Presence felt at the 50th anniversary Houdini Séance

(Editor’s note: Sonoma County Harry Houdini séance co-organizer and Argus-Courier columnist Bill Soberanes used to write a story about what happened during the séances. In keeping with the tradition, Petaluma filmmaker Tom Wyrsch has provided a follow-up to the 50th anniversary séance held on Oct. 30.)

Last week the 50th anniversary celebration of the Sonoma County Harry Houdini Memorial Séance was held at Flying Cloud Farm in Petaluma, owned by Jeannette and Jim Bell, who also hosted the event.

Flying Cloud is a historic location once owned by Gen. Mariano Vallejo’s son and is said to have areas quite possibly supernatural. The Sonoma County Houdini séances were an annual Halloween event from 1964 to 2002 and were organized by Bill Soberanes, an Argus-Courier columnist for 50 years. The 50th annual celebration was conducted in the exact fashion as the original séances as a fitting tribute to the 39-year event.

Those who were on hand were treated to a movie recounting the history of the séances, a rare audio recording from the last séance with Mrs. Houdini, which was held in Hollywood, and then the 50th anniversary séance.

At the stroke of midnight, the 50 people on-hand sat silently around the 13 people in the inner circle for 13 minutes of “dead” silence. Sitting in the inner circle were John George, Rita Eads, Scott Moon, Leonard Higgins, Angie Arrington, Naomi Hutten, Kat Myers, Kim George, Joe Perry, Terry Vondrak, Dawn Seiler and North Bay magicians Ken Garr and Jay Alexander. Nahmen Nissen, who helped Soberanes organize the 39 years of séances, sat in the outer circle. I was master of ceremonies.

Members of the inner circle gave these reactions.

“About half way through I got a chill and the candle flames on the table were dancing,” said Seller.

Hutton said she “felt a presence the whole 13 minutes.”

“I felt for sure there were spirits here, but I couldn’t identify them,” said Myers.

“I concentrated on Houdini presenting himself, but did not get any feelings he was here,” said George.

Garr “enjoyed the silence and was hoping something would move on the table, but nothing did.”

Alexander added that he “gave it my all, really enjoyed the silence, but nothing happened.”

Moon tried to channel a connection to Houdini through someone close to him who passed away 10 years ago.

“It was a connection I had before, but the connection is getting less and less,” said Moon. “I still got a sense I was feeling somebody, but wasn’t able to get very far.”

Kim George said “Maybe about two-thirds of the way through I got a cold feeling on my shoulders and a feeling on the back of my neck.”

“I asked Harry to blow out the candles on the table,” said Perry. “I never opened my eyes, but sensed they did not go out.”

“I couldn’t believe how fast the time went by,” commented Higgins. “And the feeling of everyone holding hands as if we were all molded together as one.

Arrington, said she felt the cold chill as well.

Wendy Lee, who was outside the inner circle said “I was sure Houdini was with us. Not only Houdini but his wife, Bess, was here.”

I’ve sat in the inner circle at previous Houdini séances and this year’s séance was a very different experience.

During the 13-minutes there was an unusual quietness and you could feel everyone was trying his or her best to bring Houdini’s spirit back. I had a definite feeling someone or something was there.

If Houdini did not put in an appearance that night, there is no reason to believe that he was not there. Perhaps there were too many spirits in attendance to make for an easy manifestation. So many rooms to traverse, so many halls, nooks and crannies, vast grounds covered with dew-drenched shrubbery shrouded in the darkness of the night.

Plans are already in the works for next year’s séance.

(Tom Wyrsch is a local filmmaker and was master of ceremonies for the Houdini séance.)