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Some Houdini relatives oppose exhumation as sensationalism

NEW YORK -- The family of Harry Houdini's widow wants to block a plan to exhume the escape artist's remains, saying a disinterment to determine whether he was murdered smacks of sensationalism.

"It is our firm belief that Bess Houdini would never approve of this," said a statement from her grandnephews, John and Jeffrey Blood."The family believes this is likely being done to promote sales of a recent book on Harry Houdini, suggesting he may have been murdered."

A spokesman for Houdini's grandnephew, who supports the exhumation, and one of the new biography's authors on Tuesday quickly protested the Bloods' suggestion.

"I'm sorry that Bess' side of the family feels that way, because this is not a publicity stunt in any shape or form," said Larry Sloman, co-author of The Secret Life of Houdini."This is not something frivolous. This is a serious scientific study."
Read entire article at AP