Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-29

But my clothing was torn to shreds, my
arms and hands were bleeding. Even the
thunder of applause was no compensation
for that awful two hours. Never again
will submit to a challenge that means
physical torture such as that. The game
is not worth the candle.
One of my experiences in Germany is
worthy of record, for it was at once
vindication and a just punishment to an
autocratic and unfair public official. This
happened in the city of Cologne in Feb
ruary of the year 1902
The German police are very strict in
their supervision of amusements, and 10
false billing or Misrepresentation of ex-
hibitions is permitted. They prosecute
Offenders against such regulations under
the charge of obtaining money by false
p. atenses.
! Schutzmann Werner Graft chief of the
I Cologne police, endeavored to secure evil
dence that would convict me of misrepre-
| sentation, and failing in this he published
false story in the Rheinische Zeitung.
an influential newspaper, which put me
| and my performance in a very bad light.
AS a foreigner 1t seemed difficult mat
ter for me to prosecute the chief of police
/ of Cologne; yet that did so and secured
a verdict against him for SANDER is an
eloquent tribute to the uncorruptible JUS
tice of the German laws and courts
Engaging the best possible legal talent,
I entered suit against Graft for slander
The case was tried through all the courts
and the costs ran into the thousands. Ii
every court the verdict was favorable
to me, and Graft was sentenced to pay
all costs and fine or spend a day ir
Jail for each five marks of the costs ant
fine. AS the imprisonment would have
, figured out into something like five year:
Graft paid up like man.
: Invites Challenges II
1t was the method by which the judges
, , decided this case in the higher courts tha
! makes this case worthy of special in
terest They were not governed by law
, precedents, technicalities or rules of evi
dence but by facts The point to be de
cided, said the judges in effect, is this
: Does Houdini open locks and handcufr
in the manner he claims? After l ha'
e done my usual stunts in the court tn
e police produced a special lock, SO mad
y that after IT was locked it could not b
0 opened with it's own or any other key
This lock they challenged me to open, o
!, admit myself beaten. On the result de
e pended the decision of the judges. l ac
e cepted, walked into room selected b.
r the judges, where could work unhii
o dered, and in four minutes re-entered tn
: court and handed the open lock 10 IN
n presiding judge
(. In all my experience the only men
r have met who will not admit defeat ar
: those who use unfair means. In till
d case the trickster was ordered by til
court to make public apology, which wa
d published in all the principal papers c
4 the city, and lately I have heard he ha
II resigned from the police department. TIL
: shame and stigma in Germany last lonI
n A map of my wanderings in Americ
T and Europe would be practically a repro
y duction of any standard and up-to-dai
s railway map. 1 have not missed man
i, cities, and those I have missed are so fs
back that they have not missed me.
The record of my first appearance
England is but fair sample of the trea
y ment accorded me everywhere. AS pr
fessional have every reason to be pror
= of it, When 1 sailed from New York {
is Decoration day, 1900, had not even IL
~ promise of an engagement. After sever
= private exhibitions given before the Lol
% don managers / was given a contract f
sr two weeks, but my engagement with tn
IN manager was prolonged to the end
August, and 1 returned to the san
theater for a second engagement in D
re cember of the same year. SO 1t has be-
ne everywhere. And after all these yea
ct and all this travel in every part
en- Europe and America there are still tho
ne who cry a'Fake." 1t is to these that
owe my challengers, and therefore
70. should be thankful that there is such