"THE SANCTUARY."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11511, 6 October 1915, Page 4

"THE SANCTUARY."

The weird ritual of occult women in a mystery flat is explained in a remarkable article from the Paris correspondent of the "Daily Mail," who says:— An extraordinary band of impostors, who conducted a pseudo-Spiritualist organisation known as the "Sanctuary," have been arrested by the Palis police. Their chief, who had been a costume sing r, claimed occult powers and founded a religion under the protection, as he claimed, of King David, which attracted a. following of wealthy wo nen. One of the band attended the seances in tho guise of a reincarnation of tho Queen of Ethiopia Incense, hidden music, mysterious perfumes all played their part in tho ritual of the "Sanctuary," which was established in a prosaic block of flats in the heart of tl.e city. The following were some of the devices resorted to by the conductors of the "Sanctuary" to raise money:— Sale of mag'c magnet for slaughtering Germans by occult means, price £I6OO. Cour eof lessons for opening the gates of Paradise at 16s each Sale of mag's pills containing the " Kssence of Cagliostro," the eighteenth century magician. 'J he police were informed of the activities of the gang by the daughter of a French countess, whose mother had been drawn into their toils. The daughter, in endeavouring to persuade her mother to break with the " Sanctuary," bad attended meeting? there and herself been victimised to the extent of £IOOO. The manner in which the arrest was effected was not without humour. The chief of the Paris Criminal Invest gttion Department, accompanied by one of bis detectives, presented himself at a meeting of the"" Sanctuary " and bought the 7s (id tickets which adirnt.t' d to the " service." When tho leader of the gang was in his supposed trance the chief of police, affecting the rclc of an inquirer, asked the medium whether the business he had in hand would .-succeed. "C: rtainly." replied the medium, " and before very long, too." The oh of of pd'eo roe in his place. "It has succeeded already,'' he said. " In the name of the law 1 order that no one shall leave the room." Other police were called in, and the whole gang of impostors, was arrested.