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[nolawitch58]

Many years ago, respected elder of the Wiccan community Raymond Buckland had a Museum of Witchcraft. For a time, it had a home on Long Island New York and was actually on display to the public. Then Mr. Buckland moved to Ohio and the collection became private again. Some of the pieces of the extensive collection date back to Before the Common Era and from the time of the Inquisition. The listing of the contents is breathtaking in scope from pop-culture kitch to serious artifacts.

Some years before Hurricane Katrina, Mr. Buckland was visiting New Orleans and felt it would be a good place to install his precious museum in order for the public to be able to see the collection again. He met Monte Plaisance who was living in Houma an hour away from New Orleans and running a small shop there at the time. Monte had recently separated from his wife and taken up with a woman whose stripper name is Gypsy and whose real name is allegedly Jamie. They charmed Mr. Buckland and proposed that they buy the contents of the museum and display them in New Orleans.

Mr. Buckland liked Monte and Jamie since they can both be very charismatic. He liked them so much, he undervalued the collection to about a third of its true worth. Monte gave Mr. Buckland a small deposit and received the collection into his possession.

Shorty thereafter, Monte and Jamie opened a shop in the French Quarter not far from Esoterica, charged people to see a small fraction of the total collection, and then closed down after less than a year. They moved to Walker, started the Church of Thessaly and nothing else was ever publicly heard about or seen of the museum pieces. After the initial deposit, Mr. Buckland received no money in payment for the collection. He is now suing the Plaisances to retrieve his property in order to ensure that it is properly displayed to the public as he wished it to be.

There are rumors that some of the more valuable pieces have been sold or given as gifts. If you know of anyone who claims to have a piece from the Buckland collection from Monte or Jamie Plaisance, he or she has received stolen goods. When whatever remains of the collection is found and inventoried, efforts will be made to recover the rest. If someone has paid for an item, they have a legitimate claim to file against the Plaisances, but the item is not rightfully theirs; if it was a gift, the best thing to do is hand it over to an officer of the court to hold until the remainder is recovered.

I've carried this repulsive information silently for many months. I don't think there's a depth low enough to express the ill regard in which I hold the Plaisances. The lawsuit has been filed so the information is public knowledge and I have permission to disseminate it now. It's a particularly shameful day in Wicca when one of our most revered elders is defrauded in this fashion our of something that he spent years lovingly collecting. Those two individuals are not likely to see the error of their ways without intervention by the court system and perhaps by public opprobrium, which they richly deserve. May justice be done. So mote it be.

EDIT: Feel free to repost with attribution in any online pagan communities you like.

Comments

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and I don't know how we could make their lives more miserable. They're living in a trailer without electricity or water in Walker, LA. They apparently don't even have cars from some reports and go about on bicycles. I guess that's what happens when you don't function well in the mundane world. At least the Pagan community here in New Orleans have jobs, however menial, that keep rooves over their heads, clothes on their backs and food in their stomachs without having to resort to theft.

[sunfell.livejournal.com]

Are you talking about the Bucklands?

I wonder what it is about certain Teachers who cannot function well in the mundane world? A couple of my own Teachers were like that- totally out of the box- living on the edge or even underground. Yet, one told me that her lifestyle must not be taken as an example- she was responsible for her own life, and that the gods worked with people who lived a balanced life. She lived in her van and was pretty much a 'gypsie'. She later ended up in a little shack of a place in Florida.

Personally, I like having a roof over my head with working utilities. And I hope that the missing property of the Bucklands can be recovered.

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

No, I'm referring to the Plaisances. Buckland has a nice farmhouse in Ohio.

This is truly sad

[(Anonymous)]

I am utterly amazed at the attitude of people on this list. I actually came here to look for something positive and, as always, I can see only people tearing each other down. I've posted the truth to an earlier post and now I will clarify again. I met up with Monte and Gypsy at a pagan event near Lafayette just last year. They were both cordial and despite my anger and differences with Monte, he was kind and polite to me. In fact, it went a long way to healing the hurt that I still bear within from his past actions. How long will you people harbor this negativity towards these two? Gypsy was not even part of any of this situation, she came into the picture after Monte left Houma and got divorced.

Being as I am probably the only person on this list to have seen Monte and Gypsy in person recently, let me again, squash the rumors. They arrived to the event in a vehicle, not on bicycles and part of our discussion was catching up on current news. Both are working and Gypsy is in her third year of nursing school. As for the no electricity and no running water, that's just plain ridiculous. Neither of them participated in any of the circling at the event, and when I asked why, they simply shrugged and said that they are both jaded from the way things went down. Personally, looking at this list, I can see why.
J.H.

Re: This is truly sad

[(Anonymous)]

WOW!! I'm really going to have to jog someone's memory. This coming from a guy who, if my memory serves me correctly was THERE when the Licorice Unicorn Library was delivered to M from J who broke in their covenstead with two of the Thessaly coven members....hm. This occurred easily a good YEAR before the split. I remember them all sitting around the house laughing about it and yukking it up.

So YES "Gypsy" or whatever her pretentious bullshit name is this month WAS a part of this LONG before the divorce.

Dee

[blackbyrd2.livejournal.com]

Some of the pieces of the extensive collection date back to Before the Common Era and from the time of the Inquisition.

This confused me. You mean he had pieces which dated back to Before the Common Era, AND he had other pieces which dated to the Inquisition?
Because anything which dated to Before the Common Era would predate the Inquisition by about 13 centuries.

And yes, I agree on the Plaisances.

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

Yes, he had pieces over two milennia old and stuff that was Inquisition era.

[voxwoman.livejournal.com]

How extremely sad.

It makes the local kerfuffles pale in comparison. I really hope Buckland can recover his artifacts.

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

Whatever we can help recover will be treated with the respect it deserves.

[aestrea.livejournal.com]

Sigh

For obvious reasons I will keep my distance from this topic for the most part. I do remember a big controversy regarding pieces they placed on ebay. RB had been notified of that but someone may want to remind him so that they can subpoena the records from ebay on what was listed, sold etc. I wish Buck on the best in fighting this long overdue battle. They will not go down quietly as I am sure you are aware.

So sorry I missed the picnic today! I had been reminding myself about every other day but Rudy and I have a few things going on that have been taking all of our attention. I really wanted to go. Your post reminded me that it was today, but sadly just a little late. I suck! LOL

Hugs and Love!

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

His lawyer will subpoena eBay if he has to. I hope to hell he recovers some of it and those two wretches end up in jail. Of course they won't go quietly, but they will go. They have proven that they are no better than Philip Mainor in stealing from other pagans. I'd rather be a witch of modest means and not need to feed some sick grandiose ego than to be as obviously ill-equipped for reality as they are.

I wish I could have gone to the picnic, but being sick precluded it.

Love and hugs back atcha! Show up to the next thing or two, for crying out loud. We miss you.

[firewitchsparx.livejournal.com]

How awful! I'll repost on my journal and a few e-lists (if that's ok).

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

Go for it. Those two miscreants shouldn't be able to swindle anyone else in the world. Thanks.

Re: BS

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

We sorta do, but can't confirm it just yet. They're so pathetic. Neither of them have jobs, although I'm sure there's a pole she could prance around somewhere up there. The place where they're alleged to be doesn't have water or electricity, probably because they don't have money to pay their bills. Able bodied people in their thirties shouldn't be fucking bums, even in this piece of shit Republican economy.

[drgndancer.livejournal.com]

Those two asshats... It's nice to hear they're doing well at least. I hope RB can recover most of his stuff. He's not my favorite guy in the world, but he sure deserves better than being stolen from by those two.

Will repost with caution

[goddessmusings.livejournal.com]

I will be sure to pass the information along, but carefully. Alas, they have "friends" in the Lafayette area- some mutual friends of ours. I don't entirely trust some of the Lafayette Pagans for this very reason and have chosen to distance myself from them. I just do not want to meet or get involved with that psycho drama!

Re: Will repost with caution

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

Yeah, protect yourself. I would hate to have to associate with anyone who would willingly associate with those lowlife scum.

Re: Will repost with caution

[goddessmusings.livejournal.com]

*sigh* So I reposted this to the EBC board and OMG- the shit drama that caused! They "want proof" and not a "random blog post" before they put this out to the greater Lafayette community. My response was pretty much "whatever people, I'm outta here." Like I said, *sigh*

Re: Will repost with caution

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

So I'm not a trusted member of their extended community? I'm a "random blog post" to them? I'm going to email a couple of them and copy this post into it claiming authorship and see if they consider it baseless.

Re: Will repost with caution

[goddessmusings.livejournal.com]

That's what ticked me off in the first place. I specifically said that this was posted in your blog. You are not known for drama and have a reputation for speaking fact. I was rather put off because I felt like your word and mine were not good enough.

[krikkert.livejournal.com]

Wait, WTF? That's low. That's REALLY low. Selling BC-age artifacts for your own gain, not even I would go there...

[voxwoman.livejournal.com]

you can pick up antiquities in many places - legally (at least I hope so!). My ex and I procured a bronze-age sword for him from an antique store in Glastonbury, England on our honeymoon. The store had plundered goods from all over the world - stuff that must have been in English estates for generations, and eventually wound up on the market. (Greek vases, stuff that looked like Mayan pottery, and so forth). I bought myself a small bronze Anubis (or possibly Seth - I have difficulty identifying it) amulet that, supposedly, is authentic and ancient Egyptian.

I guess the fact that a person can get things legitimately makes it easier for people who are less than scrupulous.

[chaos-sun.livejournal.com]

Gods it sad...I'll be posting this as a bulliten on MySpace hopefully it will get around quickly!

[entheos93.livejournal.com]

Apparently, that's not the only unsavory story about these people.
I did once meet somebody who claimed to have something from the collection- a pipe or cane or something that allegedly belonged to Crowley. Unfortunately, he was a pretender to OTO so I have no way of tracking down that person.
I wouldn't doubt he was lying, anyway. Just like this douche to try to get in my pants by claiming he owned Crowley artifacts. Because you know, I screw everybody that's owned something once owned by Crowley.
OK, I admit I screwed a guy that had one of rose Crowley's liquor bills. That fact was incidental to the relationship as a whole, though.

[entheos93.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I couldn't find a PM thingie for you- OT, but are you licensed to perform weddings in LA?

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

No, but my High Priestess, Rev. Velvet Rieth is. Call her at 828-7169, leave her a message and tell her you're my friend. Congratulations!

Slight Correction

[(Anonymous)]

Your facts are a bit skewed here. I was a former member of Monte's group and at the time that he acquired the museum, he was not separated from his wife. Also, Gypsy, who Monte is still with, is not, nor was she ever a stripper. The last I heard, they were not married, they do not live together, and she was currently in nursing school. I had a brief run in with them at a pagan event near Lafayette last year.

If you consider $10,000.00 in one lump sum a small deposit, then I guess that maybe it was. However, the actual value of the collection was never estimated and after Monte acquired the collection, an appraiser was called in, for insurance reasons. None of the items could be appraised, because none of them could be verified as authentic, other than the word of Mr. Buckland.

Church of Thessally was founded in 1994, long before Monte ever got the collection; like I said, I used to be a member. And trust me, I've no love for Monte or his group, but I also do not think that it is fair to spread these false rumors. I find it difficult to believe that any kind of lawsuit would be merited. Monte was meticulous in his logging and storage of the items.

I do know for a fact, that when Monte divorced his ex-wife, Telia-Ann, she had kept many items from the collection, and Monte and Jamie were both fighting to have them returned. One of these items was actually not even part of the collection, but belonged to Ed Fitch. Monte's ex-wife had kept them and was trying to sell them. Whatever became of the items, I do not know.

Again, you should get your facts straight. I was there on the day that Monte brought the museum in from Ohio and I can tell you for a fact, that the collection, of precious items, as you call it, was merely thrown together in a bunch of cardboard boxes, which were being stored, by Dr. Buckland, in a barn full of sheep and chickens. So while you may be privy to a limited amount of information in regards to what the gossip machine is saying, the truth, I'm afraid is alot different. Monte did abandon many of his friends and coveners, myself included, and for that I still hold a great deal of anger and hurt, which will most likely carry with me for many more years to come. But I consider myself a true Wiccan and I believe that spreading these untruths is bringing harm to another person unjustly.

Love and Light,

J.H.

Re: Slight Correction

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

Too bad you don't sign your full name and own what you've said in light.

The truth is that Monte needed to be sued in order to return the collection. The truth is that he didn't pay the agreed value, nor did he attempt to renegotiate the agreement after an appraisal. The truth is that he cut off all contact with Ray Buckland when Ray pressed him for payment.

I may not have all the details, but the main facts are now public record as part of the lawsuit filed in Livingston Parish. I'm sorry Monte abandoned you along with whatever scruples he ever may have held. I'm privy to more about him than is relevent to the above post, and little of it is pleasant, although when we first met him, we had high hopes of a long and cordial association.

Re: Slight Correction

[(Anonymous)]

I'm a little late seeing this::::

Justin, I have to correct you. The full amount that Monte was supposed to pay for the collection was $10,000. He paid a smittance of a deposit which MIGHT have totaled $300 at the time. He had agreed at the time to pay for Buckland's trip to New Orleans and Hotel or to stay at his home at the next year's Witchfest which DID NOT happen. There was not ANOTHER dime of that $10,000 paid. Buckland tried for years to see more money out of it but did not.

Jamie WAS a stripper at the Gold Club in Baton Rouge just because she chooses to claim to be the perfect little priestess now does NOT take away what she was in the past. It is what it is.

My best friend was ALSO there on the day the boxes were brought in and she agrees with you that these "treasures" were not well taken care of even by the original owner.

Yes, Telia-Ann DID have several articles that she refused to hand over to those people BUT she recently had a fire and it's possible those were lost. She however did NOT attempt to sell them, this is fact from someone who is contact with Telia-Ann currently. Please do not drag this woman into this melodrama, she's had enough torture at the hands of those two.

Now speaking of theft...there's a matter of an extensive library from the Licorice Unicorn's covenstead that ended up in those people's possession, I'm sure we'd LOVE to hear how that happened? Hmmmm? Oh that's right they were eaten up by BOOK worms because of how his mother stored them.

Shame, shame, shame. I've wanted to say this publicly for years. I was one of the ones chastised for trying to TELL people who and what these people were before, I LEFT the pagan community, closed up my own classes and book studies to get AWAY from the ugliness that the community turned on US for trying to make them see. Be careful how you spread this information or else you'll end up 1400 miles away too just to get away from the freaks who don't want to see the truth of people who are truly evil.

Oh yeah....next time someone talks to that stripper, ask her how her friend died and who it was that helped her suicide along. Susan, ask Velvet, she knows the truth I called her after I got the phone call worried about what to do.

And Susan, wish Velvet the best of luck on this venture I've tried to contact her several times to no avail since my move.

Best of luck....to all those who feel the need curse me if you will. Backlash is a bitch.

Dee Dowell (not ashamed to list her name)

Re: Slight Correction

[(Anonymous)]

The Licorice Unicorn Library????? Something I PERSONALLY contributed too??? Yes I would like to hear more on this...That was for not only our coven but for the greater community...yes I would like to hear more on this subject.
Beth Pool
aradia1015@aol.com

is this shitt still lingering on?Lady_naudia_storm

[(Anonymous)]

hello all ,
I been reading some of these post you putt online , I think it's really sad that you guys talk about each other like that but personaly i dont give a damn and thats finalle. I liked both Monty and Tealia and Jamie I am friends with all of them , i dont think this conserns any one of you are anyone else in this matter. If that would have been my coven I would not have lett most of you in there in first place i have nothing to do with any of you anymore but I say to Monty and Jamie I wouldnt even lett them bother you.
Thanks your friend_BeccaLee