Ghost hunters to seek Houdini's spirit in Nova Scotia

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Ghost hunters seeking to contact the spirit of magician Harry Houdini said they will hold a seance in Nova Scotia.

Seances attempting to contact Houdini, real name Ehrich Weisz, have been held on Halloween yearly since the magician's death 87 years ago, and researchers said they will make an attempt this year in Halifax, where Houdini spent a week in 1896 and performed an escape at the police station, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Monday.

"He did do his first jail break at Halifax City Hall, where the police station used to be. And another notable event for Houdini was his performance in Dartmouth, was actually his first performance outside of the United States as a headliner," said Bruce MacNab, a Cumberland County resident and longtime Houdini fan.

The seance will be led by Alan Hatfield, a psychic and spirit medium from Pictou Landing, and will also feature live performances from magicians and illusionists.

"My specialty is EVP -- electronic voice phenomena. I've been to the Titanic site twice and recorded voices there and at Deadman's Island and other places through the years," Hatfield said.

Houdini famously promised his wife he would send her a message from the afterlife if he found such a thing to be possible.