MURRAY--HIS GREATEST ESCAPE.

IN SEPTEMBER, 1924, Murray, the well known Australian escapologist, was working at the Apollo Theatre, Shanghai. He had a successful week's run, but on the final night there occurred an incident, which, although not of great interest in itself, was to provide the first chapter of one of the most amazing and startling true-life stories that has reached my ears.

As I have said, it was Murray's last appearance in Shanghai. just before the curtain was due to fall, a man sitting in the stalls rose to his feet and challenged the performer's ability.

"Murray, you are very clever," he said. "You have escaped from your chains and boxes here this evening, but I do not consider that extremely difficult. You use the same things every day, and are familiar with them. It would be a very different matter to escape from somewhere you have never been.

"In my office in this city I have a strong-room. I challenge you to escape from that room. If you succeed I will pay you the sum of five hundred dollars. If you fail, it will cost you nothing. What do you say?"

Murray thought rapidly. He had no further bookings in Shanghai. Therefore, if he failed to escape from the strongroom, his reputation would be very little damaged. On the other hand, he might succeed, in which case he would be five hundred dollars better off. Yes, it was worth taking the risk.

"I accept your challenge, sir," he said. If you will let me know your address, I shall be pleased to attend at ten o'clock to-morrow morning."

There was a round of applause at this bold statement. The challenger bowed his thanks, gave Murray his address, and intimated that he would be prepared to receive him on the morrow at the appointed hour.

When Murray arrived at the office on the following morning, it was obvious that preparations had been made for his reception. The strong-room door was standing ajar, and had been thoroughly examined beforehand by half a dozen journalists who were gathered together in the outer office.

The escapologist greeted his challenger cheerily.

"Good morning, sir," he smiled. "Perhaps I might examine the locks of the strongroom door?"

"Oh, no, you can't," returned the other warmly. "That's not in the rules. On the other hand, I must examine you. These pressmen will assist me."

Murray saw no point in objecting to this proposal, and was thoroughly searched. When the examiners were satisfied that he had no implements concealed in his clothing, they pushed him forward into the strong-room, and turned the key.

The locks were not difficult. Five minutes later Murray had escaped. He received the congratulations of the journalists and his challenger with good grace.

"It wasn't very difficult," he said, modestly. "Why on earth did you challenge me to open a door like that?"

"Well, you see," replied the loser, "I thought you were a fraud. I don't mind losing in the least, for you have more than proved your ability. Here is your cheque for five hundred dollars." He turned suddenly to the waiting pressmen. "Good day, gentlemen. I hope you have had an enjoyable morning."

The thinly veiled hint was taken. Murray waited in silence, wondering what he might expect next from this strange man. The door had hardly closed behind the last of the newspaper men, when his companion began speaking rapidly, almost unintelligibly.

"Mr. Murray, you are a clever man. Perhaps you have discovered that I am a Russian, and that my name is Vinoff. But of my business you know nothing. Now I tell you frankly I am interested in you. How would you like to tour for three months in Siberia?"

"That's no good to me," returned Murray. "I should want a financial guarantee. Besides, I don't know what the theatres are like in Siberia."

"You need not worry about the money. I myself will give you a guarantee of thirty thousand dollars. As for the theatres--well, what does it matter?" Wherever we go, I am certain we should play to big business."

After some further discussion, Murray agreed to accept Vinoff's offer. Thirty thousand dollars was a large sum of money, and the Russian seemed confident that the project would prove a success.

Two days later, both men caught the western-bound express. But those who had seen Murray in Shanghai would not have recognized him now. He was dressed in the garb of a Russian peasant.

"It is better that you travel in disguise," Vinoff had assured him. "For one thing it will mean better business for us--as a Russian you will be a bigger drawing card than as a foreigner. And then again, we do not want unpleasant inquiries on our journey. The Soviet are suspicious of all foreigners."

But once the train had crossed the border, Vinoff's manner changed.

"I must tell you the truth about this business, Murray," he said, "I am not a theatrical promoter--I don't know the first thing about the business. I am a Russian royalist. I promised you thirty thousand dollar's for your work. You shall have it.

"You won't have to do any performing, but the Soviet Government have certain documents in their possession which I must obtain. I can lead you to the house where they are locked; you will have to break in and get at the safe. When you hand me the papers you will receive your payment."

"Good heavens, man?" exclaimed Murray. "Are you suggesting that I turn housebreaker? Supposing I cannot find the papers, or that I am caught stealing them? I can escape from a strong room easily enough, but I can't escape from a bullet."

"I don't fancy the task will prove difficult. As for the danger--well, you must take the risk. If you refuse to do what I ask, I will shoot you where you sit. Now what is it to be?"

Murray thought for a while. I have no option," he said at last.

"Excellent," replied the Russian. "But there are two things which you must remember. In the first place you are deaf and dumb. If anyone hears you speak in English, they may become suspicious. And, lastly, do not attempt to trick us. It will be as much as your life is worth."

After a further day in the train, Murray and his companion alighted at a small wayside station. They were greeted by a group of half a dozen other Russians who were evidently delighted at their confederate's success in securing Murray's services.

The performer frankly admits that he was scared. He had no idea of his whereabouts, and the effort of playing the part of a deaf mute was proving a greater strain than he had at first imagined. The party evidently had very little money at their command, for they lived like tramps, sleeping under hedges and barns, and eating only salt herrings and stale brown bread.

After several days tramping in a northerly direction, they were met by a sleigh. From that moment, Murray lost all sense of time and direction. After what seemed several days, but was probably only a few hours, the horses drew up at an imposing white building, surrounded by a large expanse of snow covered parkland. Save for the champing of the horses, and the murmuring of the Russians, there was not a sound to be heard, It was like a house of death.

Vinoff turned to Murray. "This is where you get busy," he said. "I know exactly where the papers are to be found." He walked over to the front door of the house, the others following at his heels. "This is the first lock. Get ahead with that."

The door presented no difficulty to the escapologist. It was fastened with an old-fashioned mortice lock, and soon yielded to Murray's persuasive fingers The door swung open, and the party made their way into a large deserted hall. Some of the men carried small electric torches with shielded bulbs which reduced the reflection of light to a minimum.

Murray was called upon to open six more doors before they came to the safe. Except that the locks were stiff, probably from rust and age, he had little difficulty in carrying out Vinoft's orders. But the safe proved a more intricate problem.

It was built into the wall, and the door was covered with a number of locks of various sizes and patterns. After a brief examination, Murray discovered that all the locks were controlled by a master lock situated in the centre of the door.

After more than two hours' manipulation, the bolts slid back with a faint click. When the door was opened, the safe was found to be filled with a large number of sealed white envelopes.

"Ah," exclaimed Vinoff, as he peered at the several rows of packages. "That's just a trifle awkward. We shall have to read those papers before we know which we can take away. You must open the envelopes without breaking the seal. We must never let the Soviet know they have been tampered with."

"I can't perform miracles," protested Murray. "I've opened the safe for you. How do you expect me to open envelopes that have been sealed?"

"I haven't the faintest idea. That's your business, not mine. But if you haven't thought out a scheme in five minutes, your life won't be worth living." As he spoke, Vinoff brandished a revolver dramatically in the air.

Murray's plight was desperate. He looked appealingly at the other men, but their expressions gave him no hope. One of them produced a vodka bottle which he passed round to the others after helping himself. That action probably saved Murray's life.

The sight of the alcohol bottle awakened a childhood memory, He suddenly recalled the old scheme of pouring alcohol on an envelope in order to read the contents. He was saved!

He took an envelope from the safe, and smeared it with two or three drops of vodka. In a few seconds the paper became transparent, and it was possible to see the writing on the document inside.

"That is a splendid idea," cried Vinoff excitedly. "We must try each envelope until we come to those I want."

Carefully and systematically, they tested every envelope in the safe. But there was no sign of the wanted documents. The Russians swore long and fluently in their native language.

"Come. Let us not stay too long," said Vinoff at last. "Be careful to leave each door as you found it."

Murray never received payment for his share in the enterprise. He was escorted back to the frontier, hastily thanked for his services, and left to his own devices. "I suppose I must be thankful to have escaped with my life," he says, philosophically.