challenge.”

Ian McColl 09 Nov 2014

#28

Thanks Joe, I stand corrected.

ronspitz 09 Nov 2014

#29

Mark--I would not post any ideas on how the cuffs could be gaffed if this was a modern working act that someone is making a living performing. We a dealing with history and a piece of equipment that has captured our imagination for many years.

I have been send a picture of the DC cuff showing the lock and key-way and the quality and craftsmanship of the cuff just blew me away. The posted pictures in the other thread just does not do the cuff justice. If anyone has pictures of the cuff while it was on display at the museum, it would be wonderful if you could post them for everyone to really see the quality.

I do believe that either one or both of the knurled end caps play a part in the gaff. It was mentioned that it could be rolled on the floor and in a previous post the description of the stage for the challenge was fully carpeted which would eliminate the need for a small carpet under the tent.

As far as the cuff having a cylinder, tube as the housing, The configuration of the Bramah lock cylinders are all round, as far as I know that combined with the standard Darby lock tube of the day, a cylinder is the easiest to work with and gaff.

Ian told me to keep thinking,it's fun and slows down the onset of dementia, here goes.

The Bramah lock could be the gaff combined with the end cap's. Its construction could be like today's master keying where the pins are designed to operate with more than one key. When the key is inserted the lock is free to turn as expected. When the key is removed, normally the lock would be prevented from turning but in this case the pins are cut so the lock will still turn and is really never in a locked condition. The end caps are internally able to connect to the locking bolt or the inner lock cylinder and rotate to open the cuff.

Ron

MickHanzlik1 09 Nov 2014

#30

Ron, this is the best one I have....

Unresolved image reference ↗

ronspitz 09 Nov 2014

#31

Thanks Mick. I'm sure everyone will appreciate the quality that is shown in this picture.

Ron

Chris Gower 11 Nov 2014

#32

Found an interesting article from The Evening Telegraph Friday March 18th 1904 . Houdini was interviewed after the Mirror Challenge by an Express Reporter (think this would be the Daily Express) when he was staying at The Hotel Provence. This Hotel is now The Leicester Square Corner Restaurant and was one of the top hotels in 1904 . Houdini told the reporter 'I have never seen such handcuffs before, they are locks within locks and for some time fairly held me'.
Would be interesting to see if any records still exist of the guests that stayed at the hotel that night, who knows Thomas Froggatt may have stayed there.
Will send details to Joe to attach scans.
Chris

Chris Gower 11 Nov 2014

#33

Found a reference to a William Bennett who was the owner/manager of The Shakespeare Theatre and Opera House both I. 1896 and also 1909 .
Probably no relation to the Will A Bennet press reporter but perhaps that why he put the initial 'A' in to stop he being confused with the other William Bennett with two T's?
Chris

Chris gower 11 Nov 2014

#34

Found the article in The Daily Express March 1904 . Hope Joe can add it and hope it is readable.
Chris

Unresolved image reference ↗

Paul 11 Nov 2014

#35

Chris,
I'm very interested in any newspaper articles you can find. It is very hard for me here in Australia to find things except what is online.

William Bennett, the theatre owner had 2 in London and one in Coventry. I'll put together what I have and post it here. I think he died in 1912.

Paul

lauher 11 Nov 2014

#36

Chris
I got your pictures, but they are just too small, only 240 pixels across. Can you make them any bigger?
Joe

Paul 12 Nov 2014

#37

Chris
Here is what I have so far.

William Bennett, the Mirror Journalist, shares the same name as the Theatrical Manager who owned and ran the Shakespeare (AKA Borough) Theatre in Battersea, the Royal Duchess (AKA Balham Hippodrome) Balham and the Royal Opera House, Hales St. Coventry. His son Henry George "Dudley" Bennett shared the running of these theatres.

At Coventry in 1891 William Bennett's son HG Dudley Bennett was musical director, daughter Isabel was an actress and 3 of his nieces were barmaids. Dudley's twin brother William Edward Bennett was a M.D in Bromsgrove, Worcester (where Thomas Griffin and Thomas Hiatt were from) and later a Surgeon at Jaffray Hospital Birmingham. Isabel married the architect W G R Sprague who built many of the music halls and theatres in London.

William Bennett, who was Press Agent for the London Coliseum in 1904 and later for the London Hippodrome, Moss Empires claims to be a Scotsman. I can find no evidence of that in the Census'. When Mr Stoll (Moss Empires) "BEGAN the building of the Coliseum, I applied for the post of Press agent and obtained it" The Coliseum opened in late 1904, so William Bennett the Press Agent must have been an employee of Moss Empires earlier when construction began and during Houdini's appearances.
I can find no birth record for the theatre owner William Bennett from Longton, Staffordshire (1836 - 1911) but there seems to be no link to Scotland at this stage.

The Stoll Moss group owned 50 theatres across the county, but only 27 in 1904. I don't know if any of these were managed by William Bennett and HG Dudley Bennett the Theatrical Managers who must have know Frank Parker who was also a Theatrical Manager at The Hippodrome.

Is it possible that the young man in the Hippodrome photo is Frank Parker aged 41 and that William Bennett is one of the older men in their late 60s in the background - a Press Agent??? Chris' article said the committee were drawn from the audience.
Frank Parker is listed in Census' as Theatrical Manager 1901 and Producer of Plays 1911.

Nathaniel Hart OR the Locksmith was not present at the Hippodrome - "my locksmith who was broken-hearted when he first heard the news"

Houdini had been under contract with Moss Empires since 1902 and was sued by Moss twice. Moss had an extension of the contract built in, but it was not specific as to dates.

see link to pages 96-99 of British Music Hall by Richard Anthony Baker.
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=ruW ... &q&f=false

Spelling Bennett with one T or 2 is that same as the argument about Hiatt/Hiat.

Paul

Anonymous 12 Nov 2014

#38

Hi Paul, more great work.

can you put this in context please?

-- "my locksmith who was broken-hearted when he first heard the news" --

who said this ?

Chris Gower 12 Nov 2014

#39

Paul, great work, I have found a good picture of Frank Parker and think he could be on stage behind Houdini, as we look at the photo on the right in the middle of the three people?
Have sent Joe the photo.
Chris

Unresolved image reference ↗

Paul 12 Nov 2014

#40

"my locksmith who was broken-hearted when he first heard the news"
was from the William Bennett article - How I Handcuffed Houdini

Paul 12 Nov 2014

#41

Further to the possible maker of the cuffs. Nathaniel HUNT who was living with William Squire, Cabinet Lockmaker at New Invention, Willenhall - An explanation for his employment as an agricultural labourer 1871, and coal miner 1881, 1891 which were the occupations given on the day of the Census.- At the time the area was still semi rural, field labour was often seasonal and it was "all hands on deck". Many people were working 2 jobs "outworkers" were working from home piecing things together in the evenings. Children often worked from home or were apprenticed from an early age 12-14. The closest coal pit was Poole Farm Colliery, where Daniel Squire, Lockmaker/Publican and family lived and probably owned. This coal was the fuel for the factories.

As for being a blacksmith, I have found nothing, but if he ever made handcuffs, he probably had the skills. In 1891 and 1901 on Census day he was listed as an invalid. How restricted he was is unknown. Heavy blacksmith work sounds out of the question.

Nathaniel's father-in-law, John Pinson, Padlock and Key maker, was still alive and working in 1901 aged 68 at Willenhall.

Nathaniel HART said was a handcuff maker in his youth. Birmingham was the centre for handcuff making. It is near impossible to see whether Nathaniel HUNT was ever a handcuff maker in his youth because his youth 10-20 falls between the Census 1861 -1871. His mother was dead in 1861 when he was 10 years old living in Brinkworth, Wiltshire. At the time in Brinkworth, a small rural area, there were families named Hart and Hunt. In 1871 he was living with William Squire in Willenhall.

Interesting for me, but no absolute proof that he is our man. Tom Froggatt is still the handcuff maker linked to Houdini.
Paul

Chris Gower 12 Nov 2014

#42

Just found a reference to an H W Garrick who was the press representative for The Hippodrome in 1904. He is mentioned in an article about the Mirror Challenge on March 14th 1904. Will try and get a copy of the article posted. Only other references I can find on him is when he met a Russian Giant at a London Railway Station who was appearing at the Hippodrome in February 1904 and some complicated affair he was involved in before he left Australia.
No photo found as yet but he may be in the photo.
Chris

Chris Gower 13 Nov 2014

#43

Firstly thank you Joe for posting the picture of Frank Parker. I was interested in one of the previous comments about the Hungarian/seance cuffs. I did have the pleasure to meet Sidney Radner when he came to London for a Magic Circle Houdini Seance. I was also lucky enough to examine the above cuffs for a few minutes. The first thing I noticed they do not use a Bramah Lock. The lock has only five sliders rather than the six that Bramah use. I would say the lock came from a Victorian Jewellery box or something similar, I think the French also had vey similar five slider copy Bramah locks they used on some if their furniture. I did mention this to Sid but he pretended not to hear me. The handcuffs themselves did not appear to have any quick release device and they did not snap shut so it was necessary to use the key to lock and unlock them. I agree with some of the previous comments that the Mirror Challenge Handcuffs were almost certainly based on them.
Back in about 1970 I made friends with a collector called Gordon Knight, he showed me a pair of handcuffs that he said his uncle had challenged Houdini with when he came to England, Houdini refused the challenge presumably as they were not regulation pattern. The cuffs were basically two Darby pattern single handcuffs that were on a round tube and they closed into the center of the tube and there was a lever lock on the end. Gordon died in about 1982 and left me his collection but there were several items missing including these bar type cuffs. I did start to make a copy of them in the early 1980's but never finished them. I will try and find photos.
Chris

Perry 13 Nov 2014

#44

Modern Bramah locks have 7 sliders
Early furniture lock also had 4 or 5
box locks, book lock and Tantalus were commonly 4 or 5.

http://www.hygra.com/locks/Bramah/openi ... h-lock.htm

http://s1143.photobucket.com/user/Riyam ... 5725359382

Even number sliders were not made, as part of the security was to have keys that were difficult to reproduce. Even numbers would mean being able to saw cuts straight across the end of the key instead of being stopped in the middle.

Chris Gower 13 Nov 2014

#45

You are wrong Perry, there are six sliders on the normal Bramah Lock and the key bit forms the seventh space hence it is difficult to cut a key by simply cutting across. You are obviously not familiar with the Bramah Lock decoder.
Chris

wheelchair detective 13 Nov 2014

#46

I can count 7

Unresolved image reference ↗

Anonymous 13 Nov 2014

#47

Unresolved image reference ↗

Paul 13 Nov 2014

#48

Thanks Chris for the photo of Frank Parker. It could well be him in the Committee photo, just a little older and bigger. He would have been 41 years old in 1904.

Reading the newspaper article you posted, you have to wonder when they heard the "click, click, click" after a few minutes if Houdini was trying to rap the cuffs open.

We are certainly getting some good information on all aspects of the challenge, the cuffs and the lock.

Can someone post photos of the 5 special cuffs mentioned previously which Houdini had made?

Paul

Chris Gower 13 Nov 2014

#49

Hope Joe can post the scans from the Illustrated Mirror March 17 th 1904 . Interesting comment at the end asking for an introduction to Mr Hart.
Chris

Unresolved image reference ↗

Chris Gower 13 Nov 2014

#50

Another interesting article from the Mirror March 16th 1904.
Chris

Unresolved image reference ↗

magicusa 14 Nov 2014

#51

In the previous article, at the end, what does Houdini mean when he says "I shall take it as a great favour if your editors allow me to make a specification of the lock"?

Is he saying after the test, win or lose, he would like to examine the lock?

Thanks
Dorothy Dietrich, Houdini Museum, Scranton, PA
P.S. Tonight, Friday, magician Dick Brookz, is on the Travel Channel at 11 PM, Mysteries At The Museum, "Doyle & Houdini" also Saturday, at 2 AM.

Chris Gower 14 Nov 2014

#52

Just had a reply from the management that took over the Hotel.
'R.E. Jones did not take it over until 1919. No archives are available, local libraries might have archives. Michaela Elwy'.
So any suggestions?
With reference to Dorothy's posting, think we all agree Houdini was familiar with lock and simply made out he had not examined the mechanism or lock. Yet he clearly states a bit latter that it has 21 levers and is a lock within a lock.
Chris

Paul Davies 14 Nov 2014

#53

That is how I read it too Dorothy - implying that he was not familiar with the particular lock.

From the article "A New Terror for Theives" posted on the previous thread -
"When Houdini was performing his handcuffs feats in Birmingham." said Mr Hart to the interviewer, "I went to see him, of course. He is undoubtedly a very clever locksmith, and I must own that every handcuff I fitted on him he picked, but this new invention of mine was not perfected then"

So we know that Hart had challenged Houdini in some way in the past at Birmingham, whether privately or as part of the show. Was it 5 years earlier during the previous tour? Is there a newspaper account of a show in Birmingham 5 years earlier. The challenger might have been named. Was Hart actually from Birmingham or did he travel into the city from a surrounding town?

Paul

Anonymous 14 Nov 2014

#54

February 15th - 27th, 1904 Empire Theatre Birmingham appears to be the first visit to Birmingham by Houdini

magicusa 14 Nov 2014

#55

Another reason this may all be Houdini lore. Houdini was not even in Europe until 1900. 4 years before. The years do not jive.
Dorothy Dietrich, The Houdini Museum, Scranton, PA

Anonymous 14 Nov 2014

#56

0,1,2,3,4 - that's five

Paul Davies 14 Nov 2014

#57

Here is a list of Houdini appearance dates
http://www.loxandkeys.com/houdinidates.html

If we go strictly by the dates, then Hart did not go to a Houdini show in Birmingham until a month before the challenge.

But to say that the "Handcuff King" had not been to the "Handcuff Capital" of Birmingham until one month before the challenge is harder to prove. It is only a short train trip from London. He could easily have met with Froggatt who became his friend at some stage. If Hart had made handcuffs in his youth, who had he worked for? The main players were Hiatt and Froggatt.

The British handcuff makers knew Houdini had been making a mockery of their handcuffs for years. The lock was a simple sprung bolt. The Mirror Challenge was a matter of national pride, newspaper sales and entertainment.

The Darby handcuff design was good enough for the job intended because they were still made by Hiatt until fairly recently. The Darby lock was not a true tube, but a cast iron tube tapered inside and out. The Mirror cuff has been described as a gun barrel fitted with a Bramah lock. The bow is similar to half of an "Irish 8" handcuff with a similar hinge except for the extra hinge in the middle. So you could view it as a combination of British gunsmith, locksmith and blacksmith.

Musings

Paul

magicusa 15 Nov 2014

#58

Hey guys;

From From July 2nd 1900, Houdini's first engagement in England, to March 1904 when he escaped from the Mirror cuffs is just under four years time. Not five as claimed in all the publicity.

Unless he met Houdini in the US in 1899. LOL.

There was no Nathaniel HART who ever showed up anywhere in 1904, or ever.

Respectfully,
Dorothy Dietrich, The Houdini Museum, Scranton, PA.

Paul Davies 15 Nov 2014

#59

Thanks Dorothy, I'd be interested to know your thoughts on Tom Froggatt also. Do you think he is in fact N. Hart? Did you know that Tom Froggatt had relatives in New Jersey?
Paul

MickHanzlik1 15 Nov 2014

#60

Just to remind everyone, Hounini and Tom Froggatt were friends for 20 years. His first Christmas card was sent to Tom at Christmas 1904, and the last one was Christmas 1924. I scanned the original cards when I visited Tom's grand daughter a few yearsw ago.

If Nathanial Hart existed (and I still think he did) I think it would be inevitable that he and Tom would meet up, considering that he was interested in handcuffs, was himself a metal worker, and they lived in the same city.

I originally thought that Tom and Nathaniel were the same person, bu now I'd like to think that they knew each other. More speculation here, but if Houdini had set the whole thing up, surely his friendship with Froggat would have been known and if Froggatt had made the cuffs under his own name, people could put 2 and 2 together and expose the whole thing. However,if Nathaniel Hart was named, that assumption wouldn't happen.

So it COULD have been a bit of collusion between the three of them.

magicusa 15 Nov 2014

#61

Hart=Froggatt=Collins=Vickery=Kukol

I did a lot of research on the Mirror Cuff escape for when I appeared on The Travel Channel's Mysteries At The Museum show on the subject. It was a difficult shoot, as they wanted me to say for the general public that is was all a set up and a fake. They shot for 7 hours straight trying to get this point across. I did not feel such was the way it went down, and also felt it would not honor the man's legacy. One of my answers was that Houdini could have broken into the safe at the newspaper where they had the cuffs stored to get to the cuffs. I had several other explanations.

I did a lot of research most coming from Michael Hanzlik, and the articles in the Handcuff.org year books, from the mid 1990's if I recall. I also got help from many others including Gower, Culliton, Pitella, and a long list I cannot recall off the top of my head. It is still being shown in reruns and on their website.
http://www.travelchannel.com/video/keys ... rets-16342

Question? If Froggatt did not want to make them for Houdini or Houdini would not have him make them for fear of exposure, who made the other 4 Houdini cuffs?

Those here who think Houdini would be afraid of being busted have only to look at his handling of every bridge jump he ever did. He and his assistants controlled it all.

I ask you was he shy about the "facts" he told police, authorities, the press? Did Houdini ever have his assistants pose as others? What about his "facts" on legal documents such as passports, insurance policies, etc.

For now I leave it at that!
Dorothy Dietrich, The Houdini Museum, Scranton, PA
The Only Building in the World Dedicated to Houdini.

Perry 15 Nov 2014

#62

I dont buy that for one second. Please tell everyone where you discovered Frogatt did not exist? What research did you do other than look through the books everyone else has access to?

Paul Davies 16 Nov 2014

#63

Apologies for any breach of copyright with the images - it is in the name of research.
I am not a locksmith, the images are for comparison.

The Seance/Hungarian Cuff is the most like the Mirror Cuff we all know. The bows appear to be standard "Irish 8" bows, just the lock and tube have been changed.
[/IMG]

[/IMG]

The Bell Cuff
[/IMG]

The Russian Manacle
[/IMG]

The Tatler Mirror Cuff
[/IMG]

The DC Mirror Cuff
[/IMG]

Paul Davies 16 Nov 2014

#64

Letter Cuff
[/IMG]

To a layperson like me, who also owns a few hundred handcuffs, these handcuff locks appear nothing like any Regulation Handcuff locks, and that is one point that the inventor was making.

Paul

magicusa 18 Nov 2014

#65

If memory serves me well, on some of these 5 (6?) Houdini cuffs, is one side bigger than the other, making them a "custom" fit?
Dorothy Dietrich
The Houdini Museum, Scranton, PA.
The Only Building in the World Dedicated to Houdini.

Ian McColl 18 Nov 2014

#66

If some cuffs are bigger on one side than the other but others are not, how can you say they are a “custom fit"

That doesn't make sense at all. Some of the cuff are therefore not custom fitted.

Only the Mirror is noticeably bigger on one side.

Paul Davies 18 Nov 2014

#67

Dorothy, are you now saying that Houdini did have a deformity and that is why the mirror cuff has different sized bows - that it was not a red herring after all? Or was one side made bigger to slip his hand and use a key, or to pick it easier?

In your video you accuse him of stealing a key from the newspaper safe, and on here, being a compulsive twister of the truth, I cannot see how you claim to respect his legacy. Sure 7 hours of footage was reduced to a sensational 3 minutes, edited out of your control, but it was just self promotional entertainment.

Until all documented evidence is found and researched, my opinion remains fluid and open to revision. There is usually some element of truth in what is recorded a the time. Long held beliefs are just that.

Paul

magicusa 18 Nov 2014

#68

Ian,

Good question.

The reason I say this is one side may be larger is because the person they were custom fit for may have had one wrist larger then the other. Or the one side may have been made bigger because they wanted their smaller wrist to slip through.

Were not the Hungarian "seance" cuffs also larger on one side?
Any info on the others?
By the way we have 4 or your beautiful Houdini replicas on display.

Dorothy Dietrich
The Houdini Museum, Scranton, PA
The Only Building in the World Dedicated to Houdini

Ian McColl 18 Nov 2014

#69

Firstly I believe all the five Houdini handcuffs were made at the request of Houdini himself. All the cuffs are fixed size and all fitted Houdini.

I believe that the Hungarian/Seance cuff was a new lock tube put on a figure eight darby handcuff frame.

There is nothing unique about the frame of the cuff and inherently, the figure eight was slightly larger on the locking tube size. The size difference which is actually not that big is due to the hinge and angle of the bow required to fit into the lock.

Chris Gower 18 Nov 2014

#70

Okay, we know that Houdini was challenged in 1904 by someone who had a good knowledge of handcuffs. Over here in England there was very little information on makers and handcuff patterns. About the only reference that can be found is the article written by Inspector Maurice Moser in The Strand Magazine Vol 7 1894. He mentions about American hand ifs and there superiority over the British types and illustrates a pair of Towers Double locking cuffs and a pair of Bean Detective cuffs. No mention is made about German or Russian handcuffs.
In the Daily Illustrated News March 11th 1904 when 'Nathaniel Hart' was interviewed he demonstrates how easy it is to open the British standard police handcuffs and says that even American, GERMAN and RUSSIAN handcuffs have weaknesses. We know that Houdini had a very successful performances in Germany and Russia in 1902/3 and had examples of Berliners, Stotz and Russian handcuffs in his collection. We also know that in his book Handcuff Secrets he mentions British Handcuff makers Hiatt, Froggatt and the one time handcuff makers Fields. I would estimate by the number of Hiatt to Froggatt handcuffs that appear that Hiatt were about 20 times larger than Froggatt in about 1900.
It is highly likely that Hiatt would not want to entertain or be entertained by Houdini, the fact they introduced the Sheffield Pattern in about 1905? and it was advertised in their 1907 catalogue as being specially designed to prevent manipulation by handcuff experts.
So Houdini found Thomas Froggatt which we have proof of and probably showed him the German and Russian handcuffs. Thomas Froggatts grandfather also Thomas Froggatt born 1822 and died 1899 started as a Blacksmith before venturing into the handcuff industry. It is possible the sign above the premises where The Froggatt family run business still said Blacksmith and although larger companies like Hiatt were happy to say Makers of Felons Irons and Handcuffs and were happy to advertise Nigger Collars in their catalogue perhaps the Froggatts working in a much close community preferred to be Blacksmiths.
To conclude, Nathaniel Hart did not exist and Thomas Froggatt who would have been 32 in 1904 (again mention is made that at the age of 30 he set up his own business as a blacksmith) so everything seems to fit very conveniently.
Chris

Perry 18 Nov 2014

#71

What bothers me is........in such a small country as England why make up a completely fictitious name? Especiaaly with such a well advertised event as this. Such a huge risk for some local Birmingham newspaper to completely ruin Houdinis career with only a small amount of effort. This was no ordinary escape challenge. Lots of interest, lots of "eyes" and I am sure many would have loved to expose the event as a fraud if indeed it was. Would Houdini leave himself so wide open here?

Anonymous 19 Nov 2014

#72

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[/IMG]
[/IMG]

Unresolved image reference ↗

Paul Davies 19 Nov 2014

#73

Chris I like your theory a lot, and don't get me wrong, I also have to be Devil's advocate.

We know that whoever made the cuffs for Houdini was familiar with foreign handcuffs. Any good handcuff maker or locksmith should be.

There was a lot of travel between England, Russia and Germany, including my family, some of whom disappeared in 1917 Russia. All 3 Royal families were very closely related. But you are probably right, Houdini introduced him to all sorts of foreign cuffs.

It has been shown on other threads that the Froggatts were calling themselves handcuff makers from the mid 1820s. Census' and Directories since then list them as Felon Iron Makers, Dog Collar Makers, Whitesmiths, Hardware Man, but mainly Handcuff makers. I have only found one marriage certificate mentioning Blacksmith. But any worker in hot metal could have called himself a blacksmith.

I could nit-pick about the Froggatt family tree and his age in 1904, but that serves no purpose and I'll keep it for another thread some day. What I will say is that one family member emigrated in 1830s to Harper's Ferry, then Bolivar, W.Virginia, and either he or just his wife and family to New Jersey, USA. That might explain why so many Froggatt handcuffs are found in USA compared to Hiatt. Houdini was more likely to become familiar with Froggatt cuffs in USA than with Hiatt cuffs.

It has been said a few times that the Hungarian Cuff appears to be an adapted Irish 8 cuff. The rest are odd-ball, not what you would expect from a handcuff maker. I am lucky enough to own a Froggatt Irish 8, but it is not a T. Froggatt handcuff. The number of Froggatt Irish 8 in collections could probably be counted on one hand. Hiatt appear to be the makers of all Irish 8 handcuffs pre 1904, not to be confused with Plug 8.

If Froggatt's first Xmas card from Houdini was 1904, does that prove that they knew each other in the months leading up to March 1903? They certainly would have known of each other and did not necessarily have to meet in person. Communication was not primitive on those days.

All-in-all, that they knew each other and were good friends is the best evidence you can get that Froggatt was the likely maker of the cuffs.

Paul

Paul 19 Nov 2014

#74

Sorry, I meant March 1904.

Chris Gower 19 Nov 2014

#75

Thanks Perry and Paul, look forward to bring corrected on Froggatts age!
I agree why make up a name but I think more important is that had Houdini failed (we know he failed to escape from the Plug '8' Legirons that Froggatt locked him in), special thanks to Ian for making me the three start left hand threaded key! Sorry I digress but if Houdini did fail no doubt the reporters would have rushed up to Birmingham to find Nathaniel Hart. However, the fact he succeeded, did not make headline news and most reports are on about page 6. We must also remember that in 1904 the British public were quite happy to sit in the audience for an hour while the band played. I may be completely wrong here but it has been stated that Houdini stopped his challenge handcuff act in 1908, I believe he realised the public were changing and wanted more entertainment so probably stopped it shortly after the Mirror Challenge and then started writing his book on Handcuff Secrets. So the public back 1904 were working 60 hours a week and would not have had the time, resources or incentive to expose this great entertainer.
Chris

Perry 19 Nov 2014

#76

So there would be no one in Birmingham reading all this commotion concerning this special handcuff who would look at their friends and family and say "who the heck is N Hart?" Why make up a name when he could have easily used a real person even if a "stooge"?

Perry also 20 Nov 2014

#77

" Why make up a name when he could have easily used a real person even if a "stooge"? "

he didn't need to, BECAUSE, the challenge went off as planned and YOU are still guessing.
all these years later..................

houdinisghost 20 Nov 2014

#78

There are countless references to the "Hungarian Cuff" in this thread. I can't find where Houdini ever called it that. It is identified as the "Hungarian Manacle." If it is Houdini's "invention" or "creation," there is an inside joke implicit -- Houdini being a closet Hungarian.
The most interesting thing about that cuff that has emerged from this thread is that it does not contain a Bramah lock. We all thought it did.
I had an interesting Houdini experience last weekend. The owner of 2400 Laurel Canyon, the estate where Houdini lived in 1919, Jose Luis Nazar, treated me to Bartok's Opera "Bluebeard's Castle" last Saturday. Before the Opera, a moderator discussed the work and pointed out that the libretto is in Hungarian. He said, "It is unlike almost every other language in the world. It sounds a bit like Norwegian perhaps." I told him about what Theo Bamberg (Okito) said: that he (Bamberg) was an international performer who spoke seven languages fluently and had a smattering of many others, but, he heard Houdini and his mother speaking in a language he didn't recognize at all. He said it sounded somewhat Oriental.
The man who was introducing the Operas said, "Yes, exactly."
And then I heard an entire Opera sung by Claudia Mahnke as Judith and Robert Hayward as Bluebeard in Magyar -- Houdini's native tongue. Fascinating.
I am very suspicious of the photo of the Mirror Cuff in the Tattler. Parts of both the cuff and the key seem to have been redrawn or heavily retouched -- half-tone photos in magazines and newspapers had been around awhile, but, they were improved repeatedly from the first glimmer in 1852 until the end of the optical screen process which is occurring as I write this.

Paul Davies 20 Nov 2014

#79

The maker of the Cuffs has been attributed elsewhere to Thomas Froggatt (1864-1951)and from a similar source as William Froggatt of Bordesley.

The long list of Thomas and William Froggatts are (and this may not be all)

1851
Thomas (1823) and Thomas (1845) at 14 Bordesley Street.

1861
Thomas (1836) Whitesmith, Rebecca St.
William (1804) Whitesmith 289 Bradford, employing 8 men, 2 boys.
William (1826) Whitesmith, Milk Street.
Thomas (1823) Handcuff Maker 14 Bordesley
Thomas (1846) Gun Lock Maker 14 Bordesley
William (1856) 14 Bordesley

1871
William (1804) Whitesmith 289 Bradford, employing 10 men, 2 boys.

1891
William (1854) Handcuff Maker 111 Bordesley, with sons
William (1878) 111 Bordesley
Thomas (1882) 111 Bordesley
Thomas (1846) handcuff Maker 10 Pickford St
Thomas (1873) Fell Monger 10 Pickford St
Thomas (1822) Dog Collar maker 119 Bordesley

1901
Thomas (1845) handcuff Maker 10 Pickford St Owner Worker 10 men, 7 boy
Thomas (1873) handcuff Maker 10 Pickford St
Arthur (1875) John (1877) William (1879) all Handcuff makers, Ernest Brass Founder (1884) all at 10 Pickford St

Those are their residential addresses from the Census'.
Directories sometimes give other business addresses and other occupations and products.
It has been said that Thomas Froggatt who sold out to Hiatt in 1937, retired in 1948 aged 84 (1864). That does not compute .
Chris, I can see that you have Thomas (1873) as our man, but my source of info has him from a different branch.
I will try and sort it out.

Paul

Perry 21 Nov 2014

#80

Still makes no sense as the maker of the cuff was as publicized as the event itself. There are articles concerning N Hart before and after the event.

Anonymous 21 Nov 2014

#81

Perry, get over it.

Paul Davies 21 Nov 2014

#82

Can anyone tell me which Publications and dates mention Nathaniel Hart by name prior to the challenge?
As an Illustrated Daily Mirror challenge, it should have been exclusive to them and simply saying a Birmingham Blacksmith was just not good enough.

If the I.D.M was the first paper to mention his name, then the other papers would just follow.
If we can find the original published interview with Nathaniel Hart in the days following the challenge, which is partly repeated in the Australian 'News of the World' ie "A New Terror for Thieves - The Unbreakable Handcuff Lock", that is a whole different story - showing that another newspaper has made contact with N Hart.
Newspapers of the time.
[/IMG]

Paul

Chris Gower 21 Nov 2014

#83

Paul you are right I think. The Thomas Froggatt that sold to Hiatt in 1936 was born on July 16th 1864 so he would have been nearly 40 at the time of the Mirror Challenge.
Just re read the article from The Black Country 1958 . The interview was with Harry LaTrobe who I met on several occasions. It was Harry LaTrobe who signed the agreement with Thomas Froggatt to buy his business. The article states Mr Froggatt had been a close friend with Houdini and had made many of the handcuffs and Legirons he used in his act.
I would think that Harry LaTrobe has now passed away but I will try and contact his son Peter who set up and made the LTH handcuffs in the 1980's. this might be worth starting a new thread as the LaTrobe family have quite a history!!
Chris
PS Perry it would be nice if you could back up some of your statements with dates and references. What proof do you have that Nathaniel Hart actually existed? Many of us have a theory that Nathaniel Hart was Thomas Froggatt but I agree it is only a theory. Are you a member of 'The Flat Earth Society'? As I am sure they would appreciate some I put from you.

Chris Gower 21 Nov 2014

#84

Paul, I have searched through virtually every newspaper published in 1904 including most of the ones you have highlighted. Several carry the story but apart from the daily express every other paper simply reported on the event that took place or copied details about the challenge from the IDM.
Chris

Paul Davies 22 Nov 2014

#85

"The Thomas Froggatt that sold to Hiatt in 1936 was born on July 16th 1864"

Chris, that is the bit that does not add up. I cannot find a record of him in the Census born at that time, only 1873.
I will do some more work on it.
Paul

Paul Davies 22 Nov 2014

#86

Sorry, this is a Thomas I had overlooked which is why things did not make sense to me.
Apologies to Mick and Joe who had published his birth year previously.

In 1871
Thomas(1864)was 6. His father Thomas(1836) was a light steel toy maker at the back of 175 Bordesley Park Road.

In 1881
Thomas(1864)aged 16 was a Whitesmith employing 2 men. His father had died. Bordesley Park Road.

1891 I cannot find him in the Census

In 1901
Thomas(1864) aged 26 is a Police Handcuff Maker. Living with 1st wife Alice and his sister Laura Wilson at 94 High St Bordesley. (Is this where WILSON handcuffs originates)

In 1911 Thomas(1864) aged 46, Handcuff and Cycle maker, with 2nd wife Florence.
Employer at back of house, 94 High St Bordesley.

If this is our man, he has possibly been a steel toy maker like his father, Whitesmith, handcuff maker, (bi)cycle maker. He has a small workshop. How close is the tube on the Mirror Cuff to a bicycle tube rather than a gun barrel?

Paul

Perry 22 Nov 2014

#87

Just stating the facts. The name of the creator of the cuffs and the city he lived in was widely reported prior to and after the event. I find it hard to believe Houdini would not only make up a completely fictitious person, name the city he lives in also pure fiction and also then advertise this fictitious person in a big way. Why create the event in this manner leaving himself wide open to be exposed?

Paul Davies 22 Nov 2014

#88

Perry, show me the reports you allude to, prior to the Challenge, where his name is mentioned.

Ian McColl 22 Nov 2014

#89

Perry, I have already shown that Houdini used fake names, untraceable people and no existant adress's in his so-called challenges from the public.

Instead of posing questions and comments, how about you doing some research and letting us know what you find.

Perry 22 Nov 2014

#90

No need to repost them. There were articles leading up to the challenge date and after the challenge date that talk about the Birmingham Blacksmith who made the cuffs taking him 5 years to do so...very old information.

Other challenges were very different. This is one man who is being promoted in the press as the person who made the cuffs. Not only promoted but announcing to the entire country that he lives in Birmingham.

Paul Davies 22 Nov 2014

#91

Perry Mason - his name was not Birmingham Blacksmith.
I quite specifically asked to name one article prior to the challenge where he is named. If there is one article where he is fully named, then that is where the other newspapers also got his name.
Since you have accused Dorothy of just stating what she has read in other peoples books and research, my challenge to you is to prove your "facts" or bring just one piece of new research to the table.

Chris Gower 24 Nov 2014

#92

Have just searched over 30 Kelly's Trade directories from 1872 to 1933. Thomas Froggatt was at 89.5 High Street sorry but can not find the half sign until about 1898 when he took on a tenancy agreement from a grocer for 94 High Street. He is recorded as a handcuff manufacturer at this address until 1933. The address of 94 High Street is where Houdini sent his Christmas cards to and it would appear that Thomas and his family lived here at the back of the premises.
I have also found a list of all the traders that were in the High Street Bordesley in 1904, Furthermore guess what from 1872 to 1904 there were no Blacksmiths, locksmiths, handcuff makers or safe makers named NATHANIEL HART
What I did find is that in Birmingham there was a very large maker of chains called PERRY & Co, Is this one of you relations Perry?
Chris

Chris Gower 24 Nov 2014

#93

Perry 24 Nov 2014

#94

The idea is history should not be altered unless overwhelming proof is determined. We have had one major book on Houdini point to the silver replica hallmark as proof that the challenge was pre arranged only to have it found that the hallmark could just have easily been from 1904. We have posters on here write that Houdini could not pick a pin tumbler lock etc. Why so quick to jump to a conclusion that negatively impacts Houdini history?

Of course Houdini pre arranged escape challenges....he had a act he needed to present. This does not mean all or even a majority of his challenges were set ups.

And FYI.....my relatives from my mothers side were English and I can't locate several of them going back to the turn of the 20th century.

I have been following Houdini all over the world the past 40 years so no neophyte here. And yes if I can pick a pin tumbler lock in 6 seconds so could Houdini.

Anonymous 25 Nov 2014

#95

"I can pick a pin tumbler lock in 6 seconds so could Houdini. "

speculation, not fact.

Perry 25 Nov 2014

#96

Everyone is speculating genius. Why all the negative speculation is the question.

Anonymous 25 Nov 2014

#97

rephase your last post, I don't understand what you are trying to say.

MickHanzlik1 25 Nov 2014

#98

I thought some of you might find this interesting

Unknown / guest 25 Nov 2014

#99

Unresolved image reference ↗

ronspitz 25 Nov 2014

#100

Patrick, I enjoyed your comment about the Opera and the language being in Hungarian which I had forgotten about. So I found my copy and listened closely as I followed the album notes in Hungarian and English. It is a very soft smooth language even when the words are of a harsh nature. It must have been a real pleasure to watch the seven locked doors and seven keys reveal the dramatic story. Bye the way the libretto was by Bela Balazs.

The whole idea of research is to try to obtain as much information on a subject and piece it together in order to obtain a greater understanding of the subject. That is what Paul, Chris and others are in the process of doing. Like putting a puzzle together the pieces start fitting into a pattern. In most cases you never get all the pieces, but what you do get starts to from a pattern.

Many documents, newspaper articles, posters and eye witness accounts are full of all kinds of errors. Many are produced to sell tickets by tickling the imagination of the public.

No one is trying to discredit HH and many of us owe him thanks for it was his story that we read as kids that got us interested in magic, locks, and handcuffs.

So Perry, it is not that your participation is not welcome here, but you say the same thing over and over and don't contribute to the gathering of information.

Ron

Chris Gower 26 Nov 2014

#101

Found two articles published in The Daily Mirror May 14th 1904 and May 16th 1904.
Hopefully Joe can post them. Basically it states that Houdini will be presented by the proprietors of The Mirror a solid silver exact copy of the handcuffs he escaped from. The handcuffs have been made by Messrs Hamilton & Co of Regent Street and will be presented to Houdini at The Hippodrome Brighton.
This is interesting about Brighton rather than London and confirms the makers were who we thought they were. It's a pity they are no longer in business.
I liked your last posting Ron, I would like to add that whenever I give talks and presentations to the public I tell them that Houdini was my childhood hero was a brilliant entertainer and the highest paid performer of his era. He was so highly regarded at the height of his career that during his lifetime occult powers were attributed to him in which even some intellectuals like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle believed. I further tell them of his great ability to pick locks with his toes and ability to dislocate his shoulder to escape from a straight jacket. So I am sorry Perry if I have upset you and apologise about my comment on his lock picking ability. However, this forum although available to the public is generally viewed by collectors and as such we have the expertise with people like Ian, Paul, Ron, Patrick and Mick to name a few who between us have probably over 200 years experience. Surely you must at least consider the possibility that Nathaniel Hart did not exist?
Chris

Unresolved image reference ↗

Chris Gower 27 Nov 2014

#102

Found an article from Mahatma magazine Vol 7 JULY 1903 . Houdini was offering a 100 guinea reward to anyone who could get out of the pair of handcuffs that he had escaped from that the daily illustrated mirror had locked him in!!
Further research needed.
Chris

Unresolved image reference ↗

Paul 27 Nov 2014

#103

Nice finds Chris.
I know you mean 1904 not 1903. It does imply that he has a working pair of Mirror cuffs, but which pair?

Chris Gower 27 Nov 2014

#104

Paul
The date is 1903 !!
Chris

Chris Gower 27 Nov 2014

#105

Sorry volume 7 of the magazine ran from July 1903 to June 1904 and the article was in May 1904. Thought it odd as the Daily Mirror did not start until 2nd November 1903 and ran for 71 issues. It was then renamed The Daily Illustrated Mirror on 26th Jan 1904 and ran until 27th April 1904 issues 72 to 150 . After this it was renamed Daily Mirror.
Chris

Perry 28 Nov 2014

#106

Houdini's ability to dislocate his shoulders may certainly have been an exaggeration. Ive escaped from many a straight jacket without this ability. Its not a question whether Houdini exaggerated or not...certainly he did....implying however because there were exaggerations that every escape was a put on or fake is just as wrong. I find it so interesting that we are hearing the silver replica was made after the event by a well known silversmith AND it was made as an exact replica of the Mirror cuffs. Yet the DC cuff does not match the silver replica. The DC cuffs were not the original Mirror cuffs. Where today is the real Mirror cuff? If indeed a completely made up event why not make all cuffs as exact visual matches? Just does not add up.

Not DC or Perry 28 Nov 2014

#107

"Houdini's ability to dislocate his shoulders may certainly have been an exaggeration."

don't belittle the man, Houdini is God and wouldn't exaggerate.

When are you going to come up with your own research and not just make comments which bring nothing to the subject than just speculation and personal thoughts.

Metooalso 28 Nov 2014

#108

Yeah, you mean old perry, you!

Chris Gower 29 Nov 2014

#109

The worlds Fair 1938 gives a very interesting account by Brunei White who was a very well respected magician and author. He says that Will Goldstons account is wrong where he states Bess pleaded with the reporter for the key. He says the blacksmith was paid by Houdini and he has plenty of proof. So all we need to find out now is what happened to the proof.
Also Feb 1934 in Linking Ring Vol 13 No 12 an article by William W Durbin of Kenton Ohio saying that Bess Houdini gave him the Mirror Handcuffs and even with the key no magicians managed to open them. Looking at the photo taken of Bess with the two Mirror cuffs on the table although no one is certain of the date I would say late 1930's judging by her hair, so perhaps Durbin was given the originals? I do not believe the two cuffs that are now in the DC collection have ever been split up especially as we know both were offered to The Daily Mirror in the early 1970's and were subsequently sold or auctioned together when I think Radner / Muller bought them.
Chris

Unresolved image reference ↗

Chris Gower 05 Dec 2014

#110

Found his name mentioned in The Scotish Courier April 10th 1906 . Seems he came from a family of farmers in Perthshire travelled to America then I do not know whether he became a reporter for The Daily Mirror before taking up his post as Press Representative for The Hippodrome.
Chris

Unresolved image reference ↗

Paul Davies 06 Dec 2014

#111

At least we know Will A Bennet exists, even if he is elusive in the Census'

London American Register
Saturday, May 12, 1906 Page 6
Miss Billie Burke, the celebrated American actress, who is now appearing in the Coliseum revue, has presented Mr. Will A. Bennet, one of the most courteous and popular Press representatives in stageland, with a handsome gold demi-hunter watch.

New York Clipper, 3 November 1920
[/IMG]

English passenger records
[/IMG]
[/IMG]

His address is 43 The Avenue W Ealing London in 1922

Anonymous 06 Dec 2014

#112

http://www.mocavo.ca/Variety-December-1 ... 688171/223

The link above refers to the Hippodromes 25 Anniversary and states that Will A Bennett is to write a history of the place entitled "Round and About the Hippodrome" since this link briefly mention Houdini, then there may be more in the written history of the Hippodrome. I have been unable to find any record of this booklet.
Paul

Paul Davies 06 Dec 2014

#113

[/IMG]
To my old Friend & worthy opponent from his great admirer and well-wisher. Will A Bennet Feb 26, 13.

[/IMG]
Written on back "London Mirror Challenger"

So, is this the young man in the photo 9 years earlier. I think so.
[/IMG]

John Cox 06 Dec 2014

#114

Whoa! Nice find. Where does this photo come from?

houdinisghost 07 Dec 2014

#115

That "worthy opponent" line makes me think that is William Bennett.

Paul Davies 07 Dec 2014

#116

http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/item ... 0a18064a99

I have asked NY Public Library for the original source of this photo. I will let you know. You can buy a copy on-line.
There is some more illegible pencil writing on the back at the base. It may require someone to view the original to see what it says.

I think the words "London Mirror Challenger" on the back and "worthy opponent" are proof enough of Bennets involvement. The challenge may have been real and I'm sure there will be debate as to whether the result fixed or not.

The age of this man rules out my theory of William Bennett, the theatre owner, being involved.

Paul

Perry 07 Dec 2014

#117

Such excellent info. Incredible job.

ronspitz 07 Dec 2014

#118

Great work Paul. I have had the pleasure of working with Paul on other projects and his ability to dig up new material is amazing. We are limited by the amount of material that has been digitized and available on the internet and the luck of searching and finding the possible sources to search. There is so much material that is stored and cataloged in boxes in archives that unless you have the funds to physically search the material it will be a long time, if ever, in finding the material.

The picture posted of the committee putting the cuffs on HH is just a moment in time, but what struck me is the facial and eye expression that HH seems to have. He looks to be have a distant look and stare as if he is not interested in the cuffs being placed on him.

Ron

Paul Davies 09 Dec 2014

#119

Ron is right. The information is out there in the archives, and unless it gets digitized, it is hard to find. I've spent more than 30 years tracing my family history the hard way through physical records. Really it is just rediscovering things that others had known before us.

Thanks to Chris' newspaper article with the reference to Will Bennet being from Perthshire, I've found a record of him in the 1911 Census. The ages seem to match fairly closely with the other shipping record I posted earlier - depending on when their birthdays were.

I'm looking forward to more great newspaper articles from Chris who is travelling - with iPad in hand - if he can find the time. We still have not found the interview of "Nathaniel Hart" by Will Bennet which is alluded to in other newspaper articles.

[/IMG]

Paul Davies 09 Dec 2014

#120

"This photo comes to us from the Society of American Magicians according to a stamp on the back. I can't say anything more about its provenance, but the photographer credited is Hana Studios, London and it is marked on the verso: "London Mirror Challenger". Bennet doesn't address anyone specifically, so we can only speculate based on the item itself."

Chris Gower 10 Dec 2014

#121

Great work Paul. Have just found an article from The Stage August 1912 . It says Mr William Gray better known as Will A Bennet.....
This could explain a lot as I have searched to find when he died without luck. I do not have access to any UK census's at the moment (we are currently traveling through Portugal then to Morocco. Believe it or not the WiFi in Morocco is far better than a lot of European places) .
Chris

Unresolved image reference ↗

lauher 12 Dec 2014

#122

Chris Gower has another find. William Gray (aka Will A Bennet)

Unresolved image reference ↗

MickHanzlik1 12 Dec 2014

#123

I'm still digging about trying to find Nathaniel. Here is a small article that doesn't tell us much more, but it does say that he was a handcuff maker in his early working years. This came from a Canadian newspaper, The Chilliwac Progress, dated Wednesday August 24th 1904. Why was this reported over 6 months after the challenge?

.html?filters%5Buser%5D=43057916&filters%5Brecent%5D=1&sort=1&o=0&_suid=1418415475710029655225139510044

Unresolved image reference ↗

Paul Davies 13 Dec 2014

#124

Thanks Mick
I have been unable to view the image of the page properly but I have the OCR text which appears to be similar to the Australian (7 May 1904) article which is linked at the bottom of this message. I cannot see whether the portrait is that of N Hart???
So both articles have come from another source, presumably the London Illustrated Mirror. Each article has some different quotes taken from the original source. ie in this one "no mortal ltftin (thing/living?) can escape from." which is not in the Australian article.

Having worked on magazines in the past, I understand how articles of general interest and advertisements are used as page fillers, being edited down to fill a space. And so, articles reappear months and even years after first being published.

http://theprogress.newspapers.com/newspage/43174311/

The Chilliwack Progress
Location: Chilliwack, Canada
Issue Date: Wednesday, August 24, 1904
Page: Page 6

Perfect Handcuff
Scotland Yard detectives have for years been trying to get a really secure handcuff that would battle even themselves or experts liko Houdini to open without a key. It is well known that the Government regulation handcuff can bo opened by most policemen and all habitual criminals by means of a trick. Mr. Nathaniel Hart, a Birmingham blacksmith, has spent five years of night and day toil in making a pair of handcuffs that "no mortal ltftin can escape from." In his early days Mr. Hart was employed in the manufacture of handcuffs. At the age of 30 he set up in business for himself as a blacksmith, but handcuffs, and how to manacle without a defect, have always had a fascination for him. Five years of his spare time has been devoted to tho invention of a perfect handcuff. The groat difficulty tho maker of a handcuff has to contend with is that there is so littlo room in which a really powerful lock can bo placed. Knowing this, Mr. Hart, after countless triols, has at length succeeded in constructing a lock which, when placed within the handcuff, even violent blows with a sledgehammer can only bond, but cannot break asunder. This particular cut! is in tho shape of a figure 8, with what may bo roughly described as part of a riflo barrel attached. The lock is made of the finest stool, and is "a look within a lock." It cannot bo picked. The inventor cannot do it himself, and the key took him over a week to make.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article ... by=dateAsc

As to whether Nathaniel Hart existed, it is hard to prove. Because we can prove that Houdini knew Froggatt, that is the simplest conclusion - that they were one and the same. Hart claims to have made handcuffs in his youth, Froggatt was making handcuffs at the time. I am fairly confident that under the name Nathaniel Hart he did not appear in Census', birth or marriage records in Birmingham, electoral rolls, directories etc. There can be many reasons for this. Using an alias was not illegal, people of Irish and Scottish descent were reluctant to appear in the English Census or government records. A single man working nights is easily missed etc,etc. Now we hear that Will A Bennet had an alias - William Gray. I cannot be sure of his real name now!

Paul Davies 13 Dec 2014

#125

http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bi ... 60127.2.18#

New York Clipper 27 January 1906

[/IMG]

So it seems Will Bennet was not the press rep. from the opening of the Coliseum on Dec 24 1904 but was with Moss & Stoll earlier than Jan 1906, which we already knew. Moss & Stoll ran the Hippodrome where their head offices were.

This does not add much to the story but helps build a time-line of Bennets movements and involvement in the Challenge.

Paul

Joe M. Notaro 13 Dec 2014

#126

WRT aliases, Houdini’s friend, press baron Alfred Charles Harmsworth, used the title Lord Northcliffe. At the time of the Mirror Challenge in 1904, Harmsworth owned The Weekly Dispatch and The Mirror; Feel free to draw your own conclusions about their relationship. Their paths would cross again years later in Australia with Northcliffe’s interest in aviation growing proportionately to his wealth and power; While Houdini is setting records as an aviation pioneer in Australia and appearing at the Tivoli Theatre in Sydney, we first see the name of the press representative, Will A. Bennet, in print; feel free to draw your own conclusions why this is.

Anonymous 13 Dec 2014

#127

WRT ?????
what does, "feel free to draw your own conclusion" suppose to mean?

Cannot you write in such a way that we then know what your conclusion is???

Joe M. Notaro 13 Dec 2014

#128

With regard to aliases refers to the earlier comments about William Bennett having an alias and possibly Nathaniel Hart being an alias. So I thought I would mention that Alfred Charles Harmsworth had an alias since his path crossed with Houdini in 1904 and in 1910 when the press agents name appeared in print. I am just providing information not conclusions; I will leave that to the experts.

Paul Davies 14 Dec 2014

#129

Joe N.
the first known appearance of the article is February 1909 which predates Houdini's tour Down Under.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article ... dateAscers
The difference between this article (1909) and the 1910 article (for which everyone applauds you for finding the name of Will Bennet) is the absence of mention of Will Bennet. The 1909 article was in a newspaper from a very small country town at the time. The editor of that paper has taken the article from elsewhere and edited it down.
I cannot see that Houdini and Harmsworth "crossed paths" in 1910, but I know little of Harmsworth or whether he was "friends" with Houdini. So, in a way, I agree with Anon that there is not much to conclude, with little to base a conclusion on. If the implication is that Houdini was still using the influence of Harmsworth in Australia in 1909/1910 - I dont know; if he was using the services of Bennet as a Press Rep employed by Moss & Stoll - I doubt it. I'm sure Houdini was more than capable of creating his own publicity.
If Houdini became interested in aviation through Harmsworth is unknown to me, but it seems to have been the next big act, especially in the "theatre" of WW1!!!
Imagine if Houdini came up against the Red Baron in the skies!

Joe M. Notaro 14 Dec 2014

#130

Houdini may have become interested in aviation through Harmsworth aka Northcliffe. According to Kalush:
“By 1909, great strides were being made in aviation. Houdini was in London on July 25, when a Frenchman named Louis Bleriot became the first man to fly across the English Channel by airplane. He had been taught to fly by Houdini’s future engineer, Antonio Brassac, … For his efforts he received a $5,000 prize, just one of many offered by Alfred Charles Harmsworth, who now owned and used the title Lord Northcliffe. … Houdini’s friend Lord Northcliffe had been interested in aviation since 1889 and was convinced that aviation would play a major role in the next world conflict. In February of 1909, he traveled to France to see the Wright Brothers exhibit their flying machine. … [He offered] large cash incentives, through his newspapers, for completed flights. … As 1910 approached, Northcliffe was faced with a large dilemma -- how to help mold public opinion favorably to support aerial exploration and research. One way to accomplish that would be by encouraging the world’s most famous daredevil to fly his own biplane with his name emblazoned on it. … [In a 1910 Magazine], it was reported that while the magician was in Australia he was under contract to make ten airship flights. His contract stipulates for ten flights, each to be more than five minutes duration, for which he will receive L20,000 or L2000 for each flight.”
The main difference between the 1909 article and 1910 article is the following sentence:
“Will A. Bennet, press representative, Moss Empires, London and the London Hippodrome, recently told in “Pearson’s Weekly” of a match he made at the Hippodrome with Houdini the Handcuff King, now appearing at the Tivoli Theatre, Sydney.”
I read the words recently told in “Pearson’s Weekly” to mean 1910 since in the same sentence they are referring to Houdini now appearing at the Tivoli Theatre, Sydney. We know the article also appeared in 1909 without mentioning the press representative by name. It would be nice to know if the article appeared in 1904 and mentioned the press rep by name.
Please keep up the search and great work. I am a big fan of the effort that you and others are doing here on Handcuffs.org

Paul Davies 14 Dec 2014

#131

Thanks Joe, that is very interesting information about the flights. No doubt their paths would cross. Your Houdini expertise is enlightening. Everything becomes connected if you delve deep enough.

Since the 1909 and 1910 articles are both sourced from the same "Pearson's Weekly" article, it has been added to in 1910 with Bennets name and Houdini's appearance in Sydney. I can tell you that the original article is not in Pearson's Weekly in 1904, 1905 or the last half of 1906. These are the issues I have had access to in Australia. The only other holding of issues from first half 1906, 1907, 1908 and January 1909 which I can locate and need to be checked are in British Columbia, Canada.
Paul

Joe M. Notaro 14 Dec 2014

#132

Well, if it was published in Pearson’s Weekly when he was touring the UK, then 1908 (Nov, Dec) and 1909 (Jan, Feb) are candidates. I hope the original article turns up.

Chris Gower 15 Dec 2014

#133

Article published in The Stage Thursday 24th March 1904 . Nothing much new but the Mirror rep. says that Houdini will be presented with a silver facsimile of the handcuffs at an early date. Sounds like the silver set had already been made and was planned to be presented. I do not believe Will A Bennet would have suddenly come up with this idea and he would not have had the authority to make such a statement without consulting the editor of the Mirror.
Chris

Unresolved image reference ↗

houdinisghost 15 Dec 2014

#134

When John Hinson, Houdini's brother-in-law was showing the Mirror Cuff to Stanley Palm and letting him lock and unlock it, Mr. Hinson told Stanley, "Houdini paid $5,000 for that key."
A most cryptic remark and John Hinson didn't elaborate.
This has always underlined my thinking about the Mirror Cuff challenge.
I personally believe it was a set-up and the thousand pounds was largely dedicated to a bribe to shut someone up.
If you study Houdini's handcuff challenges, and his other escapes before and after, there is very often a set-up -- certainly for pre-event publicity -- and then, for the certainty of success.
We've seen that Houdini used the Mirror Cuff as a "challenge" cuff. He did the same with the French Letter Lock Cuffs -- but, with the Letter Lock Cuffs, he used them as a "handcuff king beater" (against Kleppini) in Germany, BEFORE HE HAD A CRONY CLAIM TO HAVE MADE THEM AND CHALLENGE HIM WITH THEM IN ENGLAND.
So, who paid for the manufacture of the Mirror Cuff? Who paid for the trophy?
The thousand pounds was an excellent investment and Houdini could afford it.
It appears to me that the Mirror Cuff challenge may have raised the profile of the London Daily Illustrated Mirror. Kalush talks about that.

perry563 22 Dec 2014

#135

If this is true why would Houdini need to pay 5000 for a key? If indeed he paid 5000 this would indicate a real challenge where Houdini needed to pay off someone in order to obtain the key that would allow him to escape from the cuffs. If a setup where it was Houdinis cuff he would not need to pay off anyone for the key.

Anonymous 22 Dec 2014

#136

Is this the same John Hinson who is NQR?

Anonymous 23 Dec 2014

#137

Agree $5000 for key to entertain people, at that time tickets were prob 25 cents ea.does not make sense

perry563 23 Dec 2014

#138

The sum could have been exaggerated over the years. However if true it implies that a payoff had to be made by Houdini in order to obtain the key. This then implies that the challenge was legit otherwise why the need to pay a sum to obtain the key?

Anonymous 23 Dec 2014

#139

If it was legit, then Nath Hart would have been found, sounds like just another story.

perry563 23 Dec 2014

#140

Remember at one time just a few months ago the press agent who challenged and locked the Mirror cuffs on Houdini's wrists was thought to be a fictitious person. Now we know he was indeed a real person and fairly well known. We also now know that he sent a postcard to Houdini years later referencing his challenge. He also penned an article much later that discussed the lead up to the challenge. There is no evidence right now that N. Hart did not exist. Not showing up on census forms is not proof he did not exist. Mike.

Joe M. Notaro 17 Jan 2015

#141

This one is for Paul Davies. Article found. Please see my blog for an update regarding the search for the original Pearson’s Weekly article, How I Handcuffed Houdini, written by Will A. Bennet the infamous Press Representative.

Blog:http://harryhoudinicircumstantialevidence.com/?p=2610

lauher 17 Jan 2015

#142

Joe

Congratulations for finding one more part of the puzzle.
Interesting article.

Joe

Paul Davies 18 Jan 2015

#143

Well done people!!
A few people had intentions of going to the British Library one day to find the article, but you have succeeded! Thank you to all involved.

With the quote "A second or two later I had locked the handcuffs on Houdini's wrists", combined with his signature matching the one on the NY Public library photo is all the proof we need that Will A. Bennet was the Challenger in the Hippodrome photo.

Also interesting is that Nathaniel Hart is named as usual but described as "an unknown locksmith". The identity of the maker of the handcuffs is going to be researched and debated for a long time to come unless we can uncover some real evidence.

Paul Davies