Looking back on that last performance, the large audience now realizes that the famous magician did his tricks under a great strain. Houdini would not disappoint his admirers. He left it to Houdini to decide whether it would be advisable for him to appear that evening at the Garrick Theatre for the opening

Leo Kretzka, a prominent physician, made a hurried examination and told the patient there were symptoms of appendicitis. To something he had eaten but as it increased he called in the company's nurse, who in turn arranged by wire to have a physician meet the magician in Detroit.ĭr. He suffered no distress at the time but after he had boarded a train for Detroit he complained of pain. One of the students without warning or giving time for Houdini to prepare struck him twice immediately over his appendix. During a reception following the address he commented on the strength of his stomach muscles and their ability to withstand hard blows without injury. 19, while in Montreal he addressed a class of students on spiritualistic tricks. By the time he left Schenectady for Montreal his whole system was in a weakened condition. Houdini was suffering continuous pain and returned to Albany for several treatments. He declined to cancel his engagements, however, and did not miss a show.įrom Albany he and his company went to Schenectady. Houdini called a physician from the audience, had his foot examined and then completed his performance.Īfterward he went to a hospital and had the injured foot X-rayed.Ī bone was found to be partly fractured and Houdini was advised to discontinue his tour a few days and give prompt attention and plenty of rest to the injured foot. Used in his 'water torture cell' trick was overturned and struck him on the foot. On the opening night of his engagement at a theatre there a piece of apparatus The chapter of accidents which ended fatally for the man who so often had seemed to thousands to be cheating the very jaws of death began early in October at Albany, N. Like a newly discovered serum, used for the first time in Houdini's case, it was of no avail. The second operation was performed last Friday. 31.-Harry Houdini, world famous as a magician, a defier of locks and sealed chests and an exposer of spiritualist frauds, died here this afternoon after a week's struggle for life, in which he underwent two operations.ĭeath was due to peritonitis, which followed the first operation, that for appendicitis. NovemOBITUARY Harry Houdini Dies After Operations Special to The New York TimesĭETROIT, Oct. Newspaper in Education (NIE) Teacher Resources

Houdini death