In the early 1920s, a group of fourteen local magicians, who had been meeting and talking magic, agreed to apply for a charter with the Society of American Magicians. After filing the appropriate papers and enclosing $5.00 for the charter fee, and $27.50 for the initiation fee for eleven members, the club received a charter on March 3, 1923. Three of the original members were already listed as S.A.M. members. The fourteen original are:

• David E. Swift — #111
• Robert Heggmann Heger — #927
• Carl W. Jones — #960
• David Williams — #1044
• P.J. Kennerud — #1045
• Bruno Warnecke — #1046
• M.E. McGonagle — #1047
• George Owen Huey — #1048
• A.C. Boese — #1049
• Lisee Poziski — #1050
• Henry Crain — #1051
• Benjamin Traub — #1052
• E.J. Stansfield — #1053
• Ernie McChesney — #1054

Carl Jones, publisher of Greater Magic, wrote a letter to Leslie Guest, National Secretary, on June 30, 1939. He stated in the letter that he had the original charter of Assembly 12 signed by Harry Houdini in 1920 when he was president of the S.A.M. and Carl was president of Assembly 12. Since the national office has no record of the charter, they will not recognize the charter assignment of 1920.