ON March 5, 1913 the most famous magician to have ever lived performed a jaw-dropping stunt in Newport that brought crowds in their thousands.

Harry Houdini’s death-defying leap into the River Usk from the rails of Newport Bridge is a story that starts eight years earlier – when the handcuff king first visited a city he would return to on three separate occasions.

Hungarian-born Houdini first came to Newport in April 1905, spending a week-long residency at the city’s Lyceum Theatre.

The theatre, where the Travelodge now stands in Bridge Street, saw Houdini amaze audiences with his mind-boggling escapes from handcuffs and leg irons.

South Wales Argus:

(Houdini amazed crowds at the Lyceum Theatre.)

And during his time in Newport, he challenged the local police force to try to keep him locked up.

Huge crowds assembled in Dock Street behind the police station as chief constable Sinclair challenged Houdini to break out of police cells.

Houdini – accompanied by a gaggle of reporters and councillors – proceeded towards the cells.

The chief constable said he would keep Houdini locked up for three days if he was not able to escape.

Houdini stripped, leaving all his clothes in one cell before entering another completely naked, with officers and reporters waiting at the other end of jail house corridor.

Just three and half minutes later, Houdini appeared full clothed, opening the locked gates of the corridor, followed by a double-locked gate before greeting his fans outside.

Houdini’s swaggering confidence set the scene for an antagonism with police that would reach boiling point eight years later.

South Wales Argus:

(Houdini was the Elvis Presley of escapology.)

In March 1913, Houdini announced at the Empire Theatre that he would leap from Newport Bridge into the River Usk, shackled with manacles.

But the police refused to give the illusionist permission, writing in the local press that he would be arrested should he be caught – but this was Houdini, a man whose very nature was to evade.

With thousands gathered at Newport Bridge and police out in force, Houdini set his plan into action.

Houdini placed a lookalike, along with the theatre manager and members of the press, in an open car to act as a decoy.

While the police were distracted, Houdini made his way to the opposite side of the bridge – already striped and handcuffed – and leapt into the waiting waters of the River Usk.

South Wales Argus:

(Houdini was used to performing similar stunts around the world.)

Naturally, he freed himself and swam ashore. And when he returned to the Empire that evening, he was greeted by a “magnificent reception”, according to reports from the South Wales Argus.

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The jump was a “triumphant vindication of Houdini’s pluck and resource,” the report added.

But he was soon summoned to court with charges relating to obstructing a public highway.

Fittingly, the escapologist, was allowed to walk free after the magistrate at Newport Police Court threw the case out.

South Wales Argus:

(1913 was not the last time Newport would see Houdini. Picture: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Remarkably, he would once again return to Newport as a year later he accepted a challenge from four workers.

The wording of the challenge said: “On your last visit you escaped from one of our packing crates, but as it was delivered ahead of time, you had an opportunity to tamper with same.

“To prove the contrary, we hereby challenge you to allow us to bring to the Empire Theatre, timbers and battens and we will construct a strong box in full view of the audience. You must enter immediately, we will nail down the lid, securely rope up the box and defy you to escape without demolishing same.”

He took just two-and-a-half minutes to free himself.

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Houdini thrilled audiences worldwide with his escapes until his death in 1926.