Houdini's secrets for just $5

Gary Hunt of Magic Footnotes shares with us this curious article from the Boston Journal, February 17, 1909. It tells of a woman who found herself facing mail fraud for selling "secrets of Houdini's tricks for five dollars." Five dollars in 1909 would be equivalent of $128.00 today.

Boston Journal, Feb. 17, 1909.

I can't help but wonder whether Houdini himself was responsible for this article. This smells like the kind of story Houdini would plant to keep his name before the public and also expose some methods of his imitators. And the references to the "enormous quantity of mail" this generated is craftily complimentary. However, Gary points out that Houdini was in Eurpope at this time.

I wonder what a copy of Miss Rice's Houdini Secrets would sell for today? Probably $5.00.

Thank you Gary.