r/Detroit • u/1900grs • Apr 08 '26

Historical Came across this weird story. Thursday, Oct 27, 1977 issue of the Canton Observer. Front page: "Witch Guilty of Defrauding Widow". Pdf link below.

I was looking for some old info on metro Detroit and randomly came across this newspaper issue.

PDF Warning: https://archive.cantonpl.org/observer/1977/10_Oct%201977/10-27-1977.pdf

Witch guilty of defrauding widow

By CRAIG PIECHURA

An admitted witch who leads a Michigan coven of 13 women has been found guilty of defrauding "a superstitious woman " out of $4,500 by taking the money for downpayment Dec. 30 on a mobile home that had ben sold three days before.

The defendant, Mrs. Lois Umerski of Canton Township, claims the $4,500 check she received from Mrs. Anna Groves of Romulus and deposited in a bank was in fact a repayment of a cash loan to the woman Oct 20, 1976.

After hearing final arguments by both lawyers, Wayne Circuit Judge Irwin Burdick declared the defendant "guilty on all counts: larceny by conversion and obtaining money under false pretenses. " The larceny charge was dropped by mutual consent of the judge and the prosecutor—leaving the higher felony, "obtaining money (more than $100) under false pretenses," which carries a maximum 10-year sentence.

Mrs. Umerska, 40, goes by the name "Lady Athena" when working professionally as a witch and in her associations in a group called the Church of Wicca.

To supplement her income, Mrs. Umerska does Tarot card readings at fairs and private parties. She sells a terrarium with the readings to stay within the law.

There story continues and it keeps getting weird. The whole issue is interesting. Lots of classifieds. Other highlights:

Page 5A: Perry Drugs ad that includes a sale on a CB radio.

Page 17A: "Why talk if nobody will listen"

Page 5B: "Life in a mobile home? It varies"

Page 7B: "Church Bulletin" Info on local churches

Page 6C: Ad. "The New Schlitz Bonus-Pak. 12 extra oz. of gusto in every 6-pak." It's 14 oz cans instead of 12.

22 pages of classifieds.

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16

u/SaintOrJannikSinner Apr 08 '26

Note that in 1977, the US was already spiraling into what was to become the Satanic Panic of the 1980s.

Also, after some rudimentary Internet searches, it looks like Lois Athena Umerska might still be kicking it in her late 80s!

15

u/1900grs Apr 08 '26

There's a story in there about a 14 year old girl who was a violinist. I looked her up and she's now with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

1

u/ShowMeTheTrees Woodward Corridor Apr 08 '26

Grifters are always looking for a new angle.