GENEROUS MAGICIAN

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 June 1940, Page 5

GENEROUS MAGICIAN

■ w* DIED A POOR MAN. Horace Goldin, whose “magic” once earned him £7OO a week, died worth only £587, it was revealed recently. But to some unknown magician he has left something that may be worth a fortune —the secret of his tricks. Mr. Will Goldston, founder of the Magicians’ Club, said: — “All Mr. Goldin’s secrets are in my safe at the club, and I shall keep them there until I think a member of the club shows enough genius to be trusted with them. I have one in mind now. That, I know, is what Horace Goldin would have wished.” Golden was president of the club. At one time he had ten companies exploiting the famous “sawing through a woman” illusion; a model showing how it is worked is among the secrets in the safe.

He left no will, and letters of administration have been granted to his widow, Mrs. Helen Leighton Goldstein, now living in America. Goldstein was Goldin’s real name; he was originally a Polish-Jew, and he emigrated to America as a youth.

Mr. Goldston said that one reaosn Goldin left so little was that for years he had supported seven people who used to work in his shows. They had to give up their jobs through illness. One was a woman.

Mr. Goldston added: L'Goldin had a hard time as a boy, and it made him generous to everybody he employed. Every Friday he would come into my room to make out pay envelopes for his seven pensioners. It was his great secret. Generally he had little idea of the value of money. If .it was there he spent it.”