Voilá! In a stunt that would defy even the most polished of master magicians, the long-missing bust of legendary escape artist Harry Houdini made its sudden reappearance last week.
The marble statue was stolen nearly 20 years ago from atop his grave at the Machpelah Cemetery in Glendale.
The disappearance remained a mystery until last Friday when an ugly family dispute led police to an unexpected discovery.
According to Nassau County police, the recovery effort was initiated when a New Hyde Park man, Stephen Chotowicky, filed a complaint that his son-in-law had stolen some tools from him.
Detectives found the charges unfounded, but discovered that the angry son-in-law, whose name was not released, had his own tale to tell.
He told police that inside Chotowicky’s home was the long-missing bust of the world’s most famous escape artist.
Police obtained a search warrant and found the stern-faced statue inside a dusty cardboard box in Chotowicky’s bedroom. Lieutenant Kevin Smith said police also found three newspaper articles detailing the disappearance from August 15, 1983—the day after the item was found missing.
“It doesn’t look damaged, just kind of old and dusty,” Smith said.
Police said the bust, which measures nearly two-and-a-half feet tall and weighs approximately 30 pounds was worth $500 at the time of its disappearance. Its current value is now $10,000.
Chotowicky, 43, was charged with third degree possession of stolen property, a felony punishable by one to seven years in prison.
Adding yet another level of mystery to the case, prior to his arraignment Sunday, the suspect was taken to Nassau University Medical Center for unknown reasons.
David Jacobson, president of the Machpelah Cemetery, offered his relief that the Master Mystifier” has made his reemergence.
“I am very pleased that the cemetery will be able to bring the Houdini family plot back to its original appearance,” he said.
Jacobson said he did not yet know when the bust, which is being held by police as evidence, would be returned to the cemetery.
Born Ehrich Weiss, Houdini’s grave has long been a morbid attraction for curious fans since his death in 1926.
It has also attracted its share of vandals. In 1975, the original marble bust was smashed into pieces with a sledgehammer.
The Houdini Committee, a group from the Society of American Magicians, stepped forward to look after the grave site, twice replacing the original bust with cheaper copies. They too were stolen in 1975 and 1983.
Police claim the bust they found was the third one, although some magicians have pondered whether it could be an earlier version.
Houdini’s large grave site is decorated by a short flight of stairs which leads to a platform with a statue of a woman kneeling. The figure’s held is tilted against the wall and she appears to be weeping. Directly above the statue is the engraved names of “Houdini” and “Weiss.”
According to local lore, Houdini died after his appendix burst, a week after he received a stiff punch to the stomach.
Prior to his death, Houdini had promised to communicate from the grave using coded messages to his wife. Each year, dozens try to contact him through séances, although, at least verbally, the late magician has been tight-lipped.
Houdini’s grave is open year-round for visitors and is closed only once a year—on Halloween—the day he died.
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