THE LIVERPOOL DAILY POST AND MERCURY

Liverpool, Lancashire, England

16 May 1917

(page 5)

THE “TEMPLE OF THE ORIENT.”

SEQUEL TO A LONDON RAID.

A remarkable case was begun before Mr. Denman, at Marlborough-street Police Court yesterday, in connection with a raid the previous night on the offices of a society known as the “M.M.M.,” which has been carrying on business in Regent-street, when Mrs. Mary Davies, described as a “psychist,” was charged under the fortune-telling section of the Vagrancy Act.

Mr. Muskey, for the prosecution, intimated that part of the case would also be heard under the section dealing with the “using subtle craft and desire by palmistry and otherwise to deceive and impose.” Three cases were to be presented of ladies who had been to 93, Regent-street, where prisoner occupied rooms.

An inspector of police, who raided the premises, said that in a room on the third floor he saw prisoner with ten other persons, five men and five women. She was seated on a sort of throne chair, and was wearing the Masonic regalia of a Worshipful Master, while her companions all wore Masonic aprons, two others having collars. He informed them he was a police inspector, and told Mary Davies that he had a warrant for her arrest.

She replied: “I have done nothing wrong. This is a Masonic Lodge. You have no right here.” He said: “I don’t recognise this as of any consequence. I understand you call yourselves ‘The Temple of the Orient.’ ” The founder of this order was a man named Alist [sic] Crowley, who is a traitor to this country. When informed what the warrant was about, prisoner said “I don’t tell fortunes; there is some mistake.” On a glass panel of a door were the letters “M.M.M.,” which meant “Mysteria, Mystica, Maxima.”

On the magistrate saying he did not know what that meant, the inspector replied that they were supposed to refer to the Temple of the Orient.

The solicitor for the defence asked for an adjournment, as he had not had time to take instructions from his client.

After evidence by a young married lady, who had consulted the defendant, the case was then adjourned till next Tuesday, bail being granted.