New-York tribune., 1918-05-02
Detectives Seek
Mystic 7 'eaclaer
Following Raid
"Class" of "Oom, the Om-
nipotent," Seized in West
End Avenue House

A house at 662 West End Avenue, be-
lievcd to be one of the headquarters
of COON, the Omnipotent," as Pierre
A. Bernard, forty-three years old, is
known to the secret and mystical "Tan-
trik Order in America" was raided
early yesterday morning by Inspector
Domnick Henry and Assistant District
Attorney James L. Smith. "Oom,"
however, was not in the house.
Mr.. Smith said he aftcrward dis
covered "Oom" was conducting a ses-
sion of the Crystal Gazers" at which,
for $50, he said, relatives of soldiers
in France were permitted to peer into
glass and catch glimpses of the bat
tlefront and also receive assurances
from clairvoyants that their loved
ones would be returned safely.
Detectives, acting under orders of
District Attorney Swami, were scour-
ing the city last night for Bernard
1t was reported that he had gone to
New Jersey. MI. Swami SAID Bernard
conducts five establishments where
the various degrees" of initiation into
the cult are practced and also sum.
mcr "retreat" known as the school OF
instruction, at Nyack, N Y.
Woman Obtained Evidence
Bernard was indicted in October,
1910, on the charge of abduction. Three
young girls, who were the complain
ants, disappeared several months later.
The Indictment, however, was not dis
missed.
Evidence warranting the raid yes
terday was obtained by Mrs. Ada
Brady, of the personal staff of Ellen
O'Grady, Deputy Commissioner. She
worked under the instructions of AS
sistant District Attorney Alfred j.
Talley. Posing as "Mrs. Alice Shaw"
a widow, she became acquainted with
Mrs. "Wandeyne" Offutt, who styled
herself an "Inspirational Psychologist
and Success Engineer"
Mrs. Brady said Burgess" paved the
way for her introduction to COON"
after she had taken the second degree.
He told her his fee was $3.50 for each
person She paid the fee and later
donned a one-piece pair of tights and
went through the first two degrees in
the West End house. The first degree
consisted of definition Of terms" The
second degree was the "Yogi" test.
"Oom's" permission for her initiation
into the Lectures on the Mysteries"
and studies on "Imagination."
Burgess" was examined yesterday
by Assistant District Attorney Smith.
She gave up a notebook in which were
found the following excerpts:
"The kingdom Of heaven is not to be
had for the asking; it must be taken
by violence"
Supreme and lordly pleasures can
only be approached by means of the
Yogi,
parted through the lips of the Garu is
powerful and useful; otherwise it be-
comes frui'tless, weak and very pain
full"
Swami Plahs Clean Up
Those examined by District Attor-
ney Swami were Morton L. Hergis. of
662 West End Avenue; Marjorie
Thompson, of Los Angeles; Harriet
Ayres Seymour, of 81 East Seventy
eighth Street; Albert c. Bauer, of 2O22
Stanhope Street, Brooklyn, ard DR..
William T. Jenkin, former Health Of
ficer of the Port, whose sign hung in
the window of "Oom's" place in West
End Avenue DR.. Jenkins Indignantly
denounced the raid as an imposition.
He said all Bernard was doing was
teaching a highly scientific system of
caiesthentcs.
Warrants were issued yesterday for
the arrest of a Mrs. Aso-Neith -Meyha
Cochran, a soothsayer living at 514
West Hath Street Mrs. Brady patron
ized Mrs. Cochran, posing as the
mother of member of the aero forces
in France. She paid SIS and was told
that her son would be spared. The
charge against her will be taking
money under false pretenccs.
AS result of the investigation of
Mrs. Brady. District Attorney Swami
will make a roundup of c!airvovauts
and fortune tellers who are preyinc on
relatives of soldiers in France.
Federal authorities are expected to
investigate literature Bernard is be-
Mr. Talley said. 'S'