In August 1969, Charles Manson's 'Family' committed their 'notorious' murders; at the same time the Solar Lodge was at the centre of a scandal. Here's a newspaper-clipping from the 'Washington Post' for October 31 1969:
Boy Tells Of Chaining By Cultists
INDO, Calif, Oct. 30 (UPI)
- Anthony Saul Gibbons, 6, sitting on a pillow
on the witness stand so he could be seen, tes-
tified Wednesday he was burned with matches and
imprisoned in a packing crate at a desert com-
mune for starting a fire.
The small boy was barely audible as he relatd
the events that led to his being chained inside
the sweltering box for 56 days during the sum-
mer on the farm commune operated by a cult called
Ordi Templar Orientialis.
Eleven members of the commune, including the
child's mother, are on trial for felony child
abuse.
Anthony, now a ward of the court, said his
fingers were burned with matches after he started
the fire which destroyed a house and injured a
group of goats June 20.
He testified he was placed in the packing crate
with his legs chained and let out only to do his
"chores."
The boy was questioned repeatedly before he took
the oath as Defence Attorney Keith Blazer attempted
to establish if the boy knew what a lie was. The
boy said he understood that he would be punished if
he told a lie.
After Anthony testified, the prosecution rested
its case.
Sounds like one of the news reports about the finders... How odd.
