A widespread urban legend is that Houdini's ruptured appendix was caused by multiple blows to his abdomen from a McGill University student, J. Gordon Whitehead, in Montreal on October 22. The eyewitnesses to this event were two McGill University students named Jacques Price and Sam Smilovitz (sometimes called Jack Price and Sam Smiley). Their accounts generally agreed. The following is according to Price's description of events. According to Price, Houdini was reclining on his couch after his performance, having an art student sketch him. When Whitehead came in and asked if it was true that Houdini could take any blow to the stomach, Houdini replied in the affirmative. In this instance, he was struck several times, before Price protested. Whitehead reportedly continued hitting Houdini several times afterwards, and Houdini acted as though he were in some pain. Price recounted that Houdini stated that if he had time to prepare himself properly, he would have been in better position to take the blows. After taking statements from Price and Smiley, Houdini's insurance company concluded that the death was due to the dressing room incident and paid double indemnity. Despite this, modern medical knowledge gives no reason to believe Houdini's acute appendicitis was caused by any physical trauma.