Weird Tales, Vol. 3, No. 3

The Spirit Fakers of Hermannstadt: An Amazing Adventure of Houdini

"The Spirit Fakers of Hermannstadt" is an adventure story purportedly by Houdini himself, published in Weird Tales. The narrative concerns Houdini's solo travels through Transylvania along the Maros River, where he encounters a veiled countess seeking his aid. She reveals that a gang of blackmailers has exploited his name and reputation to threaten her sister Rosicka, a spiritualist convert under the influence of a fraudulent medium named Popkens. The countess explains that her family harbors devastating secrets tied to her deceased father's grave crimes. Houdini, skeptical of spiritualism, pledges to assist. The story includes editorial endorsement of Houdini's credibility as both escape artist and exposer of fraudulent mediums, noting his twenty-year career and his famous "Houdini" dictionary entry.