93

I recently bought a copy, it is a very interesting read and an attractively produced book. Regarding Solar Lodge, as Paul wrote, there’s little evidence of anyone actually developing spiritually, and let me add that I don't understand the "boy in the box" story.

This is an interesting point with which I have some sympathy . However, in the case of Solar Lodge there were few members and the Lodge was active for a short period of time, so there's really not enough data to be able to draw conclusions.

There is another point in my opinion, and that is that the persona is a restricted aspect of the adept; spiritual development may be taking place behind the mask as it were.

Concerning the boy in the box (let's hope they weren't planning to punch holes in the box and bury it beneath an ants' nest, eh?), I was under the impression that the kid had already started fires (one of which may have destroyed the archive stolen from the home of Sascha Germer) and this was a forlorn attempt at discipline.

I feel, like Paul, that it was an interesting mix of work that the members of the Solar Lodge undertook. Whatever the shortcomings of the Lodge, there are aspects of interest.

From the court judgement in the Brayton's libel suit against Ed Sanders, after the publication of The Family (Velle v. Sanders, 518 F. Supp. 512.):

"Finally, on these pages Sanders also discusses the group's responsibility for the "Boy in the Box" incident. That incident occurred in Blythe, California in the summer of 1969. Sanders alleged that Jean Brayton, the supposed leader of the O.T.O., ordered a six-year-old boy to be kept in a packing crate for a period of two months as punishment for setting fire to the group's desert ranch. The boy was permitted to leave the box for showers, but was fed only bread and water and was kept chained by his ankle.
In fact, this incident had been highly publicized during the years 1969 to 1971. It led to the conviction of four members of Velle on felony child abuse charges, including the boy's mother, and of three members of Velle, on misdemeanor child abuse charges. The Braytons were fugitives for eighteen months. Charges against Richard Brayton were dropped for lack of evidence. Jean Brayton pleaded nolo contendere to one count of felony child abuse, was placed on three years probation and was fined $ 500.00. ..."

"In essence, the allegedly defamatory statements concern a group that Sanders labels O.T.O., or the Ordo Templi Orientis. It appears undisputed that the O.T.O. is in many respects the same organization which now goes by the name of Velle Transcendental Research Association, plaintiff in this action. Plaintiff Richard Brayton and his wife, the alleged leader of the group O.T.O., are members of Velle and also were members of the O.T.O. Certain other principal members of the O.T.O. also hold key positions in Velle."

The court also refers to

"the publicity surrounding the "Boy in the Box" trial in Riverside County, California. [Sanders & his publisher] have submitted to the Court exhibits consisting of newspaper clippings from the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, The Washington Post, the Oakland Tribune, and various Riverside County local newspapers, which were published between July 29, 1969, and January 21, 1972. These articles address the details of the abuse of six-year-old Anthony Saul Gibbons by the members of O.T.O., who were presently living at the ranch in Riverside County. The articles frequently mention Jean Brayton and Richard Brayton by name, and many mention that the group held for the boy's abuse belonged to a "cult-like" group called the O.T.O. For example, the Daily News of Indio, California, states on October 23, 1969, that those under indictment "were members of a 'group' known as OTO, which had headquarters at 2627 Menlo Ave., Los Angeles." The article describes the group's alleged purpose of seeking spiritual development and identifies the leader of the group as Jean Brayton, plaintiff's wife. Similarly, articles which appeared in the Daily Enterprise, the Daily News, and the Daily News Palm Desert describe those individuals indicted as members of the O.T.O. "cult." They depict the practice of the group as consisting of various degrees of membership, and point out that members of the first degree wear a black robe, those of the second wear a dagger and triangle, and so on. While the local articles are the most elaborate in their description of the group's practice of initiation and ritual, almost all of the articles address the issue of the group's unusual way of life. Most of the articles mention the O.T.O. and Jean Brayton as being responsible for the boy's treatment. ..."

Further on publicity:

"[T]he extensive newspaper coverage and certain television coverage by stations such as KABC, Los Angeles, had made the way of life of the O.T.O. cult a matter of public interest to most of the southwest. Indeed, the scope of coverage by the press exceeded the mere details of the young boy's abuse and focused as well on the question of the group's "cult-like" way of life."

Several articles about the case are available in the LA Times on-line archives. Getting more than the titles, dates & a one-line abstract costs money.

See here for articles;

Some snippets:

DESERT TORTURE OF BOY CHARGED
8 Accused of Chaining Him in Packing Case for 2 Months CHAINED BOY (Jul 29, 1969)
"Six men and two women were accused Monday of chaining a 6-yearold Los Angeles boy inside a packing crate at their desert commune and keeping him there for nearly two months."

Father Admits Caging Son for 56 Days (Dec 4, 1971)
"A former Los Angeles County probation officer Friday admitted imprisoning his 6-year-old son in a wooden box for 56 days in 1969 as punishment for starting a fire."

Hi 93
I'm not sure what the point of this is. The 'boy in the box' stuff was covered really well in Frater Shiva's book and he was actually there. No-one in their right mind (apologies to the US courts and newspapers) could believe that a child could survive in the conditions that were alleged for more than a couple of days. Fifty-six?
All these reports tell us is what we already know from Shiva's book - that the US newspapers were really hostile to what they perceived to be a weird cult, and published a lot of nonsense about it. In particular they took one really stupid incident and blew it out of all proportion to make the Solar Lodge people sound like a bunch of murderous lunatics and child abusers.
Hey. Sound familiar? Anyone here remember reading about newspaper headlines that spoke of "The Worst Man in the World" "A Cannibal we'd Like to Hang" etc. Yes, I'm talking about all those newspaper reports about a certain Aleister Crowley. A guy called P. R. Stephensen even wrote a book about it called "The Legend of Aleister Crowley", that's recently been republished with a great new Introduction by Stephen King. That gives a pretty good idea of what happens when newspapers get in a sensationalist feeding frenzy about an occultist or group they don't like.
Re-printing bits of newspaper articles like this - out of context - just runs the risk of perpetuating the myth of the evil nasty Charles Mansony Solar Lodge, which everyone has heard, and which was exactly what Shiva's book was aimed at busting. As Shiva has it they certainly weren't no angels, but neither were they the demons the press liked to make out.

I tend to agree, but then how can we know and measure our spiritual development, if it doesn't show up in our persona, in our daily actions, etc.?

What I don't understand is, according to the author, when that first individual went to Solar Lodge to find out the boy in the box, on the assumption that he already knew where to search (?), how could members of Solar Lodge let this individual go there undisturbed, and find out the boy? If you knew that you "had a boy in a box", would you let a stranger go there?

I haven't read Shiva's book & only know what's been alluded to here, but according to the lashtal review, "he ‘wasn’t there’, for example, for the fire, or the chaining" where he reports at second hand his belief that all that happened was that "One of the members, acting alone it seems, chained – yes, chained – the boy inside a box-room made from a goat pen. Some hours later the police arrived, released the boy and arrested the dozen members there." That claim flatly contradicts what every single other available source says.

Further, I am not quoting these articles "out of context" but within a highly relevant context: a discussion about what in fact happened in this notorious incident. It should be obvious that I am not taking any particular position, but simply providing some links to the best available primary source documents, created at the time and not years later.

With all respect to the likelihood that a bunch of hippie magick cultists (though Richard Brayton was a college professor) may not have gotten a fair shake from the press or the courts, fair enough, but do you honestly believe that the boy's own father would plead guilty to this (two years later), Jean Brayton plead nolo contendre & the courts would convict 4 (including his mother) on felony child abuse charges and 3 on misdemeanor charges (based in part on the boy's own in-court testimony) if all that happened was that the boy was penned up for a couple hours? How would the police have time to find out in a couple of hours?

I wonder what Anthony Saul Gibbons himself, who would be about 45 now, would have to say about the whole thing? I have pretty clear memories of being 6.

Yes, Crowley was hounded in the press, but so far as I know, was never convicted of anything in a criminal court. Here, the articles seem to represent not the press hounding the Solar Lodge over trumped up incidents, but reporting on the actions of the police and courts.

There is some supplementary information (sane and reasonable) on Jerry Cornelius's site at

http://cornelius93.com/EpistleSolarLodge.html

As well as a review by him of this book and the author's response to it at

http://cornelius93.com/Blog08-1Jan2.html

In his sane and reasonable defense of the Solar Lodge, Cornelius does note when these claimants to the OTO mantle robbed Sascha Germer, the elderly widow of the recently-deceased OHO, ''when she opened the door she was immediately sprayed in the face with a gas, knocked to the floor and overpowered. A drug was then injected by a syringe which knocked her out cold. When she came to she found that her house had been ransacked and that many books in the second floor library had been stolen. Aleister Crowley's personal robes, many O.T.O. documents and ritual papers were also missing. Sascha tried to call the police but found that the phone lines had been cut." She noted that they kept her "bound of hand and feet." This strikes me as somewhat unadmirable behavior & as lending credibility to the claim that these are people capable of quite shocking behavior.

As to Cornelius' defense of the Solar Lodge in the "Boy In the Box" case, he provides lots of good citations to press coverage, but I find his overall point that it was all exaggerations trumped up by an informer "already in trouble with the law" dubious, the chronology seems a little shaky: if the boy was only confined overnight until his father could pick him up, the informant certainly acted quickly. In my (rather extensive) experience of the criminal justice system, people most often "rat out" others to avoid prosecution while in police custody; they seldom, while on release, contact police independently to try to make a deal; if they do, it doesn't often happen overnight.

Cornelius also says the informant went on TV and recanted, citing 'Boy in Box' Case Arrests, Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, September 10, 1971. If the principal witness against him recanted in September 1971, why did the father plead guilty to "imprisoning his 6-year-old son in a wooden box for 56 days in 1969 as punishment for starting a fire", more than two months later, in December 1971? He was apparently according to the article abstract a "former Los Angeles County probation officer" and thus a presumably savvy defendant.

I don't think that there is anybody interested in the Solar Lodge who condones the assault and robbery upon Sascha Germer, or the episode of the boy in the box. By the same taken, I don't think you can take these reprehensible and indeed criminal incidents as indicating that the Lodge had no worth whatever.

Forgive this off-topic post but it's necessary to correct a misconception:

A common enough claim but simply untrue. In 1934 Crowley was charged with "feloniously receiving stolen letters" belonging to Betty May (handling stolen goods, in modern parlance). He was convicted and sentenced to two-years' probation.

The second time you've corrected me & once again thank you; in my defense I'll just say that I said "so far as I know". A quick look at Symonds' The Great Beast (always a good source for anything negative about Crowley) confirms the conviction and that he paid 50 guineas court costs as well.

Still, rather small potatoes compared to burglary, robbery, assault & child abuse.

Just for the record an even smaller potato. On Thursday 13 Feb 1941 Crowley was fined £2 for a breach of blackout regulations.

Doh! You're correct, of course. I'd forgotten that one...

Oh dear! So- not much of an occultist after all?

(I'll get me robe....)

😛

Greetings,

I have been following this thread with interest and amusement.

Bofras93 wrote: "I'm not sure what the point of this is. The 'boy in the box' stuff was covered really well in Frater Shiva's book and he was actually there."

Thank you for paying attention to the general sweep of the True Tales as you read the book, without getting caught up in the minute details that are endlessly disputed and originated with sources that ended up recanting their testimony, including witnesses and police investigators.

loveisthelaw wrote: "What I don't understand is, according to the author, when that first individual went to Solar Lodge to find out the boy in the box, on the assumption that he already knew where to search (?), how could members of Solar Lodge let this individual go there undisturbed, and find out the boy?"

Apparently, Soror Ma, who had left the Ranch for Blythe an hour before, told the deputy sheriff exactly where the boy was confined. He then proceeded to send in an informant so they would have "probable cause" for entering the property. Note: They had no search or arrest warrant. The informant walked directly to the enclosed child, had a look, and left. The deputy sheriffs arrived 45 minutes later. As it says in the book, "And the few members who were present at the ranch did nothing!"

That statement was intended to portray wonderment, in those of us who were not there, regarding the general intelligence and common sense displayed at the Ranch that morning. When I later had the opportunity to speak with some of them, they uniformly indicated that they thought nothing special about the visitor and, in hindsight, realized that they had made a great error in judgement.

I note that you have not read the book 😯 . To examine the matter even further than was revealed in the book, let me say that ... - In response to a phone call from Vidal, Jean Brayton, Frater Shem, and I arrived about 6 hours after the fire started. It continued to burn for 30 hours after that. I saw the fire in progress and heard the boy state that he started the fire in order to burn down his room that he "hated." No one actually saw him setting the fire, but surely we must assume that he did, simply because the place burned down and he freely admitted responsibility.

It is my understanding that one (1) member actually chained the child after he tried to set a second fire, and he admitted this to me and others. Of the 13 members who were at the Ranch, an interesting number, nine later indicated to me that they knew exactly what was happening to the boy. I never saw the other 4 members again. Frater Dys, the chain person, had been specifically assigned to supervise the boy's daily activities, and everyone else was aware of the ongoing events - but busily pursuing their own assigned duties. Anyone who was not at the Ranch knew nothing about this whole, second-fire and chaining scenario that took less than 24 hours to run its course, except the boy's father, whom Frater Dys had telephoned.

As to my personal awareness of the chaining, I don't think anyone doubts that this happened. I saw 8x10" glossy police photos that showed a chained boy. However, the length of time reported or claimed by various sources is contradictory. For approximately two months immediately prior to the arrest, I visited the Ranch at least 5 days each week, for my assignment was to supervise part of the reconstruction efforts. I lived in Vidal, only 4 miles away. This could be, and was, any time of the day or evening. This includes every day for the 7 days immediately preceding the arrest - because the construction was quite intense at that time. On every visit I always saw the boy working at his assignment: Helping to rebuild. He was never confined in any manner in my sight. So I can certainly testify that he was not "continuously' chained up. Perhaps, after I left, they chained him up again - but I very seriously doubt that.

All the "other available sources" tend to contradict other sources and were fuelled by purposeful disinformation. That's why I wrote the book - To dispel the Illusion. I was there. All this and more is in the book - I don't particularly care to rewrite the whole thing again on lashtal.com.

Inside Solar Lodge - Outside the Law is a trip down memory lane, with the major events carefully presented in a true, undistorted manner - It is not a full-fledged Encyclopaedia of Lies about Solar Lodge. I can easily refute multiple erroneous statements in virtually any newspaper article, police or FBI report, and witness report, line by line if necessary. But that would be another book, perhaps "Son of Solar Lodge."

The sources of the wide-ranging misinformation are generally identified in the book, it being my policy to not give the names of living persons. The three major sources of the misinformation, including the prime mover of disinformation who was not mentioned in the book, are all described and specifically named by Jerry Cornelius at http://cornelius93.co m"> http://cornelius93.com . He has been cited earlier in this thread and I heartily commend accessing his information. He has his facts quite straight and was there in the aftermath when he saw and heard the truth about how the disinformation was disseminated..

The book specifically describes how we were very far removed from the "hippie" culture.

I recently saw a definition of Cultists - "A term gleefully and fearfully used by fundamental ministers and newspaper reporters."

You are absolutely correct. We (at least "some" of us) did it all: We admitted unworthy candidates, performed burglary, robbery and battery, refused to disperse the Lodge when so ordered by the secret chief who communicated with the Grand Master, chained a child arsonist for a maximum of 10 hours while waiting for his father to arrive *(see note below), outwitted "dragnet-type" police forces and escaped across the state line, fled the scene and entered the world of international high adventure, used false identity papers, and captured an attorney and forced him through the Minerval degree. "Shock" is an element in some lineages of Tantra Yoga.

➡ * Note: Does it really matter how long the child was confined? To my way of thinking, 10 minutes would be as bad as 6 months. It is shocking behavior and illegal in the eyes of the law.

On the other hand, we never killed anyone and never held animal sacrifices. No man ever had long hair and no maiden ever looked like she just drifted in from the Haight-Ashbury district. We were monogamous. Now that's really shocking!

After the original 13 arrests, no additional people were captured for 3 years, simply because they couldn't find us. During this period, all court activities revolved around fugitives who surrendered, through an attorney, with the plea and the penalty already arranged via "plea-bargaining." The earlier people who surrendered, especially including the boy's father, all simply pled guilty and got a minimal punishment. Much later, there was virtually no penalty, and anyone who pled "Not Guilty," or simply requested "Dismissal of Charges," walked away free that very hour. It was all arranged beforehand - It made the problem go away for both sides, but it was not a true depiction of innocence or guilt.

The father pled guilty to California Penal Code 273a - "Child Endangerment." He did not plead guilty to "imprisoning his 6-year-old son in a wooden box for 56 days." That is the Headline version of the case.

Another point is that there "was no evidence of spiritual development." I actually implied that in the book, and added more information on lashtal.com that indicated that there was indeed such development (see "60s US Occult Scene"). But no one passed the Veil of Paroketh while they were still affiliated with the Tong.

These are all interesting points that have been raised. I am pleased to help us all take a closer look at them.

This is an answer, Shiva. Thank you for the time and effort spent on this. Are you planning more books in the future?

Or a more widely available edition of this one? My not having read it is certainly not due to a lack of interest.

Thanks for your long response. Least I come across as a sort of witness for the prosecution, one thing I noticed is that in the only accounts of Anthony's testimony about his captivity I could find (both on Koenig's site (one in facsimile & one in purported transcription)) he isn't directly asked how long he was chained to the box/hut, a question one would certainly expect, & nothing he says is impossible to square with it being for only one night (or 53 nights, it's just ambiguous what's reported). On the "hippie cultists" point, that was my attempt at depicting how the press might have framed it; the LA Times actually quotes the cops as saying how "clean cut" the members are & that members didn't dress or look like hippies; the coverage is in fact notable for it's blandness (though that clearly changed, given what's mentioned by the court in the libel suit).

I think the most interesting thing I learned is that the Solar Lodge ran a gas station staffed by members; one imagines them greeting customers with a cheery
"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law. Fill 'er up, ma'am?"

The book is readily enough available, from Weiser Antiquarian in the USA and from Midian Books in the UK. The small print run of 418 copies probably means that it's not as widely available as it might be, but it can be easily enough tracked down if you want to get hold of a copy. It's publication was a news item on this site a few weeks ago.

No specific "books" are currently planned for the future, although that possibility has been discussed.

I have completed a semi-virtual tour into the nature of illusion titled, This is Your Escape from the Matrix, to be found at http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/astrum/000.ht m"> http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/astrum/000.htm .

I have also started work on a complex, multi-dimensional, interactive website to reveal the original "secret" Crystal Chip Directory. It was originally restricted for distribution to specific Liaison Officers, but has since been posted to the web, the main problem being that these postings have all been completely rewritten! This is an interesting guide to various levels of consciousness and includes references to Thelemic principles.

"I'd be interested in hearing impressions from others who have read this book.

I first read this online. I was lifted up in a whirlwind nonstop till the end.
I got that there were some hints which I know nothing about. I didn't quite see snakes or mongoose; but the Vimana, the golden vehicle, body of light manifested. Not for three weeks but about 15 minutes. I've had this experience before from other teachers. It was nice I recieved the experience from a web site.

This Program is designed to Modify Consciousness.
and permanently change your
Viewpoint of Reality

93 Fr. Shiva

I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your "This is Your Escape from the Matrix" program. Kudos!

93 93/93

Fisrst time poster here.

I just learned about the book, and will try to obtain a copy, but in the meantime I'd like to ask a few questions about the Solar Lodge
(presuming these aren't in the book):

(1) Was the Ranch located on the West or East side of the highway?
Who leased it? (McCauley, or alternate spelling McColley, isn't found
in indexes of the San Bernardino County Recorder).

(2) Is the Sept 1969 incident involving the ranch caretaker, Christopher Hartwell, in the book? How about Jeff Flynn's arrest at the bookstore?

(3) The Blythe Jeep Club: Is there any mention of their involvement (with stored sedatives) at the Midland shelter site?

(4) Official Records in Nevada, indicate Braytons lived into the 1990's in the Las Vegas area. Did they have a surviving daughter there?

(5) Would you welcome, reference to some of the news articles or documents from the Riverside County court case?

Example:

Los Angeles Free Press
September 17, 1971
Pages 18 and 19
"The Case of the Boy Chained in the Box"
(Riverside commune answers critics)
by Ed Hoffman

(Editor's Note: The Free Press has not independently
verified any of the facts in the following story.
We remember reading in the LA Times of the case
of the commune which alledgedly chained a young boy
in a shed for 56 days. Like others we were horrified,
but, if the following defense of the commune is true,
there is a need to re-evaluate our first impressions)

So you think Los Angeles County is a lousy place to live?
We,, the members of Velle Transcendental Research
Association Inc. (a nonprofit, California chartered
religious organization) beg you to take heed of this
warning -- (italics) Riverside County is hell incarnate!

In 1967 several members of Velle purchased 20 acres of
beautiful quiet desert property 40 miles North of Blythe,
a city in Riverside County. We purchased this land
so that we could have a retreat center away from the
clamor and smog of the city. We felt that the stillness
of then desert would be conducive to meditation
and the study of Man's relationship to his fellow man,
the Universe, and God.

Two years of labor, and thousands of dollars worth of
supplies, equipment and materials brought the retreat
to its first stage of completion. The retreat was comprised
of the following: two main buildings (40' x 80'),
two working wells, ten apartments, for the people who
had already moved to the retreat; and corrals for our
horses, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, and a mule. There was
also a bird house for the chickens, turkeys, pheasants,
squab, geese, ducks, swans, and peacocks as well as
two acres of fields, a herb garden, and a swimming pool.

Not only was the retreat coming along well, but we had
established a religious and philosophical bookstore and
gift shop in Blythe, and a cafe, motel, and gas station in
a small town, just North of the retreat called Vidal.

Had it not been for the constant surveillance of our
property by a local minutemen organization called the
"Blythe Jeep Club," we would have had no indication
that the populace resented our presence. It wasn't until
actual violence broke out that we learned we were known
as a "nudist colony," "drug addicts" "hippies" "witches"
and "Devil worshippers." None of these allegations relate
in any manner to the truth. We were and are, simply,
seekers of Truth.

In May 1969, just days previous to Velle's exodus from the
confines of L.A., two of the children already living at
the retreat started a fire in an attempt to burn down their
apartment. They felt this would enable them to move back
into the main building where everyone had first lived.
They liked to listen to the adults talking instead of
sleeping as they should.

The fire, however, reached and intensity far beyond the
children's wildest imaginations. Within moments explosions
occurred and the whole retreat was ablaze. A few short
hours later the retreat center was reduced to rubble and
debris.

Saul and Kathy, the children who had set the fire, had been
problem children from the onset in that they were both
products of broken homes and family bickering. Their
constant craving for attention made them difficult to handle.
Therefore, in light of the fact that all the group's attention
would have to be directed towards rebuilding the retreat,
we felt it would be best for all if the children were returned
to their parents in Los Angeles.

However, Kathy's mother, Mrs. Marge Myer, insisted that
she could not support Kathy and pleaded with us to care
for her. Mr. Jim Gibbons, Saul's father, who was a probation
counselor in L.A., reasoned that it would be best for Saul to
remain at the retreat center and assist in the rebuilding project
so he could learn from his mistake. Due to Saul's long history
of unbalanced actions it seemed as though this experience
might be what he needed to resolve his problems.

It was soon apparent, however, that Kathy and Saul should
be separated. Consequently Kathy lived at our motel in
Vidal with Patty Mosher, and Saul lived at the retreat under
the supervision of Steve Quilley.

Two months later the new building was nearly completed
and life was for the most part, back to normal. Until Friday
afternoon, July 25, when Steve discovered Saul trying to
set fire to the kitchen of the new building. Steve was shocked
beyond belief. He called Saul's father, Jim, and related the
incident. It threw Jim into a state of anxiety and despair,
for Saul had seemed to be progressing.

Jim told Steve to lock Saul up until the next day when he
could get out to the desert and take Saul back to L.A.
Steve was perplexed since there was no place to lock
Saul up. Posing this question to Jim, Jim answered
"Do anything you have to do to keep him and everyone
out of danger. Tie him, or chain him, if you have to."
Consequently, Saul spent that night chained in a
storage shed.

The next morning Julie Oster stopped by the retreat
to see if Steve needed any supplies, since she was on
her way to Los Angeles. Upon discovering Saul's
circumstances, she became quite upset and demanded
that Saul be released. When Steve said he couldn't
do that, she went to Blythe in search of Saul's mother.
Not finding her, she went to the group's bookstore
and related the situation to Marge Myer, directing
her to get in touch with Saul's mother.

Unbeknownst to the group, Marge was vindictive
towards the group. She felt indignation towards the
group for "stealing" her brother (she was a devout
member) from her, and resented the group's rules of
celibacy. Instead of finding Beverly, Saul's mother,
Marge contacted the police. The police gave her all
the assistance she needed by sending her Larry
Creech -- a police informer, who was later accompanied
by Michael Childs, and undercover agent.

Posing as hippies, these two apparations of pestilence
entered the retreat under the pretext of wanting to
borrow a car jack, and to look at the horses Marge
said were for sale. En route to the corral Creech made a
sharp diversion and walked 30 feet off the path to
the corral. He went directly to the storage shed.
He later testified that he had "instinctively" been
drawn to the shed.

The two "visitors" left and within minutes returned to
the retreat with the police, and all Hell broke loose.
Everyone in sight was arrested. The confusion was
so great that Steve Quilley escaped (A sterling
example of the incompetence of Riverside's police
force. Remember, this is a desert, no trees, just
flat land).

Within hours we were dubbed "wicked monsters,"
"animals," and "religious maniacs." Needless to say,
we became the center of attention, a position,
I'm sure, that was coveted by all the local masochists.
We were crowned with laurels of hatred and malice.
Vengeance was theirs and they knew how to take it.

Creech and his cohort Childs tried to start a riot
at our cafe in Vidal that evening. The phone became a
vent for the public's hostility. The police kept
harassing others. Finally our old friends the
"Blythe Jeep Club" arrived with their welcome wagon
and started shooting at people, both at the cafe
and at the retreat.

The only avenue left for us was flight. We took it.
The people who had been arrested stayed behind
in an attempt to hold things together until the dust
had settled and we could return to clean up the whole
mess.

The police knew that if we were allowed to return we
could prove that the people on trial were innocent.
Therefore the tornado kept churning and the last
two years has seen them do all in their power to
deter our return.

Mr. Gary Scherotter, a Chief D.A. for the desert
area, saw in us a chance to reach the pinnacles
of fame and exploited the incident to the utmost
of his capabilities. Unfortunately for us,
Mr. Scherotter is very capable in that respect.
Under his direction, the Riverside Grand Jury indicted
19 people, and issued 23 John Doe warrants.
The indictments turned 6 of the persons who had
fled for their lives into "hunted fugitives."

Another feather in Mr. Scherotter's cap is Al Reos.
Within days, after the original arrest, Al, driven by
paranoid delusions and nerve-crushing fear, made
a deal with the authorities. According to the terms
of his agreement, Al was to accept the bail raised
by the group, return to the group to spy on his
fellow defendants, and then, at the crucial moment,
become a witness for the prosecution and perjure himself.

In order to convince his interrogators that he could be
of material assistance to the prosecution, Al concocted
a fanciful story to please them. The story maintained
that Saul had been chained in the storage shed
for 56 days!

Forther evidence of the prosecution's lust for
convictions comes to light when one realizes that
Al's bizarre account was accepted whole-cloth,
even in light of the arresting officer's observations
as to the boy's condition. The following is a quote
taken directly from Dep. Davidson's police report:
"The mental atertness of the boy was exceptionally
sharp. The boy appeared healthy and surprisingly
alert."

It wasn't until 3 days after the police found Saul
that they saw fit to give him a medical examination.
The results of that examination are as follows:
A. No signs of dehydration
B. No signs of malnutrition
C. No medical treatment required in any respect
The doctor stated that the boy was "quite bright
and oriented, alert" "He appeared like a healthy kid"
"I don't think his condition would correspond
with one who had been kept in a box that length
of time."

Yet, inexplicably, Al's incredible account was
seized upon and warrants were issued against
the persons he had named, as convictions
became a political necessity for D.A. Scherotter's
career.

While Sgt. Henry Hayes and Chief Investigator
for the D.A.'s office, Jim Hunt, were chasing
defense witnesses all over the country, keeping
them from appearing in Indio and testifying on
behalf of those persons who had been arrested,
the trial began. The race to victory was on and
the starting gun was aimed at one of our attorneys.
He had his windshield shot out by unknown
snipers while driving home from a court appearance.
Every motion the defense proposed was flatly
denied, including severance and change of venue.

The "Railroad" reached its zenith of operation
when, 10 days after the onset of the trial,
Al Reos, to the surprise of all but the District
Attorney's office, declared himself a witness for
the prosecution. Al related his 18th century tale
of witches and hobgoblins, complete with accounts
of magical ritual tortures. The group, according to Al,
had tortured Saul for 56 days under the direction
and influence of its "leader."

Al Reos' false testimony won the case for the
prosecution. The defense attorneys were caught
completely off guard. In an attempt to deal with the
surprising turn of events, they hurriedly improvised
a strategy by which Al's false testimony was not
refuted, and blame was placed on innocent people
who had fled in fear of their lives.

Another, more than interesting, aspect of the trial
was the manner in which the prosecution prepared
its witnesses. Saul Gibbons has related an incident
that occurred prior to his appearance in court.
Sgt. Henry Hayes approaced the boy with a soft
guttural tone in his voice, holding in his hand a
small metal ball which was dangling from the end of
a chain. Saul reports that Sgt. Hayes asked him to
concentrate on the glistening ball as it swung
to and fro.

Saul can't remember any more of the incident.
However, once on the stand, he sunk into a state
of stupefication. He was barely audible in the
hushed court room. The prosecution asked him to
identify his mother, Beverly Gibbons (Bev was a
defendant). After a long pause and with much
difficulty Saul stated that the woman before him
was Jim Hungerford's mother! (Jim was a defendant
also).

Even with all the underhandedness of the prosecution
staff there was not enough false evidence to convict
all ten of the persons who stood trial. Therefore, to
strike a balance between the TRUTH and the cries
for blood by the public, the jury passed the following
judgment: 4 felony convictions, 3 misdemeanor
convictions, and 3 acquittals.

Although their bail was still valid, the persons who
received felony convictions -- Patty Mosher, Beverly
Gibbons, Jeff Flynn, and Spud Reynolds -- were held
in jail prior to the sentencing. The manuever proved
to be a boon to Riverside's ruthless vindictiveness.
While in jail these persons became victims of brutal
beatings and inhuman torture. The girls were forced
to eat feces, commit bestial sex acts, and pray to their
tormentors for their lives. This four hour ordeal was
done with the tacit cooperation of the matrons and
jail authorities. Although the girls were covered with
cuts and bruises (Beverly's face was swollen to
twice its normal size), they were refused medical
attention. Spud was more fortunate. He spent a week
in the jail's infirmary recovering from the wounds he
received during his welcoming party.

Two days later the Riverside probation officers took
advantage of the girls state of emotional and physical
shock by grilling them, individually, for hours.
The probation officers used techniques known as
"the white light" and "the third degree."

The alleged six fugitives have made repeated attempts
to return to justice. Each attempt at redress has been
answered by repeated and compounded threats.
The D.A.'s office has increased the bail from the
ridiculous amount of $5,000.00 to the outrageous
amount of $25,000.00.

Last month we filed a petition for a change of venue
in absentia with the Indio Superior Court. The petition
was filed in absentia for Richard and Georgina Brayton
by their attorney, Mr. Richard A. Walton. The Judge
agreed that it would be highly dangerous for the
Braytons to make a personal appearance and therefore
heard the motion in their absence.

Logically, it would follow that if the defendants' very lives
would be endangered by appearing in court, it would
also be impossible for them to receive a fair trial. However,
the Judge made a monumental decision and refused to
move the location of the trial to a less odious location.
And so, we were allowed the privilege of enjoying
Riverside's bigoted injustice.

In preparation for another change of venue motion,
the members of Velle have just recently conducted a
public opinion poll in Riverside. The result: 65% of the
persons polled feel the "fugitives" are guilty; 75% are
convinced that Saul was physically injured. Incredible
as it may be, even the examining Doctor's wife thinks
the boy was injured.

During our two year sojourn through this waste land of
abhorrence and prejudice we have, surprisingly enough,
ferreted out a few individuals that stand above the herd.
One such person is Mr. Vance Weber, and investigator-
reporter for KPLM-TV, a Palm Springs substation of ABC.

We have presentd Mr. Weber with extensive documentation
and evidence which proves our innocence. He is the first
person to have viewed this material with a dispassionate
eye, the result being that he can see we speak the truth.
Therefore, starting Monday August 23 (1971), he began
airing the true story on his television show.
The television shows, in conjunction with a newspaper
we have just published entitled the Midnight Press,
will reveal to the public how they have been emotionally
duped into believing and supporting a power-hungry
political animal.

On August 27, Jim Gibbons (Saul's father) turned
himself over to the D.A.'s office with thousands of
people watching on television. This will deter the
authorities from any attempts they might make to
deal with Jim as they have his predecessors.

It may be difficult to believe that all you have
just read is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth. However, it is the truth.

We need your support! Riverside County must be
made aware that its day of reckoning has come.
That little corner of the world must be made aware
that the whole state is watching is and doesn't
like what it sees.

Help your fellow man and write: Mr. Vance Weber
c/o KPLM TV, Drawer 4200, Palm Springs, Cal.
92262. State your views in order that men like
D.A. Scherotter and their actions may be brought
to justice and that all further similar actions by
these men or men like them will be utterly and
completely stopped so the Basic American
concepts of justice and liberty will prevail.

If you desire further information on this matter
feel free to write to: Velle Transcendental
Research Association Inc., 1241 West 30th Street,
Los angeles, California 90007. This could happen
to you! You could be the next passenger on the
Railroad called bigotry and hatred!

I have purchased and read this book.

It deserves a place on the bookshelf along side 'Wilifred T. Smith & The Unknown God", "Sex & Rockets" and "Strange Angel" as documenting more of the ripples that Thelema has made in collective pool of conciousness in California from the 1930's to the present.

This book does not meet academic standards. This presents a sharp contrast to the large setup and the high price of the book. It seems clear that something must be done to optimise the academic outcome of Thelemites.
It is vital for Thelema that our finest representations meet the academic standard. Or it may be considered that the traditional academic presentation of research has become obsolete. We may have to improve the presentation of research.

Gee, Tenrie,

Inside Solar Lodge - Outside the Law by Frater Shiva (that's me) is not a research project.

It is a trip down memory lane that is designed to dispel the massive amount of illusion that has grown up around Solar Lodge. I was there. It's just a story.

But it's all true!

I found this informative, well written and thoroughly enjoyable book to be a refreshing change from the usual turgid stuff on offer. I shall remember it long after I forget the price - which in fact I have already - and which I must have found reasonable on the day.

"Academic standards" have their place but it's not in first hand memoirs or biography. Spence's article 'Secret Agent 666' is a good example; he quotes Amado in a few places and says so - anyone who disdains Amado can discount those few instances. But there are more bad examples in this field than good. I've recently seen a footnote to the name 'W E Henley' and the footnote just said "An English poet". Nothing about AC meeting him, his poem or Rodin's portrait - zilch. It's not necessary, it would be out of place but why say anything at all? Are we all thick; have we no Google? It might as well say 'A bloke'. And this is just one of many.

I say hats off to Shiva and anyone like him and gloves and condoms on for quackademia.

OK

Hi Researcher,

I'm surprised you just found out about the book - it's been pretty well publicized. You shouldn't have trouble obtaining a copy - as mentioned in numerous places on this very site. It can be ordered direct from the distributor, Weiser Antiquarian Books, although I am told that stocks are starting to run low.

Many of the questions you raised are indeed already dealt with in the book. Still, to be clear:

You asked: "Was the Ranch located on the West or East side of the highway?"

Solar Ranch was located one mile East of Hwy 95. The EXACT location of a spot that is situated right between the still-existing, concrete foundations of the buildings that burned is given in the book, "Inside Solar Lodge - Outside the Law," in GPS (Latitude & Longitude) coordinates. In fact, the coordinates for almost all of our sites are listed, and several readers have happily gone scouting with various, online, satellite-based, locator programs. Have fun on your travels.

You also asked, "Who leased it?"

The property was not leased. It was purchased. The first ten-acre plot was bought by Dick and Jean Brayton. Soon thereafter, several adjoining plots were purchased by pairs of members. Mister M might have been in one of these pairs - I cannot remember. His name is erroneously posted in many places as being prominent in Solar Lodge, but he was neither an "officer" nor a "high-ranking" initiate. He is not mentioned in my book, but his (post-Solar Lodge) contribution to the Thelemic community is cited on my website at http://www.angelfire.com/planet/mystic-histor y"> http://www.angelfire.com/planet/mystic-history . I don't know that any of us will show up with the County Recorder, for I believe the land company retained the deeds as we were on the pay-as-you-go program, with the deeds being deliverable after ten years of payments.

You wrote: "Is the Sept 1969 incident involving the ranch caretaker, Christopher Hartwell, in the book?"

Chris, and his unfortunate incident, are mentioned briefly in the section of the book entitled, "In Memoriam." Thank you for reminding me of his long-forgotten, last name.

You inquired: "How about Jeff Flynn's arrest at the bookstore?"

Mister F is not mentioned at all in my book. He was busted outside our Blythe bookstore, "The Eye of Horus," in the rear parking lot. I believe he was detained for possessing an illegal, green, leafy, herbal substance whose common name begins with the letter "M." His activities in this matter were his own and did not involve any participation by, or involvement with, Solar Lodge

You asked: "The Blythe Jeep Club: Is there any mention of their involvement (with stored sedatives) at the Midland shelter site?"

Yes, The Blythe Jeep Club is mentioned in my book. Your term, "stored sedatives," may refer to (Doctor) Frater Shem's medical cache, which is described in detail in my book, but it had nothing to do with the paramilitary Jeepsters. Your term, "Midland shelter site," has no meaning for me on any level (???).

You observed, and asked: "Official Records in Nevada, indicate Braytons lived into the 1990's in the Las Vegas area. Did they have a surviving daughter there?"

The Las Vegas era was "well after my time in the Tong," but it is outlined in my book. The Brayton's had no children there or elsewhere.

You finally ask: "Would you welcome, reference to some of the news articles or documents from the Riverside County court case? Example: Los Angeles Free Press, "The Case of the Boy Chained in the Box" by Ed Hoffman."

This article, and its author, are cited in my book (see the Preface) as being one of the few factual accounts of the events at Solar Ranch. This article has (long-ago) been posted on the Internet, so there's nothing new here. As I read your posting of this Free Press article, I noted that the name of the children's mother was incorrect - Other than that, it's pretty much the way things happened.

You inquired, "Would you welcome references ...?"

I believe that I, and most people in the Thelemic community who had any interest in the subject, have already seen and read most of the "references." As pointed out in the book, the great majority of these contain errors and/or deliberate disinformation. I believe that highlighting them once again won't help anyone understand what happened any better. All it will do is drag up, one more time, the same old nonsense about Solar Lodge that has been widely, and largely unquestioningly, disseminated for the last three decades.

I would really like to read this anyone want to sell their copy?

Inside Solar Lodge - Outside the Law is now out of print; the 418 copies were sold out by last June (2008).
Copies are selling on eBay from around $80 up to $418 (which is really rather ridiculous). I had some, new, signed copies, and have recently listed 2 of them them on eBay where they sold for $80 and $81 respectively.
I still have a few to go, and they will be offered (somewhere) in the near future.
So if you are unable to find someone willing to part with their copy, send me a PM (Private Message).

I'm going to pass on any further detailed questions regarding Solar Lodge's field maneuvers ... that's why the book(s) was/were written. I'd avoid the first book, Inside Solar Lodge - Outside the Law, because it's now a "rare collector's item"  ::)  - and it was listed as such by some sellers even before all the original copies were sold out by Weiser Antiquarian - a copy is listed today for $250 (used) on Amazon, but you can also get a new copy for just $499  😮 at eBay (Buy it Now - not an auction).

The second book, Inside Solar Lodge - Behind the Veil, is available for only $25, or so, and it includes the entire text of the first book, but is almost doubled in size with additional material. Most of your questions are answered completely in both books. Poke around - you might even be able to borrow a copy.

Also, if anyone who has read the book(s) wants to answer such questions, feel free to speak (write) up. I'll only interefere if you make a mistake.

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In all the excitement about the not-so-alleged involvement of the Brayton bunch with the Germer “abstruction”, I had momentarily forgotten all about the mob’s involvement with “the boy in the box” brouhaha.  While we’re at it, did Ma Baker – I’m sorry, Brayton, mastermind any other schemes?  One thing I have never been clear about (and don’t know if it’s answered in the book), but was anything further ever heard from “the boy in the box” Anthony Saul Gibbons, who must be about fifty now assuming he is still alive & with us - is it known whether the experience put him off A.C. & deterred him from any future involvement with Thelema for life, and has he ever commented on it?

I’ll refrain from remarking too much on these matters until I have read the book, but having digested the contents of this thread just make the following brief observations:

Reply #17 on: January 27, 2008, 02:56:21 am:
... - In response to a phone call from Vidal, Jean Brayton, Frater Shem, and I arrived about 6 hours after the fire started. It continued to burn for 30 hours after that.

That must have been some blaze then – it’s surprising there was anything left to burn, after all that time – it being desert and all…

Reply #17 on: January 27, 2008, 02:56:21 am:
For approximately two months immediately prior to the arrest, I visited the Ranch at least 5 days each week, for my assignment was to supervise part of the reconstruction efforts. I lived in Vidal, only 4 miles away. This could be, and was, any time of the day or evening. This includes every day for the 7 days immediately preceding the arrest - because the construction was quite intense at that time. On every visit I always saw the boy working at his assignment: Helping to rebuild.

“Helping to rebuild”?  That six year old must have been a dab hand with a hod, then?

Reply #17 on: January 27, 2008, 02:56:21 am:
On the other hand, we never killed anyone and never held animal sacrifices. No man ever had long hair and no maiden ever looked like she just drifted in from the Haight-Ashbury district. We were monogamous. Now that's really shocking!

Now I find this almost as hard to believe as any of the wilder claims made about Solar Lodge!!  Are you seriously saying that in 1969 in California “no man” (in the group) had long hair?  (I suppose next you’ll be stating nobody ever smoked dope or dropped acid too?!) 

Packing heat (not),
Norma N. Joy Conquest

I suppose that depends on how you define "scheme." Anything that she "masterminded" is set forth in the text.

No. The box became empty after his emancipation. Neither I, nor anyone I know, has heard a single peep. His sister remained with the group, and I heard that her's was one of the few initiations conducted after the Lodge ceased formal operations in 1972.

Charcoal (as in a smelting furnace). Piles and piles of charcoal - initially ignited by gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, kerosene, and propane (in big tanks that blew up. As it hints in the text: Have you ever seen steel burned away? Oh yes, let's not forget the heavy lumber timbers and the oxy/acetylene tanks.

This picture is mild. The ending scene of Zabrisky Point is more like what really happened.

Yes. He was also forced to bury the goat and the turtles (or was it 2 goats and one turtle?) who perished in the fire that he purposely set. His duties were mainly moving (light) things around, and holding tools. It was Soror Capricornus who decided to rebuild and to have the kid stay and work. It will be helpful if you understand that she had received a "message" to close the gates of initiation and send everyone away. She refused - and brought down a heap of trouble on all of us. The only reason this is known is that she told me about it (the "message") six months later - when we were fugitively hanging out in Mexico.

Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying.

::) Just make sure you read the second edition. Any libationary usage was left unmentioned in the first edition. All the (legal) LSD stuff - and the associated rites - is/are detailed in the revised text.  😀

Dear Jamie, I do like reading your posts - often you are quite knowledgable and often give me new facts to read about.
Thanks.
In this case it may be good to bump `Inside Solar Lodge` up on your reading list, then instead of you guessing about things - I can once again read your well informed opinion (in the matter of Solar lodge).

I have read it, enjoyed it, and it filled in many gaps I had from my own cobbled thoughts and imaginings gained from many other sources.

Thank you for your kind words and advice, newneubergOuch2 (or do you mind Ouch?).

And thank you, Shiva, for indulging my little flippancies & providing further information. That certainly was some fire... Sounds like it must have come over like the end of the world – and I suppose it was the end of your [Solar’s] world, for a time anyway.  White heat!

Top of the world, ma
N. Joy

It is a very long time since I saw 'Zabriskie Point', so that great still takes me back away.  Wasn't the accompanying soundtrack to the ending scene something like Pink Floyd's "Careful with that Axe Eugene ?"

Yes, must have been one hell of a big bang.

As I said on a long-ago thread, among historical Thelemic organizations, the Solar Lodge are, I believe, unique in that they ran a gas station (speaking of flammables).
Shiva appears to have been what we called a "motorhead" in high school (years before the band) based on the hot-rod pic in one of his books, so perhaps no surprise.
Is there any chance of a sequel about the gas station?

I love it when that happens! It reminds me of the first time that I was well within the danger close zone of a five hundred pounder when it went off. If you have never experienced and lived through such an event at close range...well...nevermind. It is a unique experience to say the least.

Not as a book. But, look here. This is your sequel:

Soror Capricornus got the idea that we should open a bookstore. So she rented a small office on a busy street and assigned me as the manager/clerk.

Shortly after that, Frater Apollo approached Capricornus and said he wanted to obtain a Richfield franschise, and would she consider bankrolling it? "Yes," she said.

So Apollo went to the mandatory gas station school. One of the most important things he learned was that a lit cigarette would not cause gasoline (petrol) to explode. His instructor took a lit cigarette and threw it in a filled bucket of gas - and it went out just like it had been thrown into water. But an OPEN FLAME is different. A tale was told of a gas pump that overflowed from a customer's tank, with gas streaming down into the gutter of the nearby street; a smoker lit his cigarette with a match, and tossed the burning match into the gutter. Boom! No more gas station!

On opening day, all the female members dressed in belly dancer outfits (we had bought the wardrobe collection from the movie, Cleopatra). Countless helium baloons were launched in order to draw attention to the new (re-opened) station.

After that, it was fairly boring. Apollo ran the place and a few of our members worked there. We dispensed fuel and made repairs to automobiles - just like any other boring job. The place provided our cars and convoys with wholesale gasoline and we made many repairs on our cars and trucks.

At any time, the company (Atlantic Richfield) might call and announce a change in price. It was like the stock market. As I remember, the price fluctuated a few cents above and below 23 cents a gallon. Those days will not be seen again!

Nothing special happened there. The secret chiefs did not appear, nor did the police. It was, after all, just a plain old, busy, gas station.

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I wasn't there for the explosion, but those who were described it just like the Zabrisky blow-up - except it was a blacker fireball mushroom than the picture that was posted. By the time it blew, all the people present had withdrawn to a safe distance.

Thank you, Shiva, for this mini-sequel; also, i had never been aware there was such a thing as gas station school.
So customers would have had no idea there was anything unusual about this gas station, as indeed you say there wasn't?

Just a normal business venture, operated by short-haired, clean-cut attendants and mechanics.

I other words....keeping the wheels and gears of motion lubricated?  😀