The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-06
TO NAIL HOUDINI
 IN BOX AND THEN sGET HIMSELF OUT
Another Challenge To
 Claims Of Hand cuff King

Here comes Chief McDuff with a brand new proposition to Houdini 1! Unable to obtain official sactfon to have the famous magician suspended in mid air from the top of The Age-Herald building and while there release him self from a regulation police straight jacket, the committee in charge of the Houdini engagement at the Masonic temple were about to throw up their hands in resignation, when along comes the chief with a new challenge, this time backed by Louis and Joe Saks of the Saks Clothing company. The chief believes in reinforcements!
 Houdini, in answer to a wire sent him yesterday, explaining the straight jacket challenge, answered promptly, stating lis willingness to be put to the test, despite his doctors orders to the contrary. But the stunt if off and a new one c,s, insofar as Messrs. .McDuff and Saks are concerned, and it remains for Houdini to accept or reject this latest challenge.
 Build Packing Case
 After being furnished with specified tions by Chief McDuff, the Saks car penters went to work building a strong packing case, in which the chief and Saks propose to nail the famous self iberator and then rope the entire out side with many turns of strong hemp rope. The case is to be placed on the stage during the Houdini engagement here and the test made before the audi ence present at the time.
 The reputation of the carpenters are at stake. It is their task to build a box strong enough to hold Houdini. It is Houdini's task, should he accept the challenge, to get out of the box without damaging it in any way or without forcing the nails.
 Box On Display .
 The packing case is now on display in . window of the Saks clothing store, where it will remain until brought to the Masonic temple under police guard, Chief McDuff insisting that Houdini can do no more than look at the case before he makes his attempt to escape from it.
 Tickets for all performances are now on sale at Saks store and Clark & Jones Plano company, besides the regular box office at Masonic temple.
 Houdini promised the committee over the, phone Wednesday to look at the packing case on arrival in Birmingham and give his answer to newspaper re. 7orters early Friday morning.
 Although many attempts have been made in the past to get this celebrated mystic to show here, previous engage ments always interfered with the ar engagements. This will be Houdini's first appearance in Birmingham.
 Interesting Personality
 Houdini is not a charlatan, nor r.. mere magician from point of amusemI only. He has dug deeper into spi ualism than any living being. ytor years, while hailed as "The Handtuff King" Houdini was always looking fer ward, studying to prepare himself for his present field of endeavor. P4 is a thoroughly educated man of taste and bearing. His knowledge Of psychic phenomena is far greater than that of even the celebrated Sir Oliver Lodge and Sir A. Copap Q6yle, with whom takes issr .n his lecture on
 '-m."
 Houo ii perform his miracles
 a privilege not to be passed
 y. Houdini is unique, a mas
 is craft, and has way in which
 makes his art educational and en- .ghtening as well as entertaining.