THE ILLUSIONIST

The Great Lafayette performs his last fatal trick in Edinburgh

There is no tale more bizarre than that of the life and death of the Great Lafayette. Born Sigmund Neuberger in Munich in 1871 he was to become the world’s most famous magician. At the height of his career he was the highest paid entertainer of the day, earning almost £4 million per year in today’s money, as he travelled the globe performing to tens of thousands of mesmerised fans. In London his shows were booked out ten years in advance.

But that career was to be abruptly ended during his two-week tour of Edinburgh. The world of the Great Lafayette came crashing down around him, with one catastrophic tragedy after another.

His shows were a spectacle of mystifying illusions, impossibly quick routine changes and elaborate costumes, but in private Lafayette’s life was equally eccentric. Though still a flamboyant character, Lafayette was not so charismatic behind closed doors. By most accounts he was obsessive, rude and reclusive.

The love of his life was Beauty, a small cross terrier, which had been a gift from his friend, the great escapologist Harry Houdini. Beauty became the central platform of his existence and was spoiled rotten. She wore a diamond collar, slept on a velvet cushion and dined at the table with her owner. As if that wasn’t peculiar enough, a metal Beauty mascot adorned the bonnet of Lafayette’s limousine, while his private railway

‘The world of the Great Lafayette came crashing down around him’

Left: Lafayette pictured with Beauty and his dalmatian Mabel. Top right: The theatre disaster was world news and headlined every newspaper in the country. Top right: Beauty was buried at Piershill Cemetery on the condition the Great Lafayette would be...