Esalen was quick to discredit any story that Manson 'stayed' at the retreat in August 1969. Certainly nobody in Big Sur went on the record to corroborate his little performance. Manson's own account (according to the 'biography' written by Nuel Emmons) was that "I spent the night in my truck, and the next day, I visited the Esalen Institute to enjoy the mineral baths. It was totally relaxing relaxing and I felt refreshed when I left." By his accord, it doesn't sound like he did more than spend a couple hours at the retreat and he doesn't mention any performance. Perhaps that's because he wanted to play his music, was turned down, and satisfied himself with just a soak in their mineral baths.

The only other statement about the incident is from Stephanie Schram:

"Stephanie: We spent one night there and then we went by the Esalen Institute where I think Charlie had hopes to get some recording people on his side to record some music.

Cats: Did you go in with him?

Stephanie: No, I didn’t.

Cats: When he came out was there a change in his attitude at all?

Stephanie: No. I had already at one point the night before seen a violent side of him and why I remained with him, I don’t really know.

Brian: Can you tell us about that?

Stephanie: Well we met a couple of people hiking down one of the trails there in Big Sur and I think he was hoping that they would be able to provide us with dinner. I was pretty freaked out at the time and I think when they saw me they were afraid and they left. He came into the van and gave me a pretty good slap and said that I had ruined his chances for dinner that night.

Brian: Wow and that’s when the first red flag goes up.

Stephanie: Yeah I know it should have, shouldn’t it?

*****

Cats: When he came out of Esalen was he even more angry?

Stephanie: Well, yeah he was. He seemed to kind of stick to himself though then. I mean he was obviously angry, was not real communicative with me so I was just along. I was just kind of along at that point.

(Brian Davis and Cats Cradle, Interview with Stephanie Schramm former Manson Family Member, October 9, 2011, Transcribed by Gina Judd April 29, 2014 downloaded from scribd.com)"

So, there's no evidence of what he did at Esalen, no indication that he was angry immediately after leaving there, just quiet and uncommunicative.