Province of Québec
District of Montréal
I, the undersigned, Samuel J. Smilovitz, of the city of Montréal, student, being duly
sworn
depose and say: –
That I am a student at McGill University and reside at 724 Sherbrooke St. W.
The first time I met the late Harry Houdini was on Friday the 22nd October, 1926, when I
called on him with a friend of mine, Jacques I. Price, at Houdini’s dressing room in the
Princess Theater, Montréal. I called on Houdini for the purpose of sketching him, as I
had secured his permission for that purpose. There was also present at this visit with
Houdini, Miss Sophie Rosenblatt, a nurse attending the late Harry Houdini in connection
with trouble which he had with his foot. Mrs. Houdini was also present for a time, as
well as two lady secretaries, and later a first year student of McGill in Arts came into the
room. This latter person was about 25 years of age, about 6’1” tall, well built, weighing
approximately 180 pounds. And seemed to be of a rather inquisitive nature. His name is
Whitehead.
My friend Jacques and myself were in this dressing room with Houdini from 11:15 A.M.
Until about 1:15 P.M. This dressing room was very small--about 8 x 12 ft. I as well as my
friend Jacques Price were sitting close to Houdini, so much so that if I leaned over I
could have touched him with my hand. I was not more than two or three feet from his
couch, being seated to the right of Mr. Price, and Mr. Whitehead the third McGill
student was on Mr. Price’s left. Houdini was facing us and lying down on a couch
propped up, reading some mail, and his right side was nearest us. Whitehead engaged
Houdini more or less continually in conversation whilst I continued to sketch Houdini.
Whitehead was the first to raise the question of Houdini’s strength. My friend and I
were not so much interested in his strength as we were in his mental acuteness, his
skill, his beliefs and his personal experiences. Houdini stated that he had extraordinary
muscles in his forearms, in his shoulders and in his back, and he asked all of us
present to feel them, which we did.
Whitehead asked Houdini whether it was true that punches in the stomach did not hurt
him. Houdini answered rather unenthusiastically that his stomach could resist much,
although he did not speak of it in superlative terms. Whereupon he gave Houdini some
very hard hammer--like blows below the belt, first securing Houdini’s permission to
strike him. Houdini was reclining at the time with his right side nearest Whitehead and
the latter was more or less bending over him but not to such an extent as to make the
blows invisible to me or Price. These blows fell on that part of Houdini stomach to the
right of the navel and were struck on the side nearest us which was Houdini’s right
side. I cannot remember exactly how many blows were struck. I am certain, however, of
several very hard and severe body blows, because at the end of the second blow my
friend Mr. Price, verbally protested against this sudden onslaught on the part of
Whitehead, using the words: “Hey there, you must be crazy. What are you doing?” Or
words to that effect, but Whitehead continued striking Houdini even after the protests
of my friend.Houdini stopped Whitehead in the midst of a punch with a gesture that he
had had enough. At the time Whitehead was striking Houdini the latter looked as though
he were in pain and winced as each blow was struck.
Houdini immediately afterwards stated that he did not think it wise lying in the position
he was to submit his abdomen to further punishment of such a severe nature as it had
been subjected to by Whitehead.
I was in a position to see what actually took place in this dressing--room and saw the
blows delivered by Whitehead as well as that part of Houdini’s anatomy struck,
inasmuch as I was sketching him at the time, and his whole face and body were plainly
visible to myself as well as to Mr. Price while in the dressing room.
After this incident the conversation continued smoothly until about 1:15 P.M. when I left
with Mr. Price, Houdini stating that he would have to get ready to take his lunch.
And I have signed
S. J. Smilovitz
Sworn to before me at Montréal
This 19th day of April 1927
Monroe Abbey
Commissioner Superior Court
District of Montréal
The Second Sworn Statement of Samuel Smilovitz
|