Houdini: The Phone Call from the Coffin (Part 3)

Summary

Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford: "Houdini: The Phone Call from the Coffin (Part 3)"

In the riveting final installment of the three-part series on Harry Houdini, Tim Harford delves deep into the enigmatic circumstances surrounding the legendary magician's untimely death. This episode masterfully intertwines historical accounts, personal anecdotes, and investigative insights to unravel a tale filled with deception, desperation, and the relentless pursuit of truth.

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Introduction: The Final Chapter

Tim Harford opens the episode by setting the stage for the culmination of Houdini's story. He recounts the pivotal moment when Rose Mackenberg, Houdini's chief investigator of fraudulent mediums, encountered a startling newspaper headline announcing Houdini's return from the grave. Harford emphasizes Rose's skepticism and open-mindedness, critical traits that made her Houdini's trusted confidante.

Harford [01:48]: "Rose Mackenberg picked up her morning newspaper, saw the headline on the front page and choked on her coffee. She was genuinely staggered, she later wrote."

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The Seance and the Mysterious Message

The heart of the episode revolves around a supposed seance where Houdini communicated posthumously with his wife, Bess. This event, occurring on January 9, 1929, two years after Houdini's death, ignited a frenzy of media attention and public intrigue.

Harford narrates how the seance was orchestrated by Arthur Ford, a medium with dubious credibility. During the session, Ford delivered a message that appeared to confirm Houdini's return:

Arthur Ford [03:34]: "Spare no time or money to undo my attitude of doubt... Tell the world that Harry Houdini lives and will prove it. A thousand times."

Bess Houdini's subsequent statement lent credence to Ford's claims:

Bess Houdini [04:11]: "I wish to declare that the message is the correct message prearranged between Mr. Houdini and myself. Beatrice Houdini."

Despite the seemingly authentic exchange, Harford introduces a note of skepticism:

Harford [04:21]: "Rose Mackenberg didn't dismiss the idea that there was life after death. She was smart, skeptical and open minded. That's why Houdini trusted her."

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Houdini's Last Days: Health and Paranoia

Transitioning to Houdini's final months, Harford paints a picture of a man battling both physical ailments and psychological torment. Despite Houdini's declining health, he remained committed to his grueling tour schedule, driven by financial necessity rather than personal indulgence.

A particularly harrowing incident in Albany, where Houdini injured his ankle during a performance, underscores his relentless dedication:

Harford [10:21]: "Spiritualist mediums did keep predicting Houdini's imminent demise. That's got to be unsettling."

As Houdini's health deteriorated, so did his mental state. He became increasingly paranoid, fearing that spiritualist enemies were plotting his demise. This paranoia culminated in an incident where a student, influenced by Ford, assaulted him during a performance, exacerbating his already fragile condition.

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The Unveiling of the Hoax

The narrative takes a dramatic turn as Harford reveals the unraveling of the seance hoax. Rose Mackenberg's meticulous investigation uncovers the flawed "secret code" used during the seance, exposing Ford's deceit.

Harford [27:54]: "Bess removed her wedding ring. Inside was inscribed the word Rosabelle. It was their song."

The revelation that the code was neither unique nor exclusive to Bess—and had been previously documented—casts significant doubt on the authenticity of Ford's claims. This discovery leads to the newspaper headline the following day:

Harford [33:27]: "Houdini Message A Big Hoax."

Through this exposé, Harford highlights the ease with which media can be manipulated and the dangers of unchecked credulity.

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Bess Houdini: A Portrait of Despair

Delving deeper into Bess Houdini's plight, Harford explores her mental and emotional struggles following Harry's death. Evidence suggests that Bess was grappling with severe depression, substance abuse, and an infatuation with Ford, all of which contributed to her susceptibility to spiritualist manipulations.

Harford [44:34]: "Bess Houdini: But he was such a handsome young man."

The culmination of Bess's decline is portrayed in the final seance on October 31, 1936, where she publicly renounces the belief in Houdini's return, symbolizing her acceptance of reality amidst prolonged grief and vulnerability.

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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: A Complicated Relationship

A fascinating subplot involves Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes and a fervent spiritualist. Harford examines Doyle's complex friendship with Houdini, marked by mutual fascination yet starkly opposing beliefs regarding the supernatural.

Harford [20:02]: "His death is a great shock and a deep mystery to me. I greatly admired him and cannot understand how the end came for one so youthful."

Despite their public disagreements, Doyle privately harbored beliefs in Houdini's supernatural abilities, a sentiment not reciprocated by Houdini himself. This dichotomy underscores the broader theme of belief versus evidence—a central thread in Houdini's legacy.

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The Legacy of Critical Thinking

Harford concludes the episode by reflecting on Houdini's enduring commitment to debunking fraudulent mediums and fostering critical thinking. He emphasizes that Houdini's true legacy lies not in his magical feats but in his unwavering dedication to uncovering the truth, even at great personal cost.

Harford [39:40]: "What impresses me about Houdini isn't just his efforts to debunk the lies. It's his dedication to uncovering the truth. Houdini wanted to believe. But he wasn't credulous like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He was curious and systematic."

By meticulously establishing secret codes with trusted friends and investigators like Rose Mackenberg, Houdini created a framework to verify claims of posthumous communication. This methodical approach serves as a testament to his rational mindset and his yearning to find definitive answers to one of humanity's most profound questions: the existence of an afterlife.

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Conclusion: A Cautionary Reflection

"Houdini: The Phone Call from the Coffin (Part 3)" serves as a compelling exploration of belief, deception, and the human desire for closure. Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, Tim Harford not only unravels the mystery surrounding Houdini's death and subsequent hoaxes but also imparts a broader lesson on the importance of critical thinking and skepticism in the face of unverified claims.

This episode stands as a testament to Houdini's legacy, not just as a master illusionist but as a pioneer in the realm of rational inquiry. It underscores the timeless relevance of his mission to seek truth and challenges listeners to approach extraordinary claims with both an open mind and a discerning eye.

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Notable Quotes:

• Harry Houdini [08:52]: "The will of God and my own foolishness."

• Arthur Ford [03:34]: "Spare no time or money to undo my attitude of doubt... Tell the world that Harry Houdini lives and will prove it. A thousand times."

• Bess Houdini [04:11]: "I wish to declare that the message is the correct message prearranged between Mr. Houdini and myself. Beatrice Houdini."

• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [20:24]: "At all, his death was most certainly decreed from the other side."

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Production Credits:

This episode of Cautionary Tales was written by Tim Harford in collaboration with Andrew Wright, Alice Fiennes, and Ryan Dilley. Produced by Georgia Mills and Marilyn Rust, with sound design and original music by Pascal Wise and Carlos San Juan at Brain Audio. The narrative features voice talents Melanie Gutteridge, Stella Harford, Oliver Hembrough, Sarah Jupp, Misea Munro, Jamal Westman, and Rufus Wright. Special thanks to Jacob Weisberg, Greta Cohn, Sarah Nix, Eric Sandler, Carrie Brodie, Christina Sullivan, Keira Posey, and Owen Miller for their invaluable contributions.

Cautionary Tales is a production of Pushkin Industries, recorded at Wardour Studios in London and by Tom Berry. To support the show and enjoy an ad-free experience, listeners are encouraged to subscribe to Pushkin Plus via Apple Podcasts or Pushkin FM Plus.

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Sources:

This episode drew upon works such as Final Seance by Massimo Polidoro and The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini by Joe Poznanski, among other scholarly sources. For a comprehensive list of references, please consult the show notes available on the Cautionary Tales website.

Transcript

[Tim Harford]

Foreign.

[Ben Walter]

The Unshakables Podcast is kicking off season two with an episode you won't want to miss. Join host Ben Walter, CEO of Chase for Business, as he welcomes a very special guest, Chairman and CEO of JP Morgan Chase, Jamie Dimon. Hear about the challenges facing small businesses and some of the oh moments Jamie has overcome. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Chase Mobile app is available for select mobile devices. Message and data rates may apply. JP Morgan Chase Bank NA Member FDIC Copyright 2025 JP Morgan Chase & Co.

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[Tim Harford]

This is the final episode of a three part series. You can enjoy it on a standalone basis, but if you've not heard episodes one and two, you might prefer to listen to them first. Rose Mackenberg picked up her morning newspaper, saw the headline on the front page and choked on her coffee. She was genuinely staggered, she later wrote. If this was true, it was the story of the century, an actual factual miracle. The headline Houdini sends from grave the Word He Promised Wife the date was January 9, 1929. Two and a bit years had passed since the death of Harry Houdini at the age of just 52. Rose Mackenberg had worked for Houdini as his chief investigator of fraudulent mediums as Houdini transformed himself from a magician and escape artist into a crusader for critical thinking about supernatural ideas, in particular the fast growing religion of spiritualism with its claim to enable communication between the living and and the dead. Rose read the article in her newspaper. Houdini and his wife Bess had a secret code, it said. The previous day, the medium, Arthur Ford, had visited Bess and delivered her a message in the secret code Having thus established his identity, Harry went on.

[Arthur Ford]

Spare no time or money to undo my attitude of doubt. While on earth, place the truth before all those who have lost the faith. Tell the world there is no death. Tell the world that Harry Houdini lives and will prove it. A thousand times.

[Tim Harford]

Hmm. That sounded suspiciously like just what a spiritualist minister would want the ghost of Harry Houdini to say. But what about that secret code? The newspaper carried a statement by Bess.

[Bess Houdini]

I wish to declare that the message is the correct message prearranged between Mr. Houdini and myself. Beatrice Houdini.

[Tim Harford]

Rose Mackenberg didn't dismiss the idea that there was life after death. She was smart, skeptical and open minded. That's why Houdini trusted her. As Rose said, he wanted to believe.

[Microsoft Security Ad]

He sought but one thing.

[Tim Harford]

Truth. Still, though surely not for a flash.

[Microsoft Security Ad]

Even my composure was shaken.

[Tim Harford]

And then my memory began to function. I'm Tim Harford and you're listening to Cautionary Tales. In the summer of 1926, Harry Houdini should have been having a rest. He'd just been to Washington D.C. giving evidence at raucous congressional hearings into a bill that proposed to ban mediums. In autumn, he'd be embarking on a gruelling five month coast to coast tour from Boston to Providence, Albany, Schenectady, Montreal, Detroit. Houdini was getting older, but he couldn't stop touring. He needed the money. It's not that he had expensive tastes in things like food or clothes. Growing up in poverty had left him with frugal habits. So much so, Bess had to periodically retire his tattiest underwear and slip new ones into the drawer without telling him. The drain on his resources was what he saw as his sacred duty. His crusade for critical thinking. He was spending tens of thousands of dollars a year, millions in today's money, on his team of psychic investigators headed by Rose Mackenberg and lawyers to fight off an endless stream of lawsuits as the fraudulent mediums he exposed sued him for slander. Sure, he'd win the lawsuits. They were stressful and expensive nonetheless. But the plan for arrest hit a snag when Houdini heard about the latest stage sensation in New York. A self styled Egyptian fekir whose showpiece was to survive being sealed in an airtight casket. This, claimed the fekir, was due to his unique ability to enter into a special state he called cataleptic anesthesia. Houdini was irked. This was uncomfortably close to his wheelhouse. Being confined in a tight space and getting out alive and cataleptic anesthesia was mumbo jumbo. Anyone could train themselves to survive on little air for a while if they were fit enough and disciplined enough to take short, calm, shallow breaths. Houdini issued a challenge. However long this fekir survives in a sealed coffin, I'll do it for longer. The Fekir called the city's media to a swimming pool to lay down his marker. He had himself soldered in a zinc coffin, which was submerged in the pool by six men standing on it. After 59 minutes, they cut open the coffin. He was alive. Houdini called the press to another swimming pool and had himself soldered into a bronze coffin that he'd had specially made. A telephone wire poking through the lid would let him call for help if he needed it. A half hour passed, an hour, an hour and a quarter. It was hot in this swimming pool. The temperature inside the coffin neared 100 degrees. If I die, houdini had said beforehand to the assembled press, it will be.

[Harry Houdini]

The will of God and my own foolishness.

[Tim Harford]

Houdini wasn't as fit as he used to be. He'd put on 20 pounds since his younger days. Yes, he'd just put himself through a vigorous workout regime to get back in shape. But had he done enough? After an hour and 28 minutes, Houdini started to feel himself drifting off.

[Harry Houdini]

Bring me up.

[Tim Harford]

Two minutes, he breathed into the phone line. They did. The soldered coffin lid was peeled back like a sardine can to reveal Houdini caked in sweat, deathly white, but alive. Pulse racing. He hadn't just beaten the fekir's record, he'd obliterated it. Houdini. He might have been sanguine about the prospect of accidentally dying in one of his own stunts, but another kind of threat to his life made him increasingly paranoid.

[Harry Houdini]

They're going to kill me.

[Tim Harford]

Houdini had taken to calling a friend at all hours of the day and night.

[Harry Houdini]

Don't laugh. Every night they're holding seances and praying for my death.

[Tim Harford]

Spiritualist mediums did keep predicting Houdini's imminent demise. That's got to be unsettling. When does a prediction become a veiled threat? And those lawsuits were mounting up. No sooner had Houdini embarked on his big autumn tour than he had to travel back overnight to New York for an urgent meeting with his lawyer. And then another overnight train to Albany to get straight back on stage. And in Albany, disaster. Houdini was performing his trademark Chinese water torture escape. His feet were clamped in wooden stocks and he was hoisted upside down. Then lowered into a cabinet filled with water. But as he dangled in the air, the stocks cracked and fractured Houdini's ankle. He finished the show on one leg and hobbled through the rest of his stint in Albany, Schenectady, and on to Montreal. Nearing the end of his run in Montreal, Houdini was in his dressing room, reclining on a couch to rest his healing ankle and amiably chatting to two young students, an artist and his friend. The artist was sketching Houdini's portrait. A third student came into the room, not known to the first two. He had borrowed a book from Houdini, and he'd come to give it back. The new arrival seemed to be annoyingly lacking in social awareness. He dominated the conversation, bombarding Houdini with question after unrelated question.

[Arthur Ford]

Is it true, Mr. Houdini, that you can resist the hardest blow struck to the abdomen?

[Tim Harford]

Houdini tactfully tried to deflect. Feel my muscles.

[Arthur Ford]

They are like iron.

[Tim Harford]

The three students took turns to feel Houdini's arms. They were indeed like iron.

[Arthur Ford]

But would you mind if I delivered a few blows to your abdomen, Mr. Houdini?

[Tim Harford]

Houdini clearly wasn't in the mood to be hit in the abdomen. But the student wasn't getting it. And Houdini's ego was a powerful thing. All right, he said. He began to shift on the couch so he could stand up and brace himself. But the student didn't wait. He stood over the couch, pummeling Houdini in the stomach. Blow after crunching blow. The artist's friend leaped up. What are you doing? Are you crazy? Houdini raised a hand.

[Arthur Ford]

That will do.

[Tim Harford]

The artist finished his portrait and presented it to Houdini.

[Harry Houdini]

You make me look a little tired in this picture. The truth is, I don't feel so well.

[Tim Harford]

By night time, Houdini was complaining of crippling pains in his stomach. But he had the final shows in Montreal to get through, and then an overnight train to Detroit. Then straight on stage for another show in Detroit. He can barely stand, touching his side, too weak to complete a simple magic trick of pulling a silk streamer from a bowl. When the curtain falls, Houdini collapses. He's running a fever of 104 by the time he gets to hospital and the surgeon opens him up. An infection that began in his appendix has spread to the lining of his stomach. Houdini's insides are a mass of pus. In a world before antibiotics, this isn't survivable. Houdini holds on for a few more days, I suppose.

[Harry Houdini]

I will get over this waviness in.

[Tim Harford]

No time, until at last.

[Harry Houdini]

I guess I'm all through fighting.

[Tim Harford]

They're going to kill me, houdini had said. Had he been right to fear that his spiritualist enemies had been not just predicting his death, but plotting it? Maybe. But punching someone in the stomach is hardly a reliable way to kill them. Even in hindsight, we don't know if those punches made any difference, or if Houdini was already suffering from a burst appendix. It seems more likely that what's true of Houdini's death is true, perhaps, of death more generally. There is no deeper narrative that makes sense of it all, much as we'd love to believe there is. It's all just chance and happenstance. Harry Houdini died on 31st October 1926. He was buried in the bronze coffin it had made for his swimming pool stunt. But from that coffin would he discover a telephone line to the living? Cautionary Tales will be back after the break.

[Ben Walter]

The Unshakables podcast is back for season two, and it's kicking off with an episode you absolutely won't want to miss. Host of the show and CEO of Chase Chase for Business Ben Walter welcomes a very special guest, Chairman and CEO of JP Morgan Chase, Jamie Dimon. One of the world's most respected financial thought leaders. Jamie will connect the dots between the current challenges and opportunities facing small business owners and the broader financial landscape. And of course, it wouldn't be an episode of the Unshakables if Jamie didn't share some of the, oh, moments that he overcame to forge ahead in his own career. You can find this must hear episode and the rest of the upcoming season of the Unshakables wherever you get your podcasts. Learn [e-mail] podcast chase mobile app is available for select mobile devices. Message and data rates may apply JP Morgan Chase Bank NA Member FDIC Copyright 2025 JP Morgan Chase & Co.

[Pushkin Ad]

This year at Pushkin, we've been able to work with some of the world's biggest brands on creating bespoke content. Whether it's a custom episode in partnership with a brand or a creative ad campaign, we want to be sure that our content reaches people, but the ad space is incredibly noisy. How do we ensure our content reaches the right audience? That's where LinkedIn ads come in. With LinkedIn ads, you can precisely reach professionals who are more likely to find your ad relevant, as you will have direct access to a billion members, 130 million decision makers and and 10 million C level executives. You can target your audience by job title, industry, company and more, ensuring your ads reach the right people for your business. Start building the right relationships and reach your audience in a respectful environment with LinkedIn ads. We'll even give you a $100 credit on your next LinkedIn ads campaign. Go to LinkedIn.com Malcolm to claim your credit. That's LinkedIn.com/Malcolm. Terms and conditions apply.

[Microsoft Security Ad]

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[Tim Harford]

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the great author and famous spiritualist, had a curious kind of friendship with Harry Houdini. They kept up a cordial private correspondence for some time after they started bitterly ripping into each other in public. The two men fascinated each other. Houdini was intrigued by how someone as obviously smart as Sir Arthur could be so credulous. He believed in fairies and goblins, for goodness sake. As for Sir Arthur, he was convinced that Houdini himself had supernatural powers. How else could he manage his astonishing tricks and escapes? When he heard of Houdini's death, Conan Doyle put out a statement.

[Arthur Ford]

His death is a great shock and a deep mystery to me. I greatly admired him and cannot understand how the end came for one so youthful.

[Tim Harford]

In private, though, Conan Doyle wasn't shocked.

[Arthur Ford]

At all, his death was most certainly decreed from the other side.

[Tim Harford]

After all, thought Ser Arthur, if Houdini had been hiding the help he got from the spirit world while at the same time cruelly mocking the mediums who brought messages from the spirit world, well, it stands to reason that the spirits would be incensed. Still, Conan Doyle spied an opportunity he he'd always hoped to persuade Houdini to admit that he was in fact a powerful spirit medium himself. Perhaps he'd have better luck in recruiting Houdini to the cause. Now that Houdini was dead, he began writing letters to Houdini's widow Bess.

[Arthur Ford]

I am sorry that shadows grew up.

[Tim Harford]

Between us, my dear Sir Arthur, Bess replied.

[Bess Houdini]

Houdini would have been the happiest man in the world had he been able to agree with your views.

[Tim Harford]

Conan Doyle turned on the flattery.

[Arthur Ford]

Any man who wins the love and respect of a good woman must himself be a fine and honest man.

[Tim Harford]

Bess began to open up.

[Bess Houdini]

If only you knew how my heart yearns to hear the precious message from my beloved.

[Arthur Ford]

I am quite sure, knowing his determined character, that he will get back to you every day.

[Tim Harford]

Bess sat and stared at Houdini's picture. If only he could speak. She announced a prize of $10,000 for anyone who could send her a message she'd recognize as having come from Houdini. That went about as well as you'd expect. Every crank in the country sent in messages purportedly from Houdini, saying things like God is truth, God is love, and tussle with death was agony. With every new message, Bess became more despondent.

[Bess Houdini]

Houdini was an unusually intelligent man. All these messages, without exception, have been silly.

[Tim Harford]

Sir Arthur kept writing. He might be a laughingstock in some circles. He'd just published a second edition of his much ridiculed book, the Coming of the Fairies. But the author of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries still had a way with words. In his speeches on spiritualism, he could be very persuasive, as a journalist once remarked. Conan Doyle could sell you a house with its roof missing by means of an eloquent and sustained eulogy of the features that remained. In one letter, Bess mentioned that a mirror had fallen from the wall and smashed. Might that have some kind of significance? Sir Arthur jumped on the suggestion.

[Arthur Ford]

I think the mirror incident shows every sign of being a message. After all, such things don't happen elsewhere. No mirror has ever broken in this house. Why should yours do so?

[Tim Harford]

So Arthur theorized that if the spirits were cross with Houdini for denying his supernatural powers in his lifetime, they may now be temporarily forbidding him to get clear messages back as a kind of punishment. And if that was happening, how might Houdini express his frustration? Why, by smashing a mirror.

[Arthur Ford]

It is just the sort of energetic thing one could expect from him.

[Tim Harford]

Ser Arthur had trained the full force of his persuasive powers onto the grief stricken Bess Houdini. What a coup it would be if he could get her to publicly state that Houdini had returned. But even Sir Arthur could see he'd need something more than a smashed mirror to convince the skeptics. As he wrote to a spiritualist.

[Arthur Ford]

I am in quite intimate touch with Mrs. H. Who is a splendid, loyal little woman. She seems quite to accept our point of view, but is keen on getting some evidence which she can give to the world.

[Tim Harford]

Just after noon on January 8, 1929, the charming young medium Arthur Ford arrived at Bess Houdini's house. Some of Arthur Ford's followers came with him. Some of Bess's friends were there and two journalists. Bess was lying on a sofa covered in a blanket with a bandaged head. She'd fallen over at a New Year's party. Arthur Ford sat down, wrapped a silk blindfold around his eyes and began to shake.

[Arthur Ford]

Houdini is here. He tells me to say hello. Best sweetheart. He wants me to give you these words, Rosabelle. Answer, tell. Pray answer. Look, Tell. Answer. Answer, tell. He wants you to tell him whether they are right or not.

[Bess Houdini]

Yes, they are.

[Arthur Ford]

He tells you to take off your wedding ring and tell them what Rosabelle means.

[Tim Harford]

Bess removed her wedding ring. Inside was inscribed the word Rosabelle. It was their song. She explained way back when they first met Rosie.

[Bess Houdini]

Sweet Rosabelle, I love her more than I can tell.

[Tim Harford]

And the secret code? Answer, tell. Pray answer. Look. Tell. Answer. Answer, tell. What was that about? Back when Bess and Houdini had been performing mind reading tricks at the circus, they'd devised a way to communicate. They picked out some words that wouldn't look incongruous in the context of their act and made each correspond to a number. Answer was two. Tell was five, and so on. Bess might, for example, ask someone in the audience to guess a number and write it down for her. Then Bess would call out to Houdini.

[Bess Houdini]

Something like, pray tell what the answer is.

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Speak quickly.

[Bess Houdini]

Now.

[Tim Harford]

Houdini would note the order of the code words and ignore the other words in the sentence. Convert them back into numbers, and he'd know what the audience member had written down. Depending on the context, those numbers could be translated into letters too, according to their place in the Alphabet. Answer two. The letter B. Tell five E. Spell it out. And the words Arthur Ford had delivered spelled B, E, L, I, E, V, E. Believe.

[Arthur Ford]

Rosabell. Believe. Is that the right message?

[Tim Harford]

Bess nodded tearfully, and Ford continued in triumph.

[Arthur Ford]

He says, tell the world that Harry Houdini lives and will prove it a thousand times.

[Tim Harford]

When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle read the news, he was exultant all at once.

[Arthur Ford]

Houdini had become the classical case of after death return.

[Tim Harford]

Doyle got to work drafting a lengthy article.

[Arthur Ford]

If these loving hands can meet through the veil, then ours also can do so.

[Tim Harford]

When Rose Mackenberg read the news for a flash, her composure was shaken. Then, as she recalled, my memory began to function. Rosabella. Well, that was hardly a secret. Anyone who knew the Houdinis knew the significance of Rosabelle. And as for those numbered code words, Rose thought, hadn't she read them somewhere since Houdini's death? She went to her bookshelf and took down a biography of Houdini published the previous year. Sure enough, tucked away on page 105, there it was. Pray 1 Answer 2 Rose closed the book. She could only guess at the details of how Ford had pulled off his trick. But if the so called secret code was not so secret after all, it clearly was a trick that was enough to restore Rose's composure. As it happened, those details were surprising. They were set out in an article on the front page of the next morning's newspaper under an even bigger headline, houdini Message A Big Hoax. Cautionary Tales will be back in a Moment.

[Ben Walter]

The Unshakables podcast is back for season two, and it's kicking off with an episode you absolutely won't want to miss. Host of the show and CEO of Chase for Business, Ben Walter welcomes a very special guest, Chairman and CEO of JP Morgan Chase, Jamie Dimon. One of the world's most respected financial thought leaders, Jamie will connect the dots between the current Chase challenges and opportunities facing small business owners and the broader financial landscape. And of course, it wouldn't be an episode of the Unshakables if Jamie didn't share some of the, oh, moments that he overcame to forge ahead in his own career. You can find this must hear episode and the rest of the upcoming season of the Unshakables wherever you get your podcasts. Learn [e-mail] podcast chase mobile app is available for select mobile devices. Message and data rates may apply JP Morgan Chase Bank NA Member FDIC Copyright 2025 JP Morgan Chase & Co.

[Pushkin Ad]

This year at Pushkin, we've been able to work with some of the world's biggest brands on creating bespoke content. Whether it's a custom episode in partnership with a brand or a creative ad campaign, we want to be sure that our content reaches people, but the ad space is incredibly noisy. How do we ensure our content reaches the right audience? That's where LinkedIn ads come in. With LinkedIn ads you can precisely reach professionals who are more likely to find your ad relevant. As you will have direct access to a billion members, 130 million decision makers and 10 million C level executives. You can target your audience by job title, industry, company and more, ensuring your ads reach the right people for your business. Start building the right relationships and reach your audience in a respectful environment with LinkedIn ads. We'll even give you a $100 credit on your next LinkedIn ads campaign. Go to LinkedIn.com Malcolm to claim your credit. That's LinkedIn.com Malcolm Terms and Conditions apply.

[Microsoft Security Ad]

What are some ways that Microsoft Security is helping customers stay ahead of 600 million attacks without slowing down business? For sports organizations, it means letting fans share in the action without sharing sensitive information. For automakers, it means driving change and securely innovating their development process. And for digital banks, it means staying ahead and keeping up with evolving cyber attacks. Microsoft Security equips you with deeper insights to help you pinpoint vulnerabilities, see around corners and innovate confidently. We scan trillions of signals daily, giving you the guidance, expertise and tools to protect your business without sacrificing speed for safety. Security is your job, and it's also ours. With Microsoft Security, you have a partner that looks deeper, keeps you ahead and helps your business move forward securely. To Learn more, visit Microsoft.com CISO that's Microsoft.com CISO.

[Tim Harford]

Houdini Message A Big Hoax the article was written by a journalist called Rhea Hawre. She'd been at Bess's house for the seance. She'd also been at Bess house a couple of days before when she reported she'd found Bess in a state of semi delirium, intermittently blacking out under the constant care of physicians. Bess was suffering from flu. It seemed she was also still recovering from that bang to the head at the New Year's party. But there was more to the story. Bess had fallen because she was drunk. She'd been drinking a lot lately, and taking drugs and partying with younger men. One of those younger men was none other than the dashing, charming medium Arthur Ford. The journalist Rhea Hauray had been at some of those parties with Bess and Arthur Ford. She knew how well they knew each other. She may not have known that Bess's semi delirium wasn't just from drink or flu. She'd also swallowed lots of sleeping pills. She'd left a note for Harry's lawyer.

[Bess Houdini]

I am so ill. I want to go to Harry.

[Tim Harford]

The Semi delirious, Bess told Rhea all about the seance she and Arthur Ford had planned. Arthur would give her the coded message, she'd take off her wedding ring, explain Rosabelle and so on. Rhea took careful notes. She realised that Bess planning a seance wasn't much of a story. But she could get two days of front page headlines if she first reported on the seance, then reported on the hoax. On the day after the seance, Rhea invited Arthur Ford to her house. Ford was delighted with the newspaper coverage. Houdini's return was on all the front pages. Breher led Ford into a discussion of the party where she'd first met Ford and Bess. Did he remember? Oh, yes. Ford happily reminisced. Then Rhea told Ford how she was going to write another story about how Bess had told her exactly how the seance would unfold. She showed him the notes she had taken. She'd also shown those notes to her editor before the seance. Ford was horrified.

[Arthur Ford]

But you must play ball, really. I would be glad to make financial compensation.

[Tim Harford]

The editor was hiding in the next room, listening to everything. When the hoax story was published, Arthur Ford insisted he had been the victim of an impersonation attempt. It didn't seem to harm his career as a medium. Houdini's lawyer hand wrote a letter to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, handwritten, because this was in strictest confidence. He didn't even want his secretary to see the contents. He thought Sir Arthur should know just how desperate Bess mental decline had become. Before that seance, Sir Arthur judiciously inserted one word into his long article about Houdini's return. Apparently. Then he tacked a couple of sentences onto the end.

[Arthur Ford]

It is true that in the last resort we are dependent upon the veracity and honesty of Mrs. Houdini. But I for one am not cynical enough to question it.

[Tim Harford]

Perhaps it wasn't just grief about Harry's death that caused Bess to play along, but also what Bess had found among Harry's belongings after his death. Letters from other women. Women she knew. Women who privately referred to Harry as my magic man or magic lover. Bess invited each of them to lunch. But when they rang the doorbell, it was Bess maid who answered. Mrs. Houdini is indisposed. She asked me to give you this. Handing over a bundle of their correspondence. In their book, the Secret Life Of Houdini, the authors William Calusch and Larry Sloman argue that Bess was desperate for Harry to come back publicly to her. She wanted to Claim his spirit for the cause of her marriage, just as Sir Arthur wanted to claim Houdini for his religion. When the plan backfired, Bess spiralled further. More drink. Ever younger gigolos. More. Houdini's brother stepped in. To safeguard what was left of her inheritance, Bess checked herself into a sanatorium. Houdini had investigated enough mediums to know their target market. The bereaved made vulnerable by their grief. He must have guessed that if he went first, Bess might struggle to resist. So he didn't make a code just with Bess. He made codes with everyone he felt he could trust. One day, for instance, years before his death, Houdini stopped by the office of a friend and gave him a present. A copy of Roger's thesaurus. Inside was a pencilled note.

[Harry Houdini]

There is our code. Never breathe it to a living soul.

[Tim Harford]

In his book, A Magician among the Spirits, Houdini said he had made pacts like this with a dozen friends, every code unique. By the time he died, it may have been more than 20. Whichever of us dies first, Houdini would explain. If we find we still live and we can get through with a message, include those words. When faced with an intractable question, we can sometimes find an imaginative way to generate evidence. And few questions are more intractable than do we live on after death. The only evidence we'll ever get is if someone comes back from the dead to tell us. But how can we be sure if a message from the other side is genuine? Wishful thinking is powerful. Frauds can be convincing. Houdini tried to make sure that his audiences knew that. But what impresses me about Houdini isn't just his efforts to debunk the lies. It's his dedication to uncovering the truth. Houdini wanted to believe. But he wasn't credulous like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He was curious and systematic. He set up a one man experiment that was not only ingenious, but selfless. Because he knew he might not be the one to gather the evidence. If he died first, it would be his friends who'd have to piece that evidence together. Either the various different code words coming through which would strongly suggest that communication with the dead was possible. Or not, as the case may be. Some of the friends Houdini made pacts with died before him. One even called him to her deathbed to reassure him that she remembered their code. A secret handshake. She held out her hand and grasped Houdini's in the grip. They'd agreed. If I can get through, she said, I'll have someone shake your hand like that. Nobody ever did. After Houdini died, nobody apart from Bess ever said he came through with the code they arranged. One of his secret codes was with, of course, Rose Mackenberg. Rose spent three decades after Houdini's death investigating mediums. They gave her messages from 1500 fictitious dead husbands, but nobody mentioned the words she had agreed with Houdini. If just one of those mediums really did have a hotline to the spirit world, you'd think that Houdini might have picked up. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle died in 1930. His widow, Lady Doyle, invited a trusted medium to bring her husband back. A good friend of Sir Arthur, a protege indeed, that medium, Arthur Ford. Lady Doyle was perfectly satisfied that Sir Arthur had come through. Lady Doyle was less pleased when some other medium published a book which claimed to contain interviews with her dead husband. Arthur Conan Doyle's Book of the Beyond. How dare they use his name like that? It seemed that any old chancer could commandeer Sir Arthur's spirit for their own purposes and there was nothing Lady Doyle could do about it. Who would have thought? Bess eventually found a good man. His name was Edward Saint and he'd made his living in the circus, just like Harry and Bess all those years ago. His act. He'd challenge the audience to make him laugh, crack a joke, and he'd stay stony faced. If you got so much as a smile out of him, you'd win $1,000. The money was never in danger. Saint had a partially paralyzed face. Edward Saint revered Houdini and looked after Bess. Years after her seance with Arthur Ford, she told an interviewer, there was a.

[Bess Houdini]

Time when I wanted intensely to hear from Harry. I was ill, both physically and mentally, and such was my eagerness that spiritualists were able to prey upon my mind.

[Tim Harford]

To her friends, she added a few more words about Arthur Ford.

[Bess Houdini]

But he was such a handsome young man.

[Tim Harford]

On the 10th anniversary of Houdini's death, 31st October 1936, Edward Saint and Bess organised a seance. The final seance. One last chance for Harry to come through. Hundreds of guests gathered under the stars on the rooftop of a Hollywood hotel. Millions more listened to the live radio broadcast. A portrait of Houdini, lit by a single red light bulb, looked down on a table on which stood various devices of the medium's trade. A trumpet, a bell, slates with chalk. Saint explained why.

[Arthur Ford]

Every facility has been provided tonight that might aid in opening a pathway to the spirit world. Are you here? Houdini? Please manifest yourself in any way possible. Levitate the table. Spell out a code. Harry, ring the bell.

[Tim Harford]

Everyone waited. Nothing happened. Saint turned to Bess.

[Arthur Ford]

Mrs. Houdini, have you reached a verdict?

[Bess Houdini]

Yes. I do not believe that Houdini can come back to me or to anyone. It is finished.

[Tim Harford]

Bess looked up at the portrait of Harry Houdini.

[Bess Houdini]

Good night, Harry.

[Tim Harford]

She turned out the light. Our Houdini trilogy drew on books such as Final Seance by Massimo Polidoro and the Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini by Joe Poznanski. For a full list of our sources, see the show notes at Tim Harford Cautionary Tales is written by me, Tim Harford, with Andrew Wright, Alice Fiennes and Ryan Dilley. It's produced by Georgia Mills and Marilyn Rust. The sound design and original music are the work of Pascal Wise. Additional sound design is by Carlos San Juan at Brain Audio. Ben Nadaff Haffrey edited the scripts. The show features the voice talents of Melanie Gutteridge, Stella Harford, Oliver Hembrough, Sarah Jupp, Misea Munro, Jamal Westman and Rufus Wright. The show also wouldn't have been possible without the work of Jacob Weisberg, Greta Cohn, Sarah Nix, Eric Sandler, Carrie Brodie, Christina Sullivan, Keira Posey and Owen Miller. Cautionary Tales is a production of Pushkin Industries. It's recorded at Wardour Studios in London and by Tom Berry. If you like the show, please remember to share, rate and review. It really makes a difference to us. And if you want to hear the show ad free, sign up to Pushkin plus on the show page on Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin FM plus.

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