Ordo Templi Orientis
in Canada, II
AWAY WITH THE FAIRIES? POOLE'S AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SNIPPETS
In March 2001, David Poole provided the following biographical information:- 'Preclude [sic] to the Career of a Magical Student'
- Father: Henry A. Poole (II) Born xxxx Canada
- Mother: Jaqueline Renée xxxx, Born xxxx
- Maternal Grandfather: Denis Perrot, Born xxxx
- Maternal Grandmother: Julienne Prévost, Born xxxx
- Paternal Grandfather: Henry Alfred Poole (I) xxxx
- Paternal Grandmother: Irene King, Born xxxx,xxx
Poole: "I was born on xxxx 1959 at 1:05 am in Maisoneuve-Rosemont Hospital in Montréal, Canada. My father, a civil servant for the Canadian Government had been a Military police Sergeant during WW2, where he met my mother in Calais, France where they married. He settled back in Montréal after the war, held a succession of jobs (union representative, bouncer, immigration officer and registrar for the court of appeals...).
At the time of my conception, my parents who had been brought up Roman Catholic, were into the eastern mysteries: Hatha Yoga, Meditation and particularly interesting to me, my father, an avid reader well into SF, fantasy and serious literature was at the time into Nietzche [sic], Rabelais, and other precursors to my own leanings later in life towards the Crowleyan philosophy of do what thou wilt.
As a youth I felt strangely attracted to the plants and trees in our family garden. I recall waking in the morning on a summer day and running straight outside to play and talk with the 'fairy folk'. One time I made a treasure chest out of a cigar box and filled it with little toys, coins, and I buried it at the foot of my special tree. A day later it had disappeared! I always wondered if the wee folk had taken it!
I was sent to private school and as I approached puberty was sent to the public school system. When I did my Confirmation I assisted the Priest as one of the Children carrying the wine, this made an impression on me and I always was interested in Rituals since then. As a junior in High School I discovered the occult and a lifelong fascination developed. I started visiting the local bookstore and soon had quite a collection of books like 'The Voodoo Book', 'The Satanic Bible', 'Magic an Occult Primer', 'Witchcraft Today', the series by Lobsang Rampa, etc... I considered myself in tune with Mother Nature and considered that I was perhaps a natural 'witch' or 'sorcerer'.
I was a typical pimply tall and lanky teenager, but the thing that set me apart was my interest in the occult. As many of my friends got heavily involved with drugs and alcohol, I became a "Mystic" and spent many days wandering the paths of the Montréal Botanical gardens, learning about the herbs and medicinal plants cultivated there. My favorite places were the monastery gardens, the alpine gardens, the aquatic gardens and the greenhouses. My weekends were spent camping in the Laurentians were I trekked m any a mile carrying my herb books identifying wild plants. At the age of sixteen I discovered, thanks to an older friend of mine, a bookstore called 418.
I purchased the 'Magical and Philosophical commentaries of the Book of the Law' by Aleister Crowley. This was a major turning point in my life as I felt intrinsically that this was 'it' for me. I agreed with the Thelemic philosophy to the core of my being. I realized that such an inspired work must have come to Crowley after much magical work, and I began to read all I can on him to understand the path that had led him hither. I purchased the Gems from the Equinox and devoured it. I signed the pledge form as a probationer of A.·. A.·. and began the requisite practices. I had already several years of hatha yoga under my belt so I decided to begin ritual magic with Liber O as my guide.
Within a few weeks of doing the lesser banishing of the pentagram and the hexagram, I began too observe changes in me and my environment. Things that I desired materialized almost without effort, my dreams were vivid and prophetic, my creative writing and my art improved. A friend and I decided to move out west, so at the age of seventeen I moved to Calgary, found work, and set up an apartment with my first Temple."
[Mr. Poole also paid a visit to P-R. König in 1995, accompanied by a remarkable series of omens, if his diary entries are to be believed:]
"January 21, 1995. Arrived in Zurich, safe and sound. Ernst Ae*** picked me up at the airport and drove me to my hotel The Sternen (The Star!) in Oerlikon about 5 minutes walk from the plant.
January 22, 1995. Bad night's sleep last night. Some sort of party in the hotel with live German band kept me awake till 2:00 am, at which point I did a loud Star Ruby. The band shortly after played "taps" and stopped. I was then able to sleep in till 9:30 am!
January 25, 1995. Dreamt I was walking near St-Marcs Masonic Memorial Temple. I notice a smaller building adjacent to it, and on its roof there seems to be all sort of church implements: Candlestick holders, Incense Burners, Votive Lights, and Sanctuary Lamps. I love that stuff so I get the idea that if I come back at night I'll be able to help myself. I decide to walk in the garden sourounding the Masonic Temple. I come to a triangular hedgerow, and notice that it seems to be a lightwell with a rectangular shaft going to the side of the Temple. I squeeze myself into it and it opens up into a ante-chamber room which has large windows and a glass door all covered with a metallic grill worked to resemble crosses and roses. Some one on the inside notices me and opens the door for me to enter. I find myself in a basement with a ante-chamber leading to some sort of inner temple. Several people come out of the inner room and I say hello and introduce myself as a member of the OTO - no one seems to care. Ask if I can go into "inner temple", they say I can come any time I want."
January 26, 1995. Worked all day and at 7:00 pm had a meeting with P.R. Koenig a Swiss writer on OTO related subjects. At exactly 7:00 pm a huge thunderstorm hit Zurich. Lightning lit the sky and rain came down in sheets. I was sitting alone at the Hotel Ascot in the "Lawrence" restaurant, a few minutes later in walked a soaked Mr. Koenig. I was equipped with a mini tape recorder and had a camera ready for the occasion..." [Ed.: A photograph taken at that occasion can be admired via the Intro Page]
POOLE'S ACCOUNT
David Poole sent some comments to P-R. König, who forwarded them to Simon and Leah:Poole: "Long time no hear! How cheeky of you to ask! I'm personally even less interested in the OTO than the last time we spoke. However, if you want the real scoop on the Canadian OTO, I suppose this is the place to start. Montréal's 'Phoenix' Lodge was the first Caliphate Lodge established in Canada, followed by Toronto, Edmonton, Victoria... We have the archives on all the developments here, and the personal files from when the Lodge was founded here!
I was interested in Thelema before the Caliphate rolled into town, and was familiar with the Typhonian group running 93 Publishing and 418 Bookstore."
Leah: "This is so strange. David Poole is about ten years younger than me. I soon will be 51. I used to go to 418 Books, which closed, as far as I can tell, in the 70s - he must have been very very young when he went there!"
Poole: "As well there was another group of Thelemites, university students, that ran another used bookstore and had Full Moon meetings near McGill University."
Leah: "He means a bookshop called 'Metamorphoses', run by a High Priest named Serge Lebel. This one closed, then reopened on another street in 1990 or 1991 - the very weird thing is that Poole's OTO actually had its meetings in their new shop before it closed! I think he was asked to leave the shop... Serge Lebel is a witch, definitely NOT a Thelemite! He hates OTO!"
[Serge Lebel later commented: "As for the OTO, well the point is I never liked or disliked (hate? where do you get this extreme view from?) the organisation itself, I simply do not find within me any inclination towards occult clubs or stuctures by nature. My little incursions in the Craft circles had more to do with applying the means to help recreate the celebration of the Times of the Year. But Of course: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law."]
Poole: "If I decide to help you on the essay, what's in it for me?"
Leah: "Typical of Poole!"
From Ken Timmon: "Richard moved onto Vancouver to form an OTO camp there called 'Horus Babalon'. It lasted from 1983-1988. There was an incident involving a Minerval initiation and Richard holding a sword, and the police called in and OTO Grand Lodge had to shut them down. More on that at another time. I had not seen Richard since the Grady initiation. I miss the old sod, which is why I asked you if you know of him."
Leah: "I don't know of Richard, but I did hear about this incident, which was around the time Wytchwood Hill Camp and Starry Wisdom Oasis were closed - 1988 I guess. All at once several groups in Canada were closed.
I am surprised at not seeing the name Michael Vaughn though, and wonder if he changed his name somewhere along the way... he was in Montréal, and there was a big rivalry between him and Bill Breeze. Vaughn had 'I Tz Ch L T I' Camp in Montréal; he and Bill were complaining about each other, each trying to have the other shut down.
Vaughn went to Edmonton, though, and when Breeze became 'Caliph', supposedly he 'gave' Michael Vaughn a Lodge. But Edmonton is some 2000 plus miles away from here, and we don't get a lot of news from there. It was Michael Vaughn who had Sabina Hugelschaeffer (Sr. Hawkchild) as his 'scarlet woman' here - she also was from Alberta, and very young, 19 or so. She ended up needing a hysterectomy, but didn't have a proper medical card, so she needed help with the bill. An old Native Shaman in his 60s paid for the operation, and took care of Sabina after the COTO abandoned her. She never recovered psychologically about being sterilised, effectively, at such a young age, and then abandoned by the 'brothers'. This Shaman absolutely hates Bill Breeze. Ditto for Vaughn who dumped her when she got ill.
The Shaman could not help her, though he tried, he had to watch her all the time. In 1987 or 1988 when he was hospitalised with asthma, she walked into the woods on a Native Reserve in October, out in BC, and died of exposure, spending the last days of her life sitting under a tree - until she died. No drugs - I don't think Sabina ever took drugs - just despair.
Then we heard the story of the Edmonton thing - that Michael Vaughn had gone to the Lodge with a gun and shot at people, and got locked up. I am so surprised that your correspondent doesn't mention this. He got expelled, we heard. But most of the news we got was hearsay. I think I recall that everyone was so upset that Breeze gave Vaughn a charter - after the way he treated Sabina, and also because of the conflict between him and Vaughn to begin with. Everyone here hated Vaughn."
Simon: "Is Richard Lord Michael Vaughn, and did the sword get turned into a knife? I would have heard the story from Alan Stewart, who stayed in touch with everyone. Apparently he even wrote to G.M. Kelly! No one ever suggested that Michael Vaughn changed his name though, and I never heard him called Frater anything (unusual here, to begin with)."
THE BOOK THAT MADE THE 'CALIPHATE' BLOW ITS FUSES
"I have here a little paperback book, called _Witches, Pagans & Magic in the New Age_ by Kevin Marron (author of _Ritual Abuse_) published by Seal Books, McClelland-Bantam, Toronto, 1989 (Canadian Cataloging in Publication Number C89-095084-9; ISBN 0-770-42380). It mentions (p. 168 ff.) Alan Stewart's 'Church of the Starry Wisdom'. The 'Caliphate' blew all its fuses when this book came out! I think it partly led to Alan getting expelled..."- "Followers of Aleister Crowley, members of a highly secretive
group called the Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO), practice ritual or ceremonial
magic in lodges in several Canadian cities. This is not a satanist organization,
although Crowley's works were a strong influence on many people who now
call themselves satanists. [...] I have talked to OTO members in
Victoria, Edmonton and Montréal who say they do not try to emulate
Crowley's vicious lifestyle or indulge in blood rituals [...]
"The leader of the Montréal OTO group, called the Church of the Starry Wisdom, told me in a letter that they share their temple with a group devoted to Wicca. He wrote: 'The kids on the street are intrigued by our posters in the front hall windows, but their mothers have absolutely nothing to worry about.'
"Since the OTO is a closed and secret organization, it is not possible to say with complete confidence that there is no reason to be uneasy about its activities. I found most of the members I encountered to be rather earnest people with a serious interest in ritual magic and Crowley's philosophy. Some of them obviously derive some satisfaction from the shock value of Crowley's more outrageous statements about blood sacrifices. It is my impression, however, that the greatest risk one runs in encountering these people is being offended by their humour and bored by their opinions."
- "A member of an OTO lodge in Edmonton said his group uses
a non-profit theater group as a front, which he said is appropriate in
that ritual magic is a form of theater. He told me that his group had published
in a newsletter some rituals involving animal sacrifice. He said in a telephone
conversation that they would not indulge in such practices, but do like
to shock people. Members of his lodge are mostly involved in the computer
industry or working at the university, he said.
"He told me that he used to be a member of the Church of Satan but had been thrown out of that organization. He also told me that he was involved with the Temple of Set, which he said held a secret convention in Toronto in 1988.
"After talking with the Edmonton OTO member, I received some copies of the lodge's newsletter, which mostly contained very dry academic material about the history of the OTO. One issue contained a letter from a friend of the lodge suggesting that it would be a good idea if they began to admit women to their rituals.
"Other OTO members I interviewed presented a much more sober view of the organization. One man told me that they had recruited too many people in the 1970s and were now trying to weed out the more undesirable element. He mentioned that he had been concerned to hear that someone had been practicing blood rituals in Trenton, Ontario, and that the organization was investigating this allegation."
-
Leah Sun Dec 12, 2004
QUOTE
"Okay, why the OTO got so upset - we heard - was that Alan just wrote to this guy. I think Poole was the lodgemaster, Phoenix, or about to be, and got really angry that the book said "The leader of the Montréal OTO group" because Poole thought he was! Also that it was put in the chapter on Satanism... Starry Wisdom was just an Oasis at that time."
UNQUOTE
I can't recollect who wrote what above, at this point, and it's not clear. But Simon and I did not know each other.
I think it goes like this:
QUOTE
Simon: "Okay, why the OTO got so upset - we heard - was that Alan just wrote to this guy."
UNQUOTE
That had to have been Simon, because he was a member of Alan's various organisations at that time, and would have been aware, of course, that "Alan just wrote to this guy", I wouldn't have been. He also would be the one to write "- we heard -" from the point of view of a Starry Wisdom member.
I must have written this:
QUOTE
Leah: I think Poole was the lodgemaster, Phoenix, or about to be, and got really angry that the book said "The leader of the Montréal OTO group" because Poole thought he was! Also that it was put in the chapter on Satanism... UNQUOTE
In fact, I know I wrote the paragraph directly above, because I wrote "Poole...got really angry..." I witnessed this first-hand in the "Templar Centre", and it was the first time I had ever heard of Kevin Marron and/or his book, David Poole came in with a copy of it, opened to the page that mentioned the "leader of the Montreal O.T.O." (to paraphrase) and showed it to me and whoever was there. In fact I didn't read the book then, but went out and bought a copy so I could read it.
QUOTE
Poole: "A photocopy was sent to me by "Wytchwood Hill", obviously to try to provoke me? There were comments on it written by them like, what are you going to do? I just ignored it."
UNQUOTE
I was not living in Ste. Jovite, I was not a member of "Wytchwood Hill Camp" at that time, I have no idea how Hoirch got copy of the book out in the boonies (maybe someone sent him one? I don't know!) and why he sent a photocopy off to David Poole with his writing on it, I don't know anything about any of that. Nor do I know who David Poole means by "them", perhaps someone else was living up at the "Camp" in Ste. Jovite?
But I do know that David Poole was the person who made me aware of the book -- and the paragraph — right there in the Templar Centre, for the first time.
I'd had no contact at all with anyone from Starry Wisdom, at that point, for two to three years (although I did not live that far away from them).
And yes, the rest is accurate, to wit: Poole did actually say something like "I am the leader of the Montreal O.T.O. not Stewart!!!" and to me, he appeared to be very angry. It seemed silly to me at the time, because at the time the book was actually written, Robert Deumie would have still had the Lodge, and Stewart would have had the Oasis, and David Poole would have had his backyard in Laval. He didn't seem clear at the time to me on the fact that Marron's book was probably written a good *two or more years* before it was published and reached the shelves, LOL! This is something that is obvious to anyone who's worked in publishing as I have, and maybe not so obvious to the gen pop, there is this time delay thing with books, LOL!
I believe Simon wrote this:
QUOTE
Simon: "Starry Wisdom was just an Oasis at that time."
UNQUOTE
"at that time" would have been "the time" the book was actually written about, it would have been an Oasis when 1) the book was written and Alan made his submission; 2) Simon first encountered the Starry Wisdom — Starry Wisdom was first an Oasis, and then later a Church *and* an Oasis, and later still just a Church (hard to keep track of all the Churches and Orders, but I try)
DIGGING IN COMPANY RECORDS
"Because we have a company registered with the Government of Québec, we are allowed to research their archives and consult the CIDREQ microfiche index; so we typed in a number of names, like OTO in various forms (nothing!), EGC ditto (nothing!) 418 Books (nothing but it closed 30 years ago), but here is the good news: 93 Publishing! Too bad they don't list more than this, but it is a start. Here's what we got:"- "Les services en ligne de l'inspecteur général
des institutions financières (l'IGIF) permettent: de consulter la
banque d'informations du registre des entreprises individuelles, des sociétés
et des personnes morales (CIDREQ) ainsi que l'index des documents du fichier
central (FCE) archivé; d'effectuer le dépôt de déclarations
annuelles; d'effectuer un regroupement d'informations.
"Le service de recherche et consultation donne accès à: la consultation des dossiers d'assujettis du registre comprenant l'état des informations, l'index des noms ainsi que l'index des documents déposés au registre des entreprises individuelles, des sociétés et des personnes morales (CIDREQ); la consultation de l'index des documents du fichier central des entreprises (FCE) archivé depuis le 1er janvier 1994." (etc...)
November 2000 "Recherche du nom exact: 93 publishing (toute dénomination) 2 dossier(s) retrouvé(s) 0 Document(s) 15144769 DOSSIER ACTIF 1974-07-18 377, AV. CLARKE 93 PUBLISHING WESTMOUNT (MONTRÉAL) 1 Document(s) 17492307 CONTREVENANT AU 1990-01-01 CHEMIN DE LA MINE, R.R. 2 93 PUBLISHING INC. STUKELY-SUD (SHEFFORD) 1511 Caractères transmis"
Also remember Serge Lebel? I think he lives in Stukely-Sud. Here's where it gets weird, for Serge owned the 'Metamorphoses' bookshop where little paperback copies of Liber AL - only the holograph, not typeset - were sold up to about 1985. They were sold only out of Serge's shop. I also remember Hoirch telling me he helped Breeze pack to move to the US, and Breeze showed him a whole cabinet of Crowley material. So how did this stuff get here? The plot thickens.
I think I'll try to see if Metamorphoses is also registered to someone - and active still - in South Stukely and/or Westmount.
Poole: "Serge lives in Montreal, in the past he lived up north. He never lived in South Stukeley."
"Recherche du nom exact: livres metamorphoses (toute dénomination) 3 dossier(s) retrouvé(s) 0 Document(s) 17456294 ENTREPRISE DISSO 1979-04-12 766, RUE SHERBROOKE OUEST LIVRES METAMORPHOSE MONTRÉAL 0 Document(s) 23556111 ENTREPRISE DISSO 1987-07-03 3418 A, AV. DU PARC LIVRES METAMORPHOSES MONTRÉAL 0 Document(s) 25968215 N'EST PLUS EN AF 1992-07-30 497, CHEMIN MILLE ILES LIVRES METAMORPHOSES MILLE-ISLES (ARGENTEUIL) 2182 Caractères transmis"
"Recherche par mots apparentés: Eglise Gnostique Catholique (toute dénomination) 1 dossier(s) retrouvé(s) 3 Document(s) 29473808 DOSSIER ACTIF 1992-02-25 3703, AV. COLONIALE EGLISE GNOSTIQUE CATHOLIQUE MONTRÉAL (E.G.C.) 809 Caractères transmis"
"Recherche par mots apparentés: Ordre Temple Orientale (toute dénomination) 1 dossier(s) retrouvé(s) 18 Document(s) 18489252 DOSSIER ACTIF 1981-08-03 4xxx RUE xxxxxxxxxx ORDRE DU TEMPLE D'ORIENT CHOMEDEY (LAVAL) (O.T.O.) 818 Caractères transmis"
"2000-11-17 R-PU-U04-1 L'INSPECTEUR GÉNÉRAL DES INSTITUTIONS FINANCIÈRES SYSTÈME CIDREQ ÉTAT DES INFORMATIONS SUR UNE PERSONNE MORALE INFORMATIONS GÉNÉRALES ====================== NO FCE: 18489252 NOM: ORDRE DU TEMPLE D'ORIENT (O.T.O.) État juridique: 03 DOSSIER ACTIF Date état juridique: 1981-08-03 DOCUMENTS MICROFILMÉS =====================TYPE DOCUMENTS DATE CAST IMAGE ================================= ========== ==== ======= 193 RAPPORT ANNUEL 1993 1993-10-01 2421 027 035 192 RAPPORT ANNUEL 1992 1992-10-01 2210 031 027 45 CORRESPONDANCE 1992-05-01 2144 014 047 191 RAPPORT ANNUEL 1991 1991-09-01 1984 027 025 45 CORRESPONDANCE 1991-09-01 2003 013 021 190 RAPPORT ANNUEL 1990 1991-03-01 1876 021 023 45 CORRESPONDANCE 1991-02-01 1872 015 031 190 RAPPORT ANNUEL 1990 1990-08-01 1672 033 017 50 DÉPÔT DE TOUT AUTRE DOCUMENT 1990-04-01 1607 043 030 55 RAPPORT INITIAL (L.R.Q 22) 1987-07-01 694 007 025 55 RAPPORT INITIAL (L.R.Q 22) 1987-06-01 672 047 018 185 RAPPORT ANNUEL 1985 1986-01-01 284 019 032 182 RAPPORT ANNUEL 1982 1985-10-01 240 001 023 184 RAPPORT ANNUEL 1984 1985-04-01 103 010 013 183 RAPPORT ANNUEL 1983 1985-03-01 82 022 041 45 CORRESPONDANCE 1981-08-01 673 011 045 20 LETTRES PATENTES (PARTIES 1,2 & 3) 1981-08-01 673 011 043 17 DOCUMENTS ADMINISTRATIFS 1981-08-01 673 011 044 2278 Caractères transmis""2000-11-17 R-PU-U04-1 L'INSPECTEUR GÉNÉRAL DES INSTITUTIONS FINANCIÈRES SYSTÈME CIDREQ ÉTAT DES INFORMATIONS SUR UNE ENTREPRISE INDIVIDUELLE INFORMATIONS GÉNÉRALES ====================== NO FCE: 15144769 NOM: MACFARLANE, PETER SCOTT État juridique: 03 DOSSIER ACTIF Date état juridique: 1974-07-18 527 Caractères transmis"
"2000-11-17 R-PU-U04-1 L'INSPECTEUR GÉNÉRAL DES INSTITUTIONS FINANCIÈRES SYSTÈME CIDREQ ÉTAT DES INFORMATIONS SUR UNE PERSONNE MORALE INFORMATIONS GÉNÉRALES ====================== NO FCE: 17492307 NOM: 93 PUBLISHING INC. État juridique: 14 CONTREVENANT AU RAPPORT ANNUEL Date état juridique: 1990-01-01 DOCUMENTS MICROFILMÉS ===================== TYPE DOCUMENTS DATE CAST IMAGE ================================== ===== ===== ======= 182 RAPPORT ANNUEL 1982 1986-05-01 367 002 010 884 Caractères transmis"
"Recherche par mots apparentés: livres 418 (toute dénomination) 1 dossier(s) retrouvé(s) 0 Document(s) 15252356 N'EST PLUS EN AF 1977-09-30 59, RUE MARIE-ANNE EST LIVRES 418 BOOKS MONTRÉAL 812 Caractères transmis" "2000-11-17 R-PU-U04-1 L'INSPECTEUR GÉNÉRAL DES INSTITUTIONS FINANCIÈRES SYSTÈME CIDREQ ÉTAT DES INFORMATIONS SUR UNE ENTREPRISE INDIVIDUELLE INFORMATIONS GÉNÉRALES ====================== NO FCE: 15252356 NOM: SCHROETER, EDWARD A. État juridique: 08 N'EST PLUS EN AFFAIRES Date état juridique: 1977-09-30 533 Caractères transmis"
DAVID POOLE GOES ALL COY
Poole: "Oh Herr Koenig, Oh wise and inquisitive mind - alright, cut the crap. If you think you can provoke me into supplying you with information, you are wrong. I have in my bag today the files of Phoenix Lodge 1980-1987, I was perhaps going to give some info to you."Leah: "After 1990-91 I had no interest in OTO. But many people I knew were in it - Poole's Phoenix lodge, and they came to me as a kind of 'sounding board'. All I know about Poole as lodgemaster after the Papineau temple failed is hearsay. A friend of mine - who had been Poole's treasurer I think - came to me with a story about Poole taking money out of the treasury to buy marzipan. Again this is hearsay. When the Phoenix lodge members protested, he put his wife Lucy in as his treasurer. A lot of people were extremely upset about this, and the friend I mentioned wrote a letter which he was going to send to Heidrick, with many complaints about Poole, in great detail. Others wrote letters; I do not know if any of them were mailed. If they were, of course they would be part of Phoenix lodge files, but around 1991 - I notice that he does not offer to show you the files after 1987!"
Poole: "However if you can write to me I heard that: "you got really angry that the book said about Stewart: 'The leader of the Montréal OTO group' because you thought you were!" I know exactly who your source is, and I sympathise with you."
Leah: "I am pretty sure he doesn't, he probably thinks it is someone from Church of Starry Wisdom - which I never joined. This community is very small, and there are many overlapping groups. Poole offended many many people, including me - I cut all ties with him because of his *** use and advised him to get off the ***s, which are dangerous when combined stupidly with magick. I was the one who taught Poole to do a banishing - and he used it one time to sober up - believe it or not - so he could drive home. I found his ignorance pretty frightening."
Poole: "There were probably 3 people out of 20 that "came to her".
I was badly slandered by the "friend of hers", to repeat the slander makes you accessories.
Dreamt I was in England meeting some Thelemites. I also dream I was being chased around by a robot that was pissed off at me because I threw water at it. I slow my breathing using the "eyedropper" method, consciousness invaded by thoughts of X, keep breathing in. I note I'm getting much more relaxed, next thing I know I'm lucid in the dream. I'm in a café and I hear Weather Report and Chick Corea, the owner is amazed that I recognize it. We get friendly and talk, next thing I know the "boys" (W.L., J.L. & N.L.) are in the place with me. I'm now the owner. A storm is approaching, and the sound system which is on shelves might get wet. I scramble to cover it with plastic.
POOLE AND THE PHOENIX LODGE
Poole: "First of all, there was an attempt at a "coup" by Denis Robert, Richard Theriault etc... They were members that were involved in Ordo Templi Baphometis, and were actively recruiting at Phoenix Lodge meetings."Leah: "Okay, while these people were not the "source" of my story, Simon has heard of these people. But he only heard of them, never met them. Never heard of O.T.B. - either that's a new one (Simon had at that time). There were new "Orders" all over the place then, the "FS" that I mentioned previously, the "Martinists", "Temple of Priapus", etc."
Poole: "This was against the Lodge's protocol. As far as the marzipan story goes, I've tried marzipan twice in my life, once in the presence of Denis Robert, and it was a "gift" - about five dollars worth, and since I knew he had tried substances such as that, I asked him if he wanted it. He didn't, and I tried it. That is the absolute truth. Since the "coup", I heard the story that was circulating, and I know for sure that it has to have come from him, or someone he related that to."
Leah: "Not quite the same story we heard; we heard in fact that that was the reason Serge Lebel wouldn't let him use the shop Metamorphoses any more for meetings. After that he worked out of a Masonic Temple for a while. (No details)."
Poole: "As far as the archives go, I mention that file because that is the file I inherited directly from Bill Breeze..."
Leah: "Well, not really, the file(s) were in Deumié's office for many years, unless he means another file... If it is the files I am thinking of, my Minerval (and I°?) may still be in the box - the people here tended to never pass the Certificates on to people..."
Poole: "...and the stories you are relating surely had to do with that time period. I naturally have all correspondence and records, and as I mentioned, I might share some info., only I really don't want to be taken out of context, and have the story spun negatively. Any slander will be dealt with properly if you give me the proper documentation and support. This naturally "hurts" me once again, and that is why I've put OTO on the back burner."
Leah: "Copies of the letters - which he has and maybe the 'Caliphate' OTO has - maybe someone will leak these onto the net? I did not hear what happened after the letter-writing "campaign", what action the 'Caliphate' took, if all the letters were actually mailed to anyone other than Poole."
Poole: "Also, around that time Phoenix Lodge had had the most successful general meeting ever. With about twenty five active members present. My role was as co-ordinator, and I had as co-lodgemaster Jason Cardinal the most level headed straight individual you could find. An electronic expert, martial artist, and helpful individual."
Leah: "Never heard of him either, but Simon has. Again, no details. But it sounds like David had brought in a number of Francophone members (from the names) while the "original" core of members were Anglophone. This must have happened in a very short period. It is hard to see Minervals trying to launch a "coup", though."
Poole: "The Lodge was really progressing. The conclusion at that meeting was that since "cliques" were forming, we'd give them limited responsibilities, such as recruitment, study groups, social events, etc... This was specifically designed to bring individuals like the previously mentioned members back into the "swing" of the Lodge. But it backfired. Although they had suggested the themes for their own groups, we had given them two weeks to devise detailed plans, and when those plans didn't materialise, a letter was sent to them from me, reminding them of their commitments at the meeting. I then received a three-page attack form Denis Robert, followed by a letter from Denis Theriault claiming their desire to be non-affilated with the Lodge, but that they would remain "loyal" OTO members!"
Leah: "I think that several letters were written, he only mentions them 'en passant'."
Poole: "Their excuse was that they were involved in the Pagan community, and that a full moon ceremony took precedence over the affairs of Phoenix Lodge."
Leah: "As well it would: Montréal "pagans" respect the lunar calendar for their ritual workings. No one was learning or doing any "magick" in the lodge - Poole was also selling books at the meetings, and incense, and tarot cards, etc."
Poole: "They then tried to persuade other members to follow suit by a boycott of the Lodge. About three people sided with them; the rest of the Lodge supported me, and there I thought the story ended."
Leah: "A lot of people went inactive in disgust. That is hardly "the rest of the lodge supported me"."
Poole: "Until I heard the story about the marzipan from a pagan priest friend of mine, who had heard it through the grapevine."
Leah: "The "pagan priest" may have been Michael Hoirch, or Serge Lebel, or maybe even some others. I'd forgotten how many people/groups were around in those days..."
Poole: "This was alarming, and with the advice of close friends I decided to ignore it, since I could not prove who started the story."
Leah: "And yet he says above "once in the presence of Denis Robert" - a bit of a contradiction. I remember meeting Denis Robert once; he didn't make that strong an impression. If I am not wrong, he had a girlfriend who worked at 'Mélange Magique', the "new age" bookshop that sprang up around that time - that "competed" Serge's shop out of existence.
Poole had a car and would offer people rides home after meetings. Several times when people were in the car with him, he would drive up to his d***'s - it happened to me twice - and to Simon once. A car full of people would have to wait outside while he spent his little 15-30 minutes with his d***. In fact, when he did it to me - I only lived 10 minutes away - he actually drove 30 minutes in another direction to do his little d***; that was the last time I saw David Poole. This is the man who banned smoking - of tobacco - in the Papineau lodge (he set up a smoking area after a protest) but would and did **** during meetings!
I don't know many of my generation, or David's for that matter, who are completely innocent here. But what always made it different to me was this kind of **** and free sexuality was already going on everywhere in this city - why join a magickal order when you could simply go to any bar in Montréal or club? That is what did not make sense to me - people were not joining OTO so they could drink and smoke - most of them had already "been there, done that" - they joined to discuss magick, and do rituals , etc. OTO offered initiation, but not much more; unfortunately you have to WORK at building an égrégore."
DAVID POOLE'S "SHIT FILES"
Poole: "This story must be straightened out. After thinking about what you wrote, I pulled out three "shit files".1: Robert Latulippe (source of the marzipan bought with OTO funds story), 2: Alan Stewart (Cardinal! EGC) Starry Wisdom, 3: Wytchwood Hill: Micheal Hoirch.
This is the file I inherited from Bill Breeze directly, the previous lodge master Robert Deumié was so embittered by being replaced by me, that I got no co-operation whatsoever - and no files. (Deumié's reign was from 1986-1989; in 1989 I received a Charter and started as an Oasis, until I got V°, then Montréal was re-chartered as a "Lodge" on November 11, 1992.)
- date -- description
5/12/81 Bill Breeze to G[rand] T[reasurer] G[eneral], G[rand] S[ecretary] G[general], Chairman (Hymenaeus Alpha) supreme council OTO requesting advancement to third degree.
8/23/81 Proposal for an encampment in Toronto (Konx Om Pax).
9/29/81 Letter from Fr.·. Yahoo to Bill Breeze re Petition for charter.
10/2/81 Bill Breeze to the Supreme Council: report of Montréal activities, enclosing charter for Phoenix Lodge, promoted from W.T. Smith Chapter. A charter naming Bill Breeze Canadian "Coordinator" for OTO, a charter naming Bill Breeze International Coordinator for OTO, copies of the Québec OTO non-profit corporations patent letters, assorted charters for Toronto and Montréal, notes one member on "bad report".
12/6/81 Invitation to assembly of Phoenix Lodge by Bill Breeze III°; Lodge Master.
12/17/81 Letter to Bill Breeze from a Minerval claiming he's an "abortion".
2/9/82 William Heidrick to Bill Breeze, re: List of Toronto members.
2/14/82 Postcard from Brian Postnikoff to Bill Breeze.
2/15/82 Treasurer of Konx Om Pax to Bill Heidrick, re: first meeting. (Mentions that Richard James is a member.)
2/20/82 Bill Breeze to an aspirant inquiring about Kenneth Grant's OTO: Breeze gives Grant's home address!
2/27/82 Postnikoff to Breeze: thanks for the help re initiations in Toronto.
3/21/82 Petition to Caliphate to make Phoenix financially independent.
3/25/82 Letter from Bill Breeze to Hymenaeus Alpha "Update of activities".
3/25/82 Letter from Bill Breeze to William Heidrick, re: Recognizing Phoenix Lodge as Grand Lodge of Canada?
6/30/82 Letter from Sr.·.Egeria Oceania Lodge to Bill Breeze.
7/16/88 [?] Article in Montréal Gazette: Lion Serpent Sun trial in Victoria.
8/29/88 [?] US Internal Revenue Report, OTO US Dept. Treasury, Charitable Tax Exempt cert.
7/8/81 Letter from William Heidrick to Bill Breeze re: received funds for 22 Minerval initiations.
2/20/82 Bill Breeze to an aspirant inquiring about Kenneth Grants OTO (2), Breeze gives Grant's home address, and advises of Grant's OTO expulsion dated 1955!
01/30/82 William Heidrick to Bill Breeze, re: Blue Equinox.
09/23/82 Fr.·. Yahoo to Bill Breeze, re: French translations undated? Letter from Fr.·. Homo Homini Deus to Fr. Michel Verdun, re: dues collection.
Undated? Charter for Dragons Electrum Arc Camp, Fr.·. Ishtar Ram, co-Signed Homo Homini Deus III°;, Canadian Coordinator.
Undated? Charter for Konx Om Pax Camp, Fr.·.?? Toronto. co-signed Homo Homini Deus III°; [Breeze], Canadian Coordinator.
Undated? Charter fro Sebra Encampment, Fr.·. Yahoo, co-signed Fr.·. Homo Homini Deus, Lodge Master.
Undated? Letter from Bill Breeze to Brian Postnikoff: (Montréal the bad!?) & asst. lodge news.
Undated? Charter for Amon-Ra Chapter, Toronto, Fr.·. Aleph Tao, Co-Signed Homo Homini Deus III°;, Canadian Coordinator.
Undated? Petition from Fr.·. Ishtar Ram re: MIST = Maranatha Institute of Shaolin Teaching.
Undated? Letter from Christian Bouchet to Phoenix Lodge requesting info on french AC materials.
Undated? Letter from Thelemite in NS to Phoenix Lodge.
Undated? Letter from Amon-Ra Chapter: Brian Postnikoff to William Breeze, re.: advancing TO's Minervals.
Undated? Brian Postnikoff to Bill Breeze re: his trip to Montréal to be initiated.
Undated? Brian Postnikoff to Bill Heidrick, re: proposal for Konx Om Pax.
Undated? An aspirant enquiring about the OTO of Kenneth Grant.
Undated? Konx Om Pax advising Bill they are advertising with little posters, copy enclosed. Canadian Report to the Board of directors, OTO, from Bill Breeze (Very interesting 6 page document, describing amongst other items a survival guild in case of "nuclear war"!)
Assorted letters from Canadian aspirants.... no particular interest.
[Simon and Leah's comments. 'Ishtar Ram': Leah thinks this is the "'Lion Serpent Sun' and Richard James: both in the book we sent you. Richard James: well-known to be associated with (and co-founder) of Wiccan Church of Canada."
Poole: "Ishtar Ram was Peter Cohen not Luc."]
POOLE, DRUGS, AND THE 'BLACK BISHOP'
Poole: "The only supplier [...] was Latulippe's friend Martin [...]. We never smoked at meetings! [...] I have a copy of a twelve page letter he sent to Grand Lodge a couple months before the fateful coup attempt, and perhaps Latulippe was somehow involved behind the scenes; I don't know for sure. He was attending courses with Richard Theriault, and had been inviting members for meetings at his house, though!I was straight as an arrow when I met Latulippe, [...] I needed his collaboration as he was the only III° anywhere near me. He lives 2 km from my house.
I used the OTO as an escape. A need to fraternise and get out of the house! I was a Thelemite, had refused to join the order in 1981, but in 1987 I contacted Grand Lodge and was pointed to Starry Wisdom Oasis and Phoenix Lodge.
[...] I am a martial artist, and father to two great boys 10 and 11 years old. I am self-employed, and succesful compared to most in the Lodge or others. This has always made me a target: Alan Stewart called me "the yuppy from Laval" (actually I'm from Rosemount, one of the toughest districts on Montréal Island). My mother hails from Calais, France, so Latulippe with his "joual" french and separatist ideals never impressed me."
[Here Robert Latulippe commented: "Notwithstanding my "joual" accent, my French is superior to Poole's... so is my English!"]
Poole continues: "My father was a Canadian soldier during WW2 and fought to make Canada what it is! I'm grateful for what his generation did, and the separatist cause leaves me cold. This is the foundation of the many problems I had with Latulippe.
The "Black Bishop" was on bad report even before I knew him. His problems stemmed from his relationship with Bill Breeze. I did nothing but help him in many ways. Example: I got him a couch for his empty appartment, I gave him clothes, I fed and wined him at my house, even loaned him some of my land so he could grow vegetables! He is proud of being a "Scorpio", and although I can't prove it, shortly after these debacles, I was "downsized" out of my $40,000 a year job at ABB. He had threatened that he held the "better end of the stick"; I had been working for the company for 6 years, had made very good progress, in fact my trip to Zurich was on business.
Please realize that many of the members in this so-called coup are either welfare bums, or people that never hang on to a job. I was the only Lodge member to have (own) a house, one of two that owned a car (out of 25 - 30 people), and was a long time Thelemite who knew the ins and outs of the occult community in Montréal over the last 25 years. All these people (excepting Latulippe) were new to the scene, and everything was impressive and "heavy" to them. I can name quite a few people that would give a glowing representation about the goings on of the Lodge at that point in time, but, a lot of the best people actually progress in life, and have moved to other cities. I'll see what I can do though.
I'll continue later, I did bring the "shit" files, the thickest by far is "Starry Wisdom"; it's about 10 cm thick!"
PRK question: "I was told [...] Serge Lebel wouldn't let you use the shop Metamorphoses any more for meetings."
Poole: "That isn't true. I'm still in touch with him and he'll confirm that. The reason is that we moved to a Masonic temple on Notre Dame Street "Association Memphis Mizraim" and there we stayed for two or three years, until the OTS (Solar Temple) affair broke, and we were asked to leave, because some of the other Lodges thought OTO might in some way be affiliated to OTS."
PRK question: "I heard that the file(s) were in Deumié's office for many years, unless you mean another file... I thought that the people never tended to pass the Certificates on to people..."
Poole: "Partly true, Deumié never passed on the files to me, that is why the Caliph sent all of his files by FEDEX one day. (Which historically are probably more interesting anyway)."
PRK question: "Why don't you draft your view of things and we can collaborate on the draft (adding my part of the info and your comment on it)?"
Poole: "This seems like a huge project which I may be inclined to do someday - however I did list and itemize the Breeze file in chronological order. I may send you this list, so you can see what sort of things are in it."
PRK question: "It sounds like you had brought in a number of Francophone members (from the names) while the "original" core of members were Anglophone. This must have happened in a very short period."
Poole: "The original core members were 50/50 English and French; I did try to make the Order more accesible to Francophones though, and had to translate the 0° and I° degrees to accomodate them."
PRK question: "It is hard to see Minervals trying to launch a "coup"."
Poole: "It wasn't only Minervals, the two I mentioned were I°, as a matter of fact most were I°."
PRK question: "I heard that Montréal "pagans" respect the lunar calendar for their ritual workings, and that that no one was learning/doing any "magick" in the lodge - also that you were also selling books at the meetings, and incense, and tarot cards, etc."
Poole: "The Lodge had a space rented at the Memphis center; the meetings were on Saturdays, on a very rare occasion the night coincided with the full moon. I was a wholesaler selling to a dozen or so stores, and members profited from this, and the focus of the meetings wasn't me selling stuff. That waited until the meeting was over, or during breaks, the same as I would sell essential oils to the women at ABB during lunch hour. Since I'm a Thelemite, I was always interested in getting new material, and most people appreciated that. By the way do you have 'Do what thou wilt' by Lawrence Sutin? $41.95 CDN."
PRK question:"I heard that a lot of people went inactive in disgust, contrary to your "the rest of the lodge supported me"."
Poole: "Yes, when the "coup" failed, those members, 5-6 of out of twenty or so, went inactive; that's alright though, the Phoenix always had sudden purges throughout its history. At this point we are maybe 8 or 9 members still active, and out that by next year maybe down to 4. We had a Lodge of Perfection here, about 6 members IV° or higher, but since that time none of those people have kept up in their dues, and at that degree it's a sizable sum for them. They go inactive after 4 years, and if they wait a year, they can be re-activated after paying two years' back dues! They know this, also, since the Solar Temple affair, I haven't been busting my balls for the Lodge either! I used to "create Temple", cook, clean, drive people around, and you can see what it has brought me!"
PRK question: "The "pagan priest" may have been Michael Hoirch, or Serge Lebel, or maybe even some others...?"
Poole: "Yes, Serge."
PRK question: [quote] "Poole had a car and would offer people rides home after meetings. Several times when people were in the car with him, he would drive up to his dealer's - it happened to me twice [...]. A car full of people would have to wait outside while he spent his little 15-30 minutes with his dealer."
Poole: "Car full of people" is exaggerated. I gave lifts to a couple members. I hardly used any drugs at all, for example two grams of pot would last me two weeks. I live about 15-20 km from the center of Montréal, so if I drove there in the winter it was a pain. As mentioned, some people are VERY jealous, and obviously VERY nasty. I can see that if you can find disgruntled people like that in every city (they find you and all have an axe to grind), then the story will be really biased. However, the very act of trying to defend oneself is probably seen badly too, no?"
[Leah's comment: "Many others were given lifts in the car, including Simon (and at a different time) myself. Simon and I didn't know each other then, same thing happened. Latulippe was in the car both times it happened to me."
Poole: "Again I never met "Simon" don't know who it is were talking about so I doubt I'd have given him a lift."]
PRK question: "Can you provide addresses of people who are willing to talk about their experiences with the other OTO groups in Canada?"
Poole: "I'll see; I'll have to bring the "Breeze" file back here, I have the three "shit" files here now though. Alan Stewart died a year ago from a heart attack! I am not sure if he had named a successor as the President of the corporation. I'd have to make contact with some of his old allies and I'm not that interested."
[Leah's comment: "About Alan Stewart's only friend in the world told us he died, he also notified OTO. He told us, don't know if he told them, that he died as a result of the fall down some stairs when drunk. So maybe Poole doesn't know... he cracked his head open. By the way, this friend is ex-OTO, and one of the people EGC is registered to in Québec. He was Stewart's Grand Inquisitor General too. Probably - no, make that surely - has no interest in any of this at all."]
BREEZE'S MENAGE À SEPT... HUIT?
Leah: "Didn't I read somewhere (?) that the "politician" was Alan Stewart? Breeze had an affair with Stewart's lover Sr. Mimi; she was married to a man name Bjorn, who I assure you was no politician!But this brings another thing to mind: Sr. Eva, who also went to New York with Bill, and who was married to Richard Gernon, her real name Micheline, had been the girlfriend of Peter Cohen - Michael Hoirch's roommate, and in the doorway in that photo - and Hoirch told me he once ran for political office - don't know when or for what party. I had never heard of anything going on between Sr. Eva and Bill Breeze, though... it was always Sr. Mimi. So, Breeze thinks Peter Cohen got him tossed out of Canada? That makes three suspects then - no one here EVER suspected Peter Cohen! The last either of us heard of Cohen, he was still at the 'Valet de Coeur' place - heard he owns the shop - it has been there for years and years. He may know Peter Cohen other ways, but I doubt he knows any of that other stuff; it was way before his time.
There were three who left with Breeze: Richard Gernon (who may not have been a Montréaler), and the two women, Srs. Eva and Mimi. Curiouser and curiouser!
There is a lot of grief between Poole and Latulippe; I heard Latulippe's version, something about Poole buying a computer from Latulippe's brother, and never paying for it...
He's not very nice about the car is he? Considering most of the members he brought in were 18-22 year-olds first, a lot of them students, and also the fact that living in this particular north American city, with six months of heavy winter, you are stupid to have a car! Many people do not - and about 80% of Montréalers rent flats rather than own. But Poole lives in the suburbs, very suburban & bourgeois. He was about ten years older than the people he brought in to OTO."
KOENIG GIVES POOLE THE THIRD DEGREE
PRK question 1: "Where did Breeze take the Minerval in August 1978?"Poole's answer: "Must have been in NY, can't comment."
PRK question 2: "Who exactly was active in 93 Publishing?"
Poole's answer: "Peter and Linda Mcfarlane, then they brought in Bill Breeze."
PRK question 3: "Were they chartered by Kenneth Grant?" [See Koenig: Plan 93 From Outer Space]
Poole's answer: "They seemed to have some authority, and were members. If you look back in Sothis Magazine, they were expelled. That seems to be the time Bill Breeze joined. Peter C. Scott Macfarlane, Frater Altzba, 124, "ceased to be a member of Ordo Templi Orientis, as of the 21st day of June 1975. per OHO Aossic Aiwass, 718. Linda MacFarlane ceased to be a member of OTO as of the ninth day of July 1975."
PRK question 4: "What happened with 93 Publishing?"
Later in March 2002, Poole commented: " 93 publishing went out of business, much of the stock could be found in various occult bookstores in Montreal being liquidated at a ridiculously low price. I picked up multiple copies of "Magical and Philosophical Commentaries on the Book of the Law", at $8.00 canadian each! They are now worth $350.00 US to collectors! I don't know what happened to Peter MacFarlane, but Linda was listed in "The Fourth Annual Directory to Pagan Resources": Linda MaFarlane, 409 Vancouver Street, Victoria, BC V8V 3T4 "Lovely Tee-shirts with images of the Goddesses silk-screened on them. Send $1 for catalog and $30 each for shirts (XL only)."
PRK question 5: "What happened to 418 Bookstore. was it owned by Peter and Linda MacFarlane?"
Poole's answer: "Yes, it closed when they moved near the border in South Stukely. Here is a little story: Apparently that building has been plagued by spontaneus fires ever since!"
[Simon and Leah's comment: "That explains the reference to South Stukely in the stuff we sent."]
PRK question 6: "How many members did The W.T. Smith chapter have when it was 'opened' in 1979?"
Poole's answer: "One."
[Simon and Leah's comment: "Probably Breeze himself."]
PRK question 7: "Why was the W.T. Smith chapter made dormant in '80?"
Poole's answer: "Must check the file I have at home, will get back to you."
PRK question 8: "Why was it re-opened in '81?"
Poole's answer: "Ditto."
PRK question 9: "I heard that Breeze initiated 50 people when he opened his lodge, Phoenix, & he used Francis King's book. Is that accurate? He openly used King's book until 1985 - why so?"
Poole's answer: "Almost 50, more like forty over two nights. When I started the Oasis, we had six Minervals and Breeze told me to go ahead and use the text from King's book also!"
[Simon and Leah's comment: "Conflicting numbers - one says 22, the others 40-50. Breeze's numbers (people that talk to Breeze) seem to go with the 50. We distrust the 40-50, even though that story has been going around for years and years."]
PRK question 10: "About the certificates - at first (1979 or 80, not sure) it was just a hand-scribbled piece of paper, almost like a note - is that accurate?"
Poole's answer: "Yes, we have several charters and certificates that fit that description."
PRK question 11: "It was said that to "advance" to a certain degree, e.g. V°, you were expected to bring 111 members in, or "induce them to join". Is that accurate?"
Poole's answer: "That is by the Blue Equinox, no? I should check my copy."
[Simon and Leah's comment: "We suspect the 'Blue Equinox' he refers to is Vol. 4 no. 10, and not the original Crowley one, which is Vol. 1 no. 3."]
PRK question 12: "In Montréal, Breeze was not known as an editor, but as a typesetter. What exactly did he do?"
Poole's answer: "He was both."
[Simon and Leah's comment: "Covering Breeze's tracks, in our opinion. Possible he could have been, since he is a control freak."]
PRK question 13: "Allegedly, Breeze was not in Montréal legally; and someone in the OTO (it has been narrowed down to two people) turned him in to Immigration, and he did not leave Canada voluntarily - this is one version. Breeze himself tells another story: he got caught sleeping with the wife of a politician, who then pulled his green card and ordered him deported. What do _you_ know about this?"
Poole's answer: "Somewhat, only that Breeze supected Latulippe."
PRK question 14: "Why exactly was Robert Deumié expelled?"
Poole's answer: "For revealing OTO signs, grips and part of the Minerval rituals in a "sensation seeking" movie, 'Montréal Interdit'. I have a copy. Also he was using the name of the OTO in selling "magick rituals" to people in the basement of his café."
[Simon and Leah's comment: "The signs, grips and rituals are in Francis King's 'Secret Rituals of the OTO' - in every copy, public and private (except a few of the initiations). Deumié has been known (Leah's witnessed it herself) that he does sell "spells", and "rituals"."]
PRK question 15: "What happened with Alan Stewart's registration of the EGC?"
Poole's answer: "Registration 1992/02/25 2947-3808. He is deceased. He was expelled from OTO as of Feb. 23, 1992 for "usurping the names, signs, and trademarks of OTO in violation of his III° oath, per letter dated Feb. 26, 1982 from Sr.·. Helena."
[Simon and Leah's comment: "It's still an active file at the Québéc Government. Stewart was IV° and P.I., of which he was extremely proud; He even went to NYC to get it (1990) and stayed with Breeze, I believe. But notice the dates above too (I assume 1982 is a mistake!); he was expelled 2 days before he registered EGC! What is OTO, psychic? - or is the paperwork inaccurate/made up after the fact? EGC was NOT part of OTO either then.
Simon actually attended one of the EGC Masses they held; but there were also the Starry Wisdom Masses which Alan wrote - he says they had very little to do with 'Liber XV'.
It's silly to point out that California corporate law does not apply in Québec. Nor did OTO have EGC registered with the US government at that time - but I may be wrong. Stewart saw a loophole and jumped at it, obviously.
I guess the question is WERE the "names, signs and trademarks of EGC" registered with OTO? - they were not, at least not as far as I know! OTO has never registered itself with the Canadian government either - not as far as I know! They have only registered with the province.
Someone on the 'Aiwaz Thelema' e-group brought this one up (sort of): what corporation is allowed to extract "oaths" from its members - and make them do things like slash their arms with an X? They invoke corporate law, but they also invoke "oaths" when it suits them, it seems. I don't think they can do both! I am pretty sure some of their activities as a "corporation" would be thought criminal, including not paying their "employees" - the lodge masters."]
Poole added in April 2002: "There are so many errors or misrepresentations in most of Leah's statements, that in general her "testimony" should be stricken from the record. Since that probably won't be done, let it be stated here that there are no such oaths in the OTO. If a person follows Liber Jugurum, it is not part of the OTO's curriculum at ANY degree. Liber Jugurum is a practice SOMETIMES used in the A.·. A.·., and generally common sense is used!"
-
Leah Sun Dec 12, 2004
I confirm, after having researched the subject, that what I wrote was accurate; the 'names, signs and trademarks of EGC' that Alan Stewart registered, have *never* been registered with any O.T.O., Inc., chartered body, or any O.T.O., Inc., chartered body member in Canada, which is a nation that is sovereign with its own laws and regulations, including those governing copyright and trademark (for example, Crowley works are considered to be in the public domain here since 1997: Canada refused to put publishing — which is considered to be the guardian of Canada's cultural identity — "on the table" in any Free Trade agreements with the USA) independent from the USA (and independent from the UK in fact since the Constitution was repatriated not so long ago.)
I reiterate what I posted quite a long time ago on some now defunct eGroup, which is, comparison of the supposed O.T.O. lamen with that of the United Church of Canada (*not* Inc., it is a religion) will be enlightening, and makes me think that Alan believed that he was "correct" in registering that lamen with the EGC (a pseudo Church) rather than the OTO (a pseudo religious Order); perhaps the O.T.O., Inc., should worry more about Crowley (and others before him) having "infringed" on the symbols of an established religion than whether or not their members display the lamen.
http://www.united-church.ca/ucc/crest/home.shtm
and of course Canada is a sovereign nation, independent from both the USA and the UK, we are not bound to US laws, and US citizens do not rule "over" us. I believe that any USA corporate entity (no matter if they had "International" in their name, because there is no such thing as an "International" corporate registry) intending to sue Alan over this issue would not and could not have won, they figured that much out, and so they "expelled" him instead as some sort of punitive act. I am pretty sure he didn't care either, in fact, I believe that he had wanted to be expelled for years.
Whereabouts of the Temple Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V Part VI Part VII - Reactions to the previous sections Alan Stewart |
O.T.O. Phenomenon navigation page | main page | mail
What's New on the O.T.O. Phenomenon site?
More about all this in Andreas Huettl and Peter-R. Koenig: Satan - Jünger, Jäger und Justiz
|
