Gordon Whitehead’s punch really killed Houdini. Setting aside these skeptics, even the medical community still questions whether J. Theories abound about potential foul-play in Houdini’s death, many centered around spiritualists who had previously threatened his life. Houdini died on Halloween, 1926 with the official cause of death listed as appendicitis-caused peritonitis, an inflammation of the membrane lining the inner abdominal wall.ĪpHarry Houdini, handcuffed and locked up in chains, prepares to jump off Harvard Bridge, a 30-foot plunge to the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts. The organ had already poisoned Houdini, causing fatal damage. That night, he was rushed to the hospital where doctors removed his appendix, which had ruptured several days earlier. He struggled through the opening night performance and collapsed immediately after the final curtain. His wife and staff implored him to seek medical attention, but he resisted, instead boarding an overnight train to Detroit to perform at the Garrick Theater. Still seated and without time to prepare, the punches appeared to leave Houdini in considerable pain.ĭuring the next few days, Houdini complained of stomach cramps and discomfort and eventually developed cold sweats and a 104-degree fever. When Houdini confirmed, spectators say Whitehead abruptly struck the magician with four to five violent blows to the stomach. Gordon Whitehead, asked him if the rumors were true that he could withstand hard punches to the abdomen. Resting an injury sustained from a previous performance, Houdini was reclined on a couch when one of the students, J. He invited several students to visit him in his dressing room at the Princess Theater. On October 22, 1926, Houdini was in Montreal to give a lecture at McGill University. This begs the question, could modern simulation software shed new light on this nearly 100-year-old enigma? It is, perhaps, fitting that the incidents surrounding Houdini’s death are equally shrouded in mystery. Spectators were left stupefied as Houdini wriggled out of straightjackets, chains and handcuffs, escaped from a sealed milk can filled with water, and clawed to the surface after being buried alive. His fearlessness, mastery of sleight-of-hand, and panache for the dramatic earned the Hungarian-born illusionist worldwide acclaim. For more than 30 years, Harry Houdini awed audiences with his death-defying stunts that earned him the reputation as the greatest magician and escape artist that had ever lived.
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