The second sworn affidavit of Jacques Price
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Province of Québec
District of Montréal
I, the undersigned, Jacques I. Price, being duly sworn depose and say: –
1. That I am a student at McGill University, at Montréal, and reside at No. 724 Sherbrooke
St., West, Montréal, but am domiciled at Preston, in England.
2. That the first time I met the late Harry Houdini was on Friday morning, October 22, 1926,
when I called on him with a friend of mine, Samuel J. Smilovitch, at Houdini’s dressing room
in the Princess Theater, Montréal. The said Smilovitch is a student artist and intended to
sketch Houdini whose permission he had secured 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 lbs., and seemed to be of a rather inquisitive nature.
3. My friend Smilovitch and myself were in the dressing room with him from 11:15 until
about 1:15. The dressing room referred to is a very small affair–about 6’X 10. Mr. Smilovitch
and myself were sitting close to Houdini, so much so that if we had leaned over we could
have touched him with our hands. We were not more than two or 3 feet from his couch, I
being seated to the right of Whitehead, the third McGill student in the room, and Mr.
Smilovitch on my right. Houdini was facing us and lying down on a couch at the time,
reading some mail, his right side nearest us. This first year student engaged Houdini more
or less continually in a conversation whilst my friend Mr. Smilovitch continued to sketch
Houdini. This student 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.
4. The first year McGill student asked Houdini whether it was true that punches in the
stomach did not hurt him. Houdini remarked rather unenthusiastically that his stomach
could resist much although he did not speak of it in superlative terms. Thereupon he gave
Houdini some very 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 said student was more or less bending over him. These blows fell on that part of the
stomach to the right of the navel, and were struck on the side nearest us which was in fact
Houdini’s right side; I do not remember exactly how many blows were struck I am certain,
however, of at least four very hard and severe body blows, because at the end of the
second or third blow I verbally protested against this sudden onslaught on the part of this
first year student, using the words, “Hey there. You must be crazy. What are you doing?”
Or words to that effect, but Whitehead continued striking Houdini with all his strength.
5. Houdini stopped him suddenly 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
extreme pain and winced as each blow was struck;
6. Houdini immediately after stated that he had had no opportunity to prepare himself
against the blows, as he did not think that Whitehead would strike him as suddenly as he
did and with such force, and that he would have been in a better position to prepare for
the blows if he had arisen from his couch for this purpose but the injury to his foot
prevented him from getting about rapidly;
7. I was in a position to see what actually took place in this dressing room and saw the body
blows delivered by Whitehead as well as that part of Houdini’s anatomy struck.
8. Mr. Smilovitch was also in a position to see the blows as well as that part of Houdini’s
anatomy struck inasmuch as Smilovitch was sketching Houdini, and Houdini’s face and
body were plainly visible to myself and Mr. Smilovitch.
9. The conversation then continued smoothly until about 1:15 when we left on Houdini
stating that he would have to get ready to have his lunch.
And I have signed
Jacques I. Price
Sworn to before me at Montréal this 16th day of April, 1927
Munroe Abbey
Commissioner Superior Court
District of Montréal