Eddie Cantor Breaks Down During Eulogy—Magician’s Life Insurance Heavy

Tribute to both the man and the performer was paid Harry Houdini by his associates in the Jewish Theatrical Guild at the Bijou Theatre yesterday afternoon. The meeting, called primarily as a farewell to Eddie Cantor, First Vice President, who leaves soon for Hollywood, was transformed into a memorial service for the magician, one of the Guild’s most faithful and active members.

Mr. Cantor, in the midst of a eulogy of Houdini, broke down and had to be assisted from the stage. Loney Haskell, Secretary of the Guild, declared the magician was one of the most charitable of men and a worker for the Guild whose loss was irreparable.

“When the Jewish Theatrical Guild has a building of its own, we will erect a tablet to Houdini,” Mr. Haskell added.

Rabbi B.A. Tintner, who officiated at the funeral services on Thursday and whose father had joined the magician and his wife in marriage, praised Houdini for his services to religion as well as to the stage.

“He was a splendid Jew and a loyal stage man,” the speaker declared. “His loss is only in flesh and blood, for his love of his religion and his work will never die.”

Houdini preached and practiced the brotherhood of man, Rabbi Tintner said, and he exhorted his hearers to preserve Houdini’s spirit and work for the good of all mankind.

William Morris, President of the Guild; Sam Bernard and Nellie Revell were others who praised Houdini.

A large audience had gathered for the tribute and for the godspeed to Eddie Cantor. In it was Sir Harry Lauder, who was introduced from the stage and bowed. Among the speakers was Emanuel La Bagola, an African Jew from the French Sudan, who told of his experiences in the bush and of the manner in which he came into contact with civilization.

It was learned yesterday that despite the hazardous nature of his feats, Houdini was permitted to carry a large amount of life insurance. B.M.L. Ernst, the magician’s attorney, said that he did not know just how many policies there were or their value, but he thought that $150,000 would be a safe estimate.

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