Harry Houdini in Salt Lake City, 1915

Famed escape artist Harry Houdini (Erik Weisz) made his Salt Lake City debut in December 1915 and performed thrilling stunts (a “trick” for October's #spookyslc).

Clip from the Salt Lake Herald 1915-12-19 Pg 32

Clip from Salt Lake Herald 1915-12-19 Pg 20

 
While researching the history of the Midwest Casket Building, I saw a reference in a 1928 book about the Salt Lake Casket Company providing a casket in which Houdini escaped during a show at the Orpheum Theater (now Capitol Theater) in 1915. However, I could not verify this information.

What I found indicates that members of the Local No 184 United Carpenters and Joiners of America Union sealed Houdini in a “sturdy wooden box” that they constructed on the stage, on Christmas Eve, 1915.

The carpenters selected were: George H Rose, John H Durbin, Henry J Schmittroth, J H Cox, Bert Harris, Fred Rose.

Houdini entered the box; the lid was nailed down and a strong rope tied around the box. A curtain was drawn around the box and the audience were quiet for the 7 minutes it took Houdini to escape.

The carpenters had made their own secret markings on the box and they declared that the box had not been switched out. According to their report “not a nail was pulled, a board sprung, or a knot in the ropes untied.” The box appeared to still be sealed. 

Houdini performed another trick the day prior. He freed himself from a straightjacket while hanging upside down from his ankles from the Walker Center Tower at 175 S Main Street, Salt Lake City.

Clip of Houdini from the SL Herald 1915-12-23 and the
Orpheum Theater & Walker building in 1920, from USHS

A note about Houdini’s Salt Lake performance, a few weeks prior Houdini had performed and filmed these same feats in Los Angeles. The film of his Los Angeles stunts were shown at the Salt Lake Orpheum Theater for several days before his live performance.

The Wild About Houdini website by John Cox has a great account of Houdini’s 1915 Los Angeles and Salt Lake performances, including a lost and recently recovered film clip of the Los Angeles performance that would have been shown in Salt Lake City.

Cox indicates that Houdini regularly engaged with local groups (Newspapers, Police, Fire Depts) for them to issue a (likely pre-arrange) challenge which Houdini would accept and perform. It was a way to build up excitement and market Houdini’s appearances.

This is likely what transpired with the Carpenters Union, who issued Houdini a challenge for Houdini to escape a box constructed by the union.

I didn’t find any connection of these men to the Salt Lake Casket Company, so they probably didn’t construct a casket and more likely built the “sturdy wood box.” But, it is an oddly specific reference to the Salt Lake Casket Co, so who knows? 

Photo of Houdini with a sturdy crate. Not Salt Lake City.
From crazyabouthoudini.com

Also, check out this Salt Lake City History Minute video about Houdini in SLC.


Sources:

• Salt Lake Herald 1915-12-16 p10
• Salt Lake Herald 1915-12-19 p5
• Salt Lake Herald 1915-2-19 p20
• Salt Lake Herald 1915-12-19 p32
• Salt Lake Herald 1915-12-21 p5
• Salt Lake Herald 1915-12-22 p9
• Salt Lake Herald 1915-12-23 p4
• Salt Lake Herald 1915-12-23 p7
• Salt Lake Herald 1915-12-25 p3
• Salt Lake Telegram 1915-12-21 p12
• Salt Lake Telegram 1915-12-22 p12
• Salt Lake Telegram 1915-12-23 p9
• Salt Lake Tribune 1915-12-16 p13
• Salt Lake Tribune 1915-12-25 p3
• Wild About Houdini by John Cox, especially SLC and LA 
• Film clip of Houdini in LA and shown in SLC
• Houdini his life story by Harold Kellock, 1928