OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19474, 2 November 1926, Page 9

OBITUARY.

MR. HARRY HOUDINI. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (H.ecd. 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK. Oct. SI. Mr. Houdini, the world-fameus magician, died at Detroit, Michigan, today, aged 42Houdini cauls to be known as the " Handcuff King," owing to his ability to free his wrists from any pair of handcuffs. He used to say he was intent on protecting the public against fraudulent representations iE the field of mystery and magic—a field he knew so well. He would dig into his vast library, conning weird books of which the general public knows nothing He would turn ap startling information that showed him how the tricks were done. For instance, he found in old tomes the explanation of bow during the days of the Inquisition certain persons could walk through "fire and over hot metal without being burned. The late Mr. Harry Houdini was not merely a magician and illusionist One of his' greatest feats was to extricate himself from all manners of perilous positions after having allowed himself te be strapEed within a straight-waistcoat. This a had succeeded in doing while suspended by a rope at a great height above the street, and even after having been thrown into the water. He took a leading part m the attack on bogus -spiritualistic mediums and had written a book on the subject. Some years ago he toured New Zealand. ' ..