But now the great Kevin Connolly has uncovered the full photo in a clipping detailing this challenge escape. So click on over to Houdini Himself and learn the story of Houdini's daring dive (on land)!
UPDATE: Kevin's site is now offline, but he has graciously allowed me to share his clipping here. This is the only account of this challenge that I know of. Enjoy.
It's worth noting that Houdini patented a deep-sea diving suit with an emergency quick release mechanism. No escape from the bends, however.
Thanks Kevin.
UPDATE 2: I can now identify this as being the week of March 4-10, 1912, while Houdini was at the Colonial Theater in Norfolk, VA. However, the exact day of the challenge currently eludes me.
UPDATE 3: The date eludes me no longer! This happened on Friday, March 8, 1912. Newspapers reported that Houdini was "nearly exhausted and his shirt was splotched with blood in several places."
 |
| Virginian Pilot and Norfolk Landmark, March 7, 1912 |
Is Houdini's escape from his own invention, the fast release diving suit, still in the Master Mystery?
ReplyDeleteI don't recall. Somewhere I have a list of all the escapes in the existing MM print. I'll try to find that.
DeleteTwo years later, I have the answer to that question HERE.
ReplyDelete