Waco Tribune-Herald from Waco, Texas • 10

r-rYt n. 7. rV i I TS'i rir 0,7 Ex-followers say leader abuses flock From Page 1 A pound is a tower with lookout windows facing all directions. One law enforcement officer calls the compound a "fort." Howell rules Mount Carmel by virtue of the Branch Davidians belief that he alone can open the so-called Seven Seals in the Bible book of Revelation, setting loose catastrophic events that the Branch Davidians believe will' end mankind and propel Howell and his followers into heaven. Former cult members, though, said Howell is headed in the oppo-i site direction.

They said Howell abuses all his followers, from the very young to Vernon Howell Cult leader. He Joined the Brarfch Davidians In the early 1980s. In 1984, cult members acknowledged him a prophet. Followers believe he wilt lead them through an apocalyptic future to salvation. Marc Breault'- Former confidant of Howefls.

Broke away In 1989, moying to Aus-. tralia. He has devoted much of his time since to debunking Howells message; Robyn Bunds One of the -first Women in the cult whom Howell took as a wife." She has a son, Shaun. Bunds and other former cult members say Howell is the boys father David Jewel Non-cult; v. member who sued his ex-wife -In 1992 for custody of their daughter, Kiri.

Former cult members told the (fisc Jockey that Howell had targeted Kiri for his harem. A Michigan. judge ordered his ex-wife to Keep Kiri away from HowelL- KH Jewel School girl whom former cult members testified had been targeted for Vernon Howell's harem. She now stays with her father in Michigan. Sherri Jewell School teacher who Joined Vie cult7 She shares custody of her daughter, Kiri, with her ex Forceful whippings Howell taught that babies as youngWS inOnths'W should le whipped former cult members said.

Two-women said he hit their babies until their hot- -toms bled. Howell even banished, his then 3-year-old son, Cyrus, to. a garage, in Pomona, for the said James Ton, a for mer Branch Davidlan. Howell re- T)ortedtoldthetK)5fthtireXrereWk tiusbandrDavWTButl MlchPT -About 75 poopte from around the world Hv inside the compound at Mount Carmel, which one law enforcement official calls fa fort11 Authorities say the tower In the middle of the buKCDng offers a view In all four directions. gan Judge In 1992 barred her from bringing Kiri into contact with Howell.

tf-v; House of David The harem that former cult members said Vernon Howell fashioned out of women in the cult ChH-. dren from the unions are re- portedly supposed to rule with Howell after the end of the world, A 1 A. .1 T7 ij, By DARLENE McCORMICK and MARK ENGLAND I c. 1993 Waco Tribune-Herald year, she came out with her own religious predictions which would later fracture the group. In 1955, Florence Houteff sent out a message -that April 22, 1959, the Jewish Passover, would be 'the establishment of the kingdom.

Hundreds of Turmoil and eccentric religious beliefs were the bricks that built the Branch Davidians! The roots of the religious sect date back to 1934, when Victor Houteff, a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church formed his own group In Los Angeles and later moved to Waco. The late Houteff intended the location near followers joined the disposing (d their: property and businesses. With the expanding city of Waco broaching bn the Branchs propnty, the land was sold off in lots to individuals and groups in the mid-50s and the Branch bought the present property, near Elk about 10 miles east of Waco. Waiting for a Staff graphic -Brian Sipple; knows sin just life the rest of us and so offers a new way to salva- tion following him through the eventually crucify him over his numerous wives. y.V; One woman whom HoWell tried to recruit said he "blew me away." He was supposed to be the son of God, said the woman, who quested anonymity.

"He said God was really lonesome, and he wanted grandchildren. It was like the Scriptures kind of said it, but they didnt really. It was like he. was giving God When many of his Australian followers fled home, Howell sent them an audio tape, which they dubbed The Foundation. The mes-f sage justifies the New Howells 1989 declaration that all the women in the world belong to 'him.

In it, Howell asks the Australians: )nly the Lamb is to be giv-; en the job to raise up the seed of. the House of David, he? Later on, in the Howell-says to the women, You have only one seed that can deliver you from, death i Theres only one hard-on in this whole, universe that really loves you and wants to Waco to be the, worldwide headquarters for the General Association of Davidlan Seventh-day Adventists, says Baylor University religion pro- fessor Bill Pitts, who has written several papers on the Branch 3 Meanwhile, the group waited for a sign. Lead- In 1935, the: group established, the original hinted that it might be the resurrection of Carmel Center near the present Mounts Houteff, their Riijah, who was to return just be- Carmel Water Treatment Plant It sat on 189 fore the Lord, Pitta wrote. acres of land, with its location bring based on Members fasted and prayed. And believed.

Seven Seals.f- rats in the garage who liked to gnaw on children; V- i Breault, 29, and two other foN mer.cult members testified at a St child custody last year that Howell fashioned a harem from the women in the cult and tuned the men into, virtual eunuchs sworn to guard the secret. Women in the cult make up the so-called House of David, former cult members testified. Tbechil--drehthqrproduce with Howell supposedly will rule the earth with him after be and his male followers slay the unbelievers. -Men in theult are called Mighty Men, after a verse in the Song of Solomon which describes the guards who protected Xing Solomons bed. -v.

Mates In heaven Former cult members said Howell tells the thdy will get their perfect mates in heaven. Each mans, mate will come from his rib, as Eve came I from Adam. On earth, though, all the women, even those married, are meant for HpWell. The 1992 child custody case in Michigan revolved around the struggle of me man to prevent, his daughter, then 11 years old, from winding up in the harem. (David Jewell, a disc jockey who lives in Michigan and never belonged to the Branch Davidians, sued Jii.

ex-wife, Sherri Jewell, for custody of their; -daughter, Former cult members said1 Sherri Jewell is one of Howells stalled wives. Breault, his wife Elizabeth Baranyai, and Jean Smith, all former cult members, traveled from Australia to Michigan to testify that Howell had targeted. Kiri Jewell for the House of Da-r vid, as evidenced by a Star of Da-vid pendant the girl wore around her. neck. Although Kiri Jewells parents "God allows men io be born Howell said.

It isnatu- sin, into ral for man to sin. If youre going to be fair, youVe got to gife man ra way out s' Former cult members agree that Howell is sinful, but not that he is 'Breault told the. Michigan court and nine former cult members confirmed in separate, interviews that Howell talked scripture interpretation, according to Pitts, The road that led Houteff to Waco was a long and troubled one. O- 71 Houteff, born in 1886 in Bulgaria, grew up as si member of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He dis- associated himself from the church after a disagreement with church leaders, according to Pitts research.

t- He emigrated to the United States, eventually settling in Rodriord, III, where he operated a hotel1'; His association With the SeventlHlay Advent-' ists began under a tent In 1918 he attended a tent meeting and joined the religious group. He later moved to Los Ange-Ies, wbere he became the assistant superintendent of a Seventh-day Adventist Church Sabbath school with about 200 students, Pitta Different view of Revelation in Bible studief of having sex. say good things about you. Re- with a 12-year-old girl whose par-member Mary and God? Yeah? ents belong to the Branch Da- The deadline came and passed. Trial membership in the Branch Davidians was about 1,400 members during Florence Hou- teffs leadership.

'ryy; But by May 5, 1959, only 450 of the 900 or so devotees who showed up at Mount Carmel remained, the Waco Newt-Tribune Three weeks later, a month after the April 22 deadline, most of the people had left The Davidians splintered, the largest group go- ing with a rival prophet, Ben Roden. Roden's group was known as the Branch Davi- dians, according to the Newt-Tribune. When Roden died in 1978, his wife, Lois, took over leadership. She led the Davidians until an- other split in 1984. That year, the Davidians were torn between Lois Rodent son, George, and an up-and-coming leader, Vernon HoweU, who later took most of the members with him.

Howell who later changed his name to David Koresh, married 14-year-old Rachel Jones in 1984. He was 24. She was the daughter of Perry vidians. You sot used to It. God couldnt make any advances because the world would misjudge.

'This Seven Seals Robyn Bunds, 23, a former cult member, said Howell told the sto- Howell does acknowledge that ry as if he found it amusing fe considers himself to be the saying the girl thought he was Lamb spoken of in Revelation getting in bed with, her to 'get whom many Christians believe warm. will unloose the Seven Seals. Thats what he said. When he Many Bible scholars consider tried to pull down her panties, she 4 worked out a Joint to ynonyra for Je-tried to get Urn not to, Bunds- -1 mHiflrf Cn Anmm nM eiu 1 aM Ck. ment, Judge Ronald Taylor or- sus Christ So does Howell said.

She was 12 years old. She Houteffs theological views especially his interpretation of the book of Revelation did not fit the views uf the Seventh-day AdventistsrJonesra high-ranking Branch Houteff did much the same in his day. At 51, he married Florence Hermanson when she was 17i She was the daughter of the groups treasurer. 1 Moving Into now' ora Pitts said. Once again Houteff found himself at odds with a religious group.

Conflict broke out between Houteff and church leaders, and he was charged with disrupting the Sabbath schooL 1 Several who followed him saw him as an in- spired prophet, Pitts wrote. Despite the conflict with the Seventh-day Ad-: yentist church, Houteff continued-to embrace some of its teachings, such as keeping the Sab- bath on Saturday and believing in the imminent the Bible is then Im' Christ, Howell said. But so what? Look at. 2,000 years ago. Whats sq gteat about being Christ? A man nailed to the cross.

A man of sorrow acquainted with "grief. You know, being Christ aint nothing. Know what I mean? the Bible is true, Im Christ. If the Bible is true. But aU Iwant out of this is for people to be honest this time.

trusted him I remember being 12. She reristed, but he kept On going because he said God told him Psychologically, its weird But you got used to it 'It was normal. The girl in question gave birth -in Feteuary 1989 to a daughter, By then, she was 14 years old. The space (m the birth certificate for naming the father is blank. A doz- en of Howells former followers, including one of the girls broth- insist thats because is the baby father.

After 1984, the Branch Davidians, which Sev- entb-day Adventists emphasize are not a part of their church, found themselves moving into a new era. Tbfy became involved in a number of events, with some drawing media attention. In 1985, a rivalry between Howell and dered Sherri Jewell never to take Kiri near HpwelL "-David Jewell said his bade their daughter farewell af-ter the trial and returned to the compound at Mount Carmel Kiri Jewell remains in Niles, with her father." -Howell denies the tale of the harem, but two peq)le unsucces- fully recruited by the Branch Da- 'vidians. said Howell spelled out histbeologyto them. Karl a teacher frmn Vancouver, British Columbia, who studied withjbe cult lot two months in said Howell taught that a jealous world would This time, though, Christ is if you believe HowelL He teaches that man is too siih ful to live up to the perfect stan-; jjowdldenies the accusation.

claims to nave only two. dard Christ set, as recorded in the New Testament This time, Christ iriurn of Christ, according to Pitta history, George Roden for leadership of the group culmi-, In Waco, Houtef fs following well as his in Howell's group being forced off the 5 holdings grew. In 1940 the group had 64 residents property near Elk at gunpoint and increased its holdings from 189 to 177 apres. i Lris Roden died lnl986. In 1942, HOuteff changed the groups name to fl In 1987, Howell andseven men engaged in a Davidlan SeventlHlay Adventists.

Houtef Fs be-'1' gun battle at the property, now called Moimty lief that the restoration of Davids kingdom in Carmel, with George Roden. Palestine was imminent prompted the change, Howdl and the others involved in the shoo-. according to Pitta research. j. i tout were charged with attempted murder in No.

Houteff expected the Secmid Ccuning of Christ, vember of 1987. tV; believing life at Blount Carmel would last A jury in 1988 found, the seven men with-. than one year. But the years passed, and the com- -Howdl innocent V. munity continued to grow despite the groupl 'll A mistrial was declared in the case of How- limited association with the outride world, elL Charges against him were later dismissed.

-I WHAT TEXAS LAW SAYS -V In 1989, George Roden was charged with; Communii had Its problama t-' fl-''. the murder of a 56-year-old Odessa man. f. Indecency with a child Oo- on sentence of 2-20 years. curs if a person has sexual con-1 Endangering a child Oo-.

with a child younger man 17 (Xirs if a person who has custody years of age. It ie a second-de- of a child younger than 15yeare' gree felony punishable by a pris- of age placed the child in danger on sentence of 2-20 years. It ie of bodily injury or mental Impair-' considered a defense If the child ment It is a Css A misdemean- or punishable by up to a year in -county Jet. vv Injury to a chad Occurs if a Is 14 years of age or okJer.and has engaged promiscuously Intercouse. y.

Marrying a non-believer was strictly forbid- fl In December of 1990, Roden was1 found notv den. Many spouses had divorced those who came guilty by reason of insanity and sent to Vernon, to live in the.commnne, according to. Pitts? State Vv; -V Things quieted down until April of 1992. At that time, rumors of a possible mass suicide' children in. the cult, Cyrus ind Star, whose mother is Rachel Howell who was 14 years old when a 24-year-old Howell mar- ried her in 1984.

Davidlan women, how- ever, have left a trail of birth cer- tificates listing no For- mer cult members including Robyn Bunds, who says Howell is the father of her son, Shaun said thats because Howell thered the In additimi, McLennan records show no birth certificates for many children whom former colt members said have been born to Branch Davidlan women since, the late 1980s. A former cult member once regiriered as a -midwife in McLennan County said she delivered twin girls in 1991 to a young Branch Davidlan 1 tease see FTTH, Page 11 A Aggravated sexual assauR of a child Odcurs if a person has sexual Intercourse with, a child less than 14 years of age. It is a first-degree felony punishable by prison sentence of 5-99 years. Sexual assault of a child Occurs If a person has sexual Intercourse with a child 14 year of age or older. Ills a second-de-: gree felony punishable by a pria- person causes either serious bodily injury or bodily injury to a child 14 years old or younger.

If serious bodily Injury occurs, the offense is considered a first-degree Mqny punishable by a prison sentence of 5-99 years. If. bodily Injury occurs, the offense Is considered a third-degree felony punishable by a prison fence of 2-10 years. at Mount Carmel began to circulate, apparently. starting in Australia, a country Howell visited to gather new ollowers, -v" Relatives of cult members said Howell had in- terpreted the book of Revelation in the Bible to uy a certain number of people most become.

martyrs before the Second Coming of Christ r'; Howell now going by the name of David Koresh, called the rumors "all lies. The schoolmaster seduced many of the girls in the Kbool causing it to close, Pitts wrote. There-after, children weri to public schools. Then in 1955 Houteff died, though many amok hers didnt think be would. Some thought be would be the king in the new kingdom or at least Elijah announcing the kingdom.

His death resulted In a major crisis within the group. His wife, Florence, assumed power. That same 1.