Evil Web. A True Story of Cult Abuse and Courage

182 Pages·2012·1.23 MB·English

by  Carol Jose

A TRUE STORY OF CULT
ABUSE AND COURAGE
MARY RICH
AND
CAROL JOSE
New Horizon Press
Far Hills, New Jersey
Copyright © 1996 by Mary Rich and Carol Jose First reprint 2012
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form whatsoever, including electronic, mechanical or any information
storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in the 1976
Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher.
Requests for permission should be addressed to: New Horizon Press P.O. Box
669
Far Hills, NJ 07931
Rich, Mary and Jose, Carol Evil Web: A True Story of Cult Abuse and Courage
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 95-69346
ISBN-13 (hc): 978-0-88282-441-3
New Horizon Press Manufactured in the U.S.A.
16 15 14 13 12 1 2 3 4 5
To the innocent children . . . everywhere.
“Terrors are turned upon me:
They pursue my soul as the wind:
And my welfare passeth away as a cloud.”
Job 30:15
Contents
Acknowledgments
Author’s Note
Prologue
1. The Snake Appears
2. Sting of the Serpent
3. Caught in the Snares
4. Terror in Tartola
5. The Back of Fools
6. Hate Thy Neighbor
7. A Light Dawns
8. The Real and the Unreal
9. Abandonment
10. Chains and Freedom
11. Texas Debacle
12. Further Issues, Lingering Spells
13. The Jury Speaks
Epilogue
Afterword,
by Robert T. Cross, Ph.D., Psychotherapist
acknowledgments
Books today are rarely the result of an author sitting alone in a garret,
yellow pad and number two pencil in hand. Nor was this one.
Our gratitude goes to the following: Larry Guarino, whose book A POW’S
Story: 2801 Days in Hanoi (Ivy/Random House, 1990) was the catalyst that
brought us together to write this story; special friend, guiding light, and literary
agent Ray Nugent of Naples, Florida; Dr. Robert Cross, psychotherapist, of
Indian Harbour Beach, Florida for professional guidance and the Afterword;
critical first reader and faithful assistant, Linda Downie; Randall Larrinaga for
his insights and experiences; our computer guru Michael Herman; and Todd
Robert Poch, PsyD. MALD, of Denver, Colorado.
We’d like to thank Bob McDonald, Theresa DeCapua, Craig Bailey, and
Melinda Meers of FLORIDA TODAY. We also thank Joan Dunphy and Dennis
McCarthy of New Horizon Press for their encouragement and able assistance.
Most of all, we are grateful to Dale Jose, Lou Francavilla, and our families,
who were always there with patience and love, and generous with moral, and
emotional and Financial support when we needed it during the more than four
years spent in seeing this book through from first word to publication.
author’s note
This book is based on the experiences of Mary Rich and reflects her
perceptions of the past, present, and future. The personalities, events, actions,
and conversations portrayed within the story have been taken from her memory,
extensive interviews, research, court documents, letters, personal papers, press
accounts, and the memories of participants.
To safeguard the privacy of certain individuals, the authors have changed
their names and the names of certain places and, in some cases, altered
identifying relations or characteristics. Events involving the characters happened
as described; only minor details have been changed.