Magicians Attempt to Contact Harry Houdini at Upper East Side Childhood Home

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — In what has become a Halloween tradition, admirers of Harry Houdini held a séance in an attempt to contact the great escape artist from beyond the grave.

This year the séance was held on the Upper East Side, at Houdini's childhood home on East 79th Street near Second Avenue, New York 1's Michael Scotto reported. The séance took place in Sojourn restaurant, which now occupies the building Houdini's family moved into after leaving Budapest.

The inside of the restaurant was decked out with photos of Houdini and many candles were lit as attendees of the séance tried repeatedly to speak with Houdini's spirit, NY1 reported.

But despite their best efforts, Houdini did not give them a sign.

The tradition of holding a séance on Halloween was started a year after his death by Houdini's wife Beatrice, reported The Guardian. Before his death, Houdini told his wife that he would use the code "Rosabelle Believe" to contact her after his death, according to the report.

“Here’s my opinion: If anyone could escape from the beyond, what do you think? It would be Houdini, right?” magician Dorothy Dietrich told The Guardian.

Houdini died on Halloween in 1926 after rupturing his appendix a week earlier.

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