THE DOMINION

Wellington, New Zealand

5 January 1910

(page 5)

SCOTTISH DIVORCE.

In the Court of Session, Edinburgh, a divorce decree was obtained by Rose Edith Kelly, against Alister [sic] MacGregor Crowley, formerly called Edward Alexander Crowley. Some amusing evidence was given in the course of the action. One witness said that the defendant was very proud of having, as he thought, Scottish blood in his veins. He had curious ideas of how to fit up a house. He put mirrors round a room at Boleskine, where he had a house and estate, and called it a temple. He invented a new kind of religion. He was a Cabalist, and studied ancient manuscripts. Writing to the witness from abroad, he sometimes signed himself MacGregor and sometimes Crowley. He changed his name from Alexander to Alister because it was Scottish. He got some mark of distinction from an Indian chief, and thereupon, the witness said, called himself Lord Boleskin [sic]. The defendant often appeared in complete Highland costume, and the MacGregor tartan was very, very bright.

—“Standard of Empire.”