HARRY HOUDINI AN ANNIVERSARY - AND HIS PROMISED RETURN FROM DEATH

Houdini - Failed promise to return from the afterlife

This October also marks the 85th anniversary of the death of Harry Houdini. The great illusionist died on Halloween night and every Halloween since then, someone somewhere tries to make contact with the magician who promised to return one day from beyond.

Houdini was born Erich Weiss in Budapest, Hungary, on March 24, 1874. Like many Europeans, his family emigrated to America at the turn of the century.

As a child, Weiss grew up in awe of France's great magician, Houdin (1804-71), whom many credit as the founder of modern-day magic.

Houdin (pronounced "oo-Dan") preceded Houdini by a generation. Weiss eventually took his stage name from the famous magician.

Later, Houdini turned on his idol, vilifying him in a book titled, The Unmasking of Robert Houdin. Houdini took pride in exposing what he believed to be fraudulent behavior, especially those of fake spiritualists. So great was his desire to root out these fakes, he would often disguise himself and attend a seance in order to expose the phony oracle.

It was the beginning of the 20th century, and the world was hungry for new excitement. The innocent 'oughts introduced the new century with gusto, and America began to shed its provincialism. The new century brought with it World War I. And because so many lost their loved ones in the great battle, America developed a morbid interest in a board game called "Ouija." The fanciful parlor game was used as an oracle to converse with departed friends and relatives. The board game was known by many as the "yes-yes" game. Its name derives from the French and German affirmatives, "oui" and "ja."

On Oct. 22, 1926, a college student visited his dressing room in Montreal. Houdini had publicly claimed that he could resist the hardest blow struck to his abdomen. The young student challenged Houdini's claim.

Houdini accepted the challenge, but the student began punching before Houdini could brace himself. The punches ruptured his appendix. He went on stage the next day, headed to Detroit with a fever of 102 degrees, performed again and finally collapsed. An operation was performed, but it came too late to save him; he died on Halloween night.

Houdini's wife, Bess, along with his good friend Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, participated in seances in an attempt to make contact with the escape artist, who promised to reach out to them from the afterlife, but to no avail. Since then, on Halloween night, every Ouija board enthusiast has tried in vain to establish contact with the great Houdini....
Source: Mercury News
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My advice is never to dabble with Ouija boards. These devices in uninitiated hands can allow `low life` negative energies to affect you and your home. Leave well alone..