It made sense that Houdini could be a target. Many biographers and super fans have researched whether something nefarious happened to Houdini, including whether the McGill student was actually a hired gun. His death also sparked a lot of controversy. The question is whether the punches in Montreal caused Houdini’s appendix to rupture or if it was unrelated - or if Houdini mistakenly thought his severe stomach pain was from the punches instead of a serious medical problem. The official cause of death was peritonitis caused by a ruptured appendix. An orchestra would play a song called “Asleep in the Deep” as attendees achingly watched the seconds tick by, waiting for the magician to emerge valiantly. Houdini’s assistants would draw the curtains and standby with an axe at the ready, just in case. With his feet clamped in stocks, Houdini was lowered into the cell upside-down, with the stocks acting as a lid. Then, he would invite another member of the audience to come up and inspect the cell, offering up $1,000 if they could find any flaws that could help Houdini escape. The tank was a steel and glass cabinet filled to the brim with water.Įver the showman, Houdini would describe the cabinet and allow a member of the audience to pick where the cell would be placed on stage to show there was no trick door. “The Handcuff King” as he became known could escape from any predicament leading up to one of his most popular stunts: The Water Torture Cell. A 1913 file photo of Harry Houdini performing one of his most popular escape stunts: “The Water Torture Cell.” (Public Domain)
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