The Sworn Affidavit of Julia Karchere
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STATE OF NEW YORK
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
CITY OF NEW YORK
JULIA KARCHERE, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I reside at NO. 278 W. 113 Street,
Borough of Manhattan, New York City.
I am a relative of Beatrice Houdini, the widow of the late Harry Houdini. I was also a
member of the theatrical company of the late Harry Houdini during the years 1925 and
1926, and before that I resided with Mr. and Mrs. Houdini at 278 W. 113 Street, New York
City.
With the exception of the injury to Houdini’s ankle at Albany in the autumn of 1926, Houdini
was not sick during the period stated or for some years before. I was with him on the train
from Schenectady to Montréal on the trip referred to in the accompanying affidavit of Julia
Sauer. I have read such affidavit and it is true in all respects whatsoever to my personal
knowledge.
Houdini had no stomach upset on said trip and did not vomit. Neither was he suffering
from any illness as far as I know or could observe during the summer of 1926, and I saw
him practically every day during such period. His activity during such summer in preparing
his new show and otherwise was such as would have been entirely impossible had he
been ill.
I was with the late Harry Houdini on Friday, October 22, 1926 at the Princess theater,
Montréal, Canada. About the middle of the day, there being no matinee on that day, I,
together with Miss Julia Sauer and other members of Houdini’s company, left Houdini to
go to luncheon. We did not return to the theater until the middle of the afternoon.
Upon returning, we found Houdini in pain and he stated to us that he had been violently
struck a number of times by a student of McGill University. He said that three students of
the University had called on him in his dressing room and he had made the remark that his
physical condition was such that blows did not bother him and that he would permit
himself to be struck to prove what he said was true. He further stated that he was lying
down at the time and intended, of course, to stand up and brace himself and prepare for
such blows as might have been delivered, but that while he was actually engaged in
reading his mail, and before he had an opportunity to anticipate the striking of blows or to
prepare for them, one of the students, possibly because of a misunderstanding of his
remarks, had struck him violently a number of times from a standing position, such blows
being delivered in the neighborhood of his abdomen and before he had an opportunity to
prepare for them and without his knowing that they would be struck while he was
reclining and reading his mail.
(Signed) Julia Karchere
Sworn to before me this seventh day of May, 1927
Jacob N. Robins
Notary Public