Sunday, December 7, 2014

"My old friend and worthy opponent."

Paul Davies over at the very active "Musings on the Mirror Handcuff" thread at Handcuffs.org has uncovered this photo of Will A. Bennet at the NYPL Digital Collections. Bennet was the representative of the London Daily Mirror who in 1904 challenged Houdini with the famous Mirror handcuff.


This image is from nine years later and Bennet has inscribed it: "To my old friend & worthy opponent from his great admirer & well wisher. Will A. Bennet. Feb. 26 /13".

Is Bennet signing this to Houdini himself? It certainly sounds like it, and Houdini was touring the UK at this time. On the back of the photo is written: "London Mirror Challenger."


Thanks to Paul Davies and all the gang at Handcuffs.org.

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3 comments:

  1. Joe M. NotaroDecember 7, 2014 at 11:03 AM

    I am so glad that I started the year off with a post revealing a name for the representative from the Mirror and that it help lead the folks at Handcuffs.Org doing a full scale search for the man to prove he existed. Great work Paul and gang!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John CoxDecember 7, 2014 at 11:37 AM

      Indeed! Amazing that know one knew his identity until you uncovered it just this year.

      Delete
  2. NarinderDecember 7, 2014 at 1:39 PM

    I am so engrossed with the postings on the handcuffs.org
    Well done all and please keep digging. Nathaniel Hart: Fact or fiction?
    To coin a phrase. "Fascinating."
    Cheers

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