The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-05-18


Gertrude Leo, the Tacoma girl,
abducted by the notorious "Om
the Omnipotent" and held a pris-
oner for year in New York, told
her story the other day on the wit
ness stand. The New York Sun
reproduces 1t as follows:
The kind of life that was led
by nautch girl, known among the
Tantriks as the sacred consort of a
priest of the order, was described
yesterday at the examination of
ON the Omnipotent.
Gertrude Leo, the Tacoma girl
who was taken by the police on
Monday night from the house In
Seventy-fourth street, was the wit
ness heard yesterday.
Met Her Through Her Sister.
From the time that she first met
him in Seattle, Gertrude Leo told
about her experiences with the
ON. They became acquainted
through her elder sister. Mrs.
Mary A. Miller. and he told her
that he could teach her how to
get perfect health. He said that
his sister in New York needed a
companion and he offered to bring
her east and see that she got a
musical education and all the adj
vantages of development and cul-
ture that New York could offer.
He talked a great deal about the
order of which he said he was the
head, and he gave her the book
that contained it's teachings. AS
he described the Tantrik order it
was mental, moral, physical and
spiritual culture" He told her
about the simulated and real phe-
nomena that he could perform.
She trusted him, she said, and she
gave up her job as a stenographer
and came east, going to Portland
first with several of the men and
women initiates and stopping also
at San Francisco, Sacramento and
Oakland.
To BE His Nautch Girl.
The ON had come to New York
ahead. He was living with two
or three initiates in a flat at SIT
West 171st street. The first morn
ing when she arrived in New York
he took her down to the Battery
and they sat there for several
hours. There he told her about
the .nautch girls of the order. He
said they took the place of the
priests wife, that they were al
ways well cared for, that they had
the best the world could offer and
that they were always considered
holy girls. She was to be his
nautch girl.
Il told him that I would think
1t over" said Gertrude Leo, land
that night / went back and stayed
with his sister at the flat" This
was on June Z of last year. The
next day she told the ON she
would do as he wished.
They all moved down to Sew
enty-fourth street about the first
of July. Their relations kept up
with some Interruptions until two
days before she was taken out of
the house by the police. Then,
she said, Tor the first time she
was disillusioned concerning the
supernatural powers of the ON.
The Coming of leila Hopp.
One day in November she Jaw
Celia Hopp come to the house. The
ON had told her that a new girl
was coming to be treated for heart
trouble and that he expected to get
some money out of her. He had
promised to marry her, but it was
all joke, he said. She was a
good girl, declared the ON, and
the promise was necessary. Ger
trude was instructed not to say
anything about her relations With
the Omnipotent One because leila
wouldn't stand for 1t. But both of
them found out about it before
long; just as soon, in fact. as the
ON was too shy of funds to main
tain the flat in 109th street to
which he had taken leila Hopp for
treatment.
Lawyer Clark l.. Jordon, who
appeared for Bernard, questioned
the Leo girl about the first stages
OF her acquaintance with the ON.
but he could get no admission of
wrong relations until the day aft
er she reached New York. Then
Mr.. Jordon asked her how it was
that she declared she was kept in
the seventy-fourth street house
against her will.
Jealous of a Seattle Friend.
Il was held there mostly
throug fear" she answered. He
has threatened my life. On the
Superba grade Of Puyaiiup-
made ice cream. Extra extraor-