IS BESSIE HOUDINI A CHEAT?

SO MUCH has been said and written of the Houdini spirit message to the Rev. Arthur Ford, that I feel I should be doing an injustice to the great American magician if I did not spare a small amount of space in order to clear up the matter once and for all. Many of the statements that have been issued on this matter have been so entirely contradictory and false that many otherwise credulous members of the public have put the whole thing down as a somewhat irreverent, but not entirely unsuccessful, publicity stunt.

In the first place let me say definitely that Houdini was never a spiritualistic medium. I should like to make this point quite clear in view of the fact that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle suggested in the "Strand Magazine" that many of the American's amazing illusions were effected by means of spiritualism--in short, that Houdini was an unconscious medium. As a matter of fact Houdini was nothing more or less than exceedingly clever conjurer who knew the art of showmanship from A to Z. Had I the mind to do so, I could explain every one of the American's illusions.

But in spite of the fact that he was always endeavouring to expose and ridicule every spiritualistic medium with whom he came in contact, Houdini was never entirely convinced that spiritualism was a fraud. Although he gained much publicity by publicly denouncing the religion as one of the biggest and cruellest forms of swindling in existence, he knew that he was no more qualified to speak on the matter than millions of other people. And, in order that the truth should eventually be known to either him or his wife, he arranged that whichever of the pair should die first should endeavour to send over a secret code message which was known only to themselves. The code message was secreted in a sealed compact, and placed in a bank vault.

As all the world knows, Houdini himself was the first to die. Some months afterwards the Rev. Arthur Ford received a spirit message which purported to come from the dead magician. He communicated the message to Mrs. Houdini, who confirmed the fact that it was the secret code word which her husband had arranged.

The news created a great sensation in the United States. A few of the smaller magicians who were unable to offer a reasonable explanation of the affair immediately decided that the whole thing was a fake. A certain section of the American press boosted the views of these magical nobodies, and in a short while, Mrs. Houdini and the Rev. Ford were openly accused of fraud.

I have the pleasure of knowing both the people in question. Mrs. Houdini is a sweet, demure little woman, known among her friends as "Bessie the Nun." She is rich, and has absolutely nothing to gain in bringing her name before the public. The Rev Arthur Ford is a well respected man in New York, and it is difficult to believe that he would enter into any form of swindling. It is interesting to note that he declares that he does not know whether he received the Houdini message or not. But, as he himself writes, "Mrs. Houdini said I did, and the sealed compact which Houdini left in the bank vault seems to prove it."

The following letter which Mrs. Houdini wrote to Mr. Walter Winchell of the staff of the New York "Graphic" should leave little doubt upon the matter. The letter runs as follows:

Dear Mr. Walter Winchell, This letter is not for publicity. I do not need publicity. I want to let Houdini's old friends know that I did not betray his trust. I am writing you this personally because I wish to tell you emphatically that I was no party to any fraud. Now regarding the séance. For two years I have been praying to receive the message from my husband, for two years every day I have received messages from all parts of the world. Had I wanted a publicity stunt I no doubt could have chosen any of these sensational messages. When I repudiated these messages, no one said a word, except the writers who said I had not the nerve to admit the truth. When the real message, the message that Houdini and I agreed upon came to me, and I accepted it as the truth, I was greeted with jeers. Why? Those who denounced the entire thing as a fraud, claim that I had given Mr. A. Ford the message. If Mr. Ford said this, I brand him as a liar. Mr. Ford has stoutly denied saying this ugly thing, and knowing him as well as I do, I prefer to believe Mr. Ford. Others say the message has been common property and known to them for some time. Why do they tell me this now, when they knew my heart was hungry for the true words from my husband? Of the many stories told about me, I have no way to tell the world the truth or the untruth, for I have no paper at my beck and call. Everyone has a different opinion of how the message was obtained. With all these different tales I would not even argue. However, when any one accuses me of giving the words that my beloved husband and I labored so long to convince ourselves of the truth of communication, then I will fight and fight until the breath leaves my body. If anyone claims that I gave the code, then I can only repeat they lie. Why should I want to cheat myself? I do not need publicity. I have no intention of going on the stage, or as some paper said, on a lecture tour. My husband made it possible for me to live in the greatest comfort. I don't need to earn money. I have gotten the message that I have been waiting for from my beloved, how, if not by spiritual aid, I do not know. And now, after I told the world that I had received the true message, everyone seems to have known of the code, yet never told me. They left it for Mr. Ford to tell me, and I am accused of giving the words. In conclusion, may I say that God and Houdini and I know that I did not betray my trust. For the rest of the world I really ought not to care a hang, but somehow I do, therefore this letter. Forgive its length.                      Sincerely yours,                           BEATRICE HOUDINI.

In justice to Bessie Houdini, I feel obliged to allot a small amount of space to the true explanation of the failure of the magical entertainment with which she contemplated touring America.

After the death of her husband, Mrs. Houdini decided to give up all her connections with stage life. But, partly owing to the persistent arguments of her friends, and partly owing to her own inherent love of the footlights, she decided to alter her decision. She realised she could not do better than carry on her late husband's work as a magician.

She decided to produce an escape from a solid block of ice, and for several months she was coached by illusionists of repute in America. At the rehearsals, however, she became dissatisfied with the construction of her apparatus, and the manner in which the act was produced.

She was not enjoying the best of health at the time, and finally thought it best to proceed no further with the show. Several of her friends were in agreement with her, for they had no desire to see her appear in an act which was not in keeping with the true Houdini tradition.