Labeled “fortune-telling,” and lumped in with all manner of unrelated and
archaic “occult arts” and metaphysical practices—as well as the complete pantheon of
New Age philosophies and disciplines—astrological practice is still restricted, or
banned, by numerous cities in many states of the union.
AFAN has legal briefs prepared that with little modification can be filed to
challenge antiastrology laws in all their various forms. Many cities are unaware of
court rulings and legal victories in other jurisdictions, or they ignore them in the face
of local civic or religious pressure, or until they get some pressure from AFAN.
The laws astrologers object to include: bonding requirements of up to $10,000
in areas where cities know bonding companies do not issue bonds for astrologers; busi-
ness license fees that range to $300 per year, when other consulting businesses pay
$30; and permits that go for as much as $100 per day, which is not terrible for a one-
day event, but is $36,500 for a year in business. Some cities require fingerprints and
mug-shot photos, and a license fee in the range of fines, effectively arresting the
astrologer before she or he goes into business. All these fees and license requirements
are in excess of what other businesses or consultants are charged. Total prohibitions
on the practice of astrology for a fee also exist.
The most celebrated case defending an astrologer against charges of fortune-
telling is the trial of Evangeline Adams in New York City in 1914. Adams was the best
known and most respected astrologer of her era, renowned for her insight and accura-
cy in forecasting. She was a prolific author and a media celebrity. She was a member of
the Boston Adams family, a direct descendant of Presidents John Adams and John
Quincy Adams. Her offices were in Carnegie Hall, and her client list included actors,
opera stars, politicians, statesmen, kings, tycoons, and high-class brothel madams.
Readings were $5.
She was arrested under New York’s anti-fortune-telling statute, which made it
a crime “to pretend to tell fortunes.” Those found to be in violation of the ordinance
“shall be adjudged disorderly persons and punished as prescribed therein.” Adams,
with the support of her clients, specifically J. P. Morgan, decided to defend astrology,
rather than pay a minor fine.
Adams contended that she used scientific methods, the measurements of
astronomy, logarithms, the rigors of mathematics, and the empirical findings of cen-
turies of astrologers in her practice. She never predicted specific future events, nor did
she forecast with certainty, or promote undue reliance on her predictions. Rather, she
spoke of planets in particular positions or alignments, indicating a likelihood of a hap-
pening or of an opportunity. She did not claim for herself special gifts or mysterious
powers, but stated that any knowledgeable astrologer could find the same positions
and indications from the proper astrological reference books. Scant mention is found
in the transcript that Adams used real planet positions, called transits, which she
learned from Dr. Heber Smith, while her contemporaries used the older symbolic sys-
tem of progressions, or projected positions of the birth planets.
Importantly, this case actually examines the means and methods of astrology.
Walter Coleman asserts that it is the onlycase “where the substantive merits of astrol-
ogy were completely analyzed by a duly constituted judicial authority.” Text from The
THEASTROLOGYBOOK [393]
The Law and Astrology