Before Houdini became the name history remembered, another illusionist drew enormous crowds and commanded extraordinary fees. He called himself the Great Lafayette, and his performances were part magic show, part circus, part theatre of death.

Then, one night in Edinburgh, his grand finale set the theatre on fire. Lafayette was seen rushing back inside, through the flames, to save the animals he loved.

By morning, investigators believed they had found his body.

Then they found him again.

Was it a tragic mistake, a final escape gone wrong, or the last great illusion of a man who spent his life making audiences wonder where the real Lafayette had gone? If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like: Episode 49 – Houdini's Ghost Episode 204 – Mysteries of the Keyhole House For information or to purchase tickets for our ghost tours or paranormal adventures in Kingston, Ottawa, or Toronto, please visit hauntedwalk.com.