Conundrum #103: Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
A Friendship Affected by Spiritualism
When I was little, I remember going to the Cedar Rapids public library with my mom and dad to escape summers’ rain. One of my first memories there was checking out a kid’s book called, “Spooky Tricks”. Even at an early age, I was interested in things like magic and ghosts – interesting because the library was said to be haunted. This book left enough of an impact that I remember it some 45 years later. It began a childhood of ad hoc magic shows, and a later interest in illusionists and escape artists like David Copperfield, and of course, one of the subjects of this conundrum: Harry Houdini.
I was also lucky enough to have cable at an early age. I saw the beginning of MTV (when they still ran music videos), watching GI Joe and the Transformers on the Bozo Show from WGN Chicago, and of course Fraggle Rock on HBO. One evening after fun with Traveling Matt, I caught a movie called, “The Hounds of the Baskervilles”. It was my first introduction to Sherlock Holmes – a creation of author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (the other subject of this conundrum).
I do not remember how I stumbled upon it, but somewhere along the line I discovered both men were Freemasons and friends in life. Both lived in a time that was greatly affected by the spiritualist movement and this article is dedicated to those who have been asking me about it.
Harry Houdini, originally named Eric Weiss, was born on March 24, 1874, in Budapest, Hungary. His family moved to the United States a few years later, initially settling in Appleton, Wisconsin, and then relocating to New York. As the son of a Rabbi, Weiss began his career in magic at the age of 17, despite not having much money or a formal education. He adopted the stage name “Harry Houdini” from Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin, a well-known magician who inspired him. Houdini is recognized as one of the most skilled magicians, illusionists, and escape artists of all times.
Houdini was initiated in St. Cecile Lodge in New York in 1923, passed July 31st, 1924, and raised August 21st,1924. He would become a Shriner a few weeks before his unfortunate death in 1926. Interestingly, Houdini belongs to a cohort of Freemason magicians, and today there is even an “Invisible Lodge” for those Freemasons interested in becoming a magician or learning more about the art.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born May 22, 1859, in Edinburgh, Scottland. With the support of wealthy relatives, Doyle joined Jesuit preparatory school Hodder Place and went on to college at Stonyhurst College. He later studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh Medical School. Doyle demonstrated a life-long passion for learning.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was initiated in 1887 at Phoenix Lodge #257 in Portsmouth. He also sent a letter of goodwill to the Masonic Lodge tied to the Author’s club – a club for which Doyle served as chairman for many years. Authors’ Lodge #3456 still meets today in support of those with interests in liberal arts and sciences.
Once again, Doyle and Houdini were Brothers and friends. Both had an interest in spiritualism; though their views were somewhat opposing. Houdini wanted to believe in spiritualism, but was a skeptic based on the deceit he had witnessed in shows and based on knowing secrets of his trade.
Doyle was a believer. In fact, he believed that Houdini held supernatural powers despite Houdini’s continued explanations. Doyle was also married to a self-professed medium and spiritualist.
Houdini and Doyle’s friendship began to decline when Doyle’s wife held a séance to channel Houdini’s departed mother. Lady Doyle wrote channeled messages from the other side and claimed to have such a message from Houdini’s mother. The message was not satisfactory to Houdini because his mother did not have command of the English language demonstrated in the note. Sadly, the friendship deteriorated shortly after that, and it was not repaired by the time of Houdini’s tragic death in 1926.
If you wish to know more, both Doyle and Houdini wrote books with opposing viewpoints on spiritualism: Houdini taking the skeptic’s view and Doyle taking a believer’s viewpoint.
Conundrum #104
If you can keep your head, you might recognize the works of another famous author Freemason who knew Doyle and signed the authors’ declaration justifying British entry into World War One. Please send answers to masonicconundrum@gmail.com
Sources
https://scottishritenmj.org/blog/harry-houdini-the-masonic-magician
https://scottishritenmj.org/blog/arthur-conan-doyle-freemason
https://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2019/06/the-mama-message.html