THE CITIZEN

Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England

23 September 1932

(page 5)

"LAUGHING TORSO."

BOOK WRITTEN BY WOMAN STOPPED.

A motion to restrain further publication of a book, "Laughing Torso," by Nina Hamnett, was before Mr. Justice Lawrence in the Vacation Court.

The motion was brought by Mr. Edward Alexander Crowley, of Albemarle Court, Piccadilly, who writes under the name of Aleister Crowley. Mr. Gallop (for Mr. Crowley) said he complained of certain passages in the book. He continued:

"As far as I have been able to gather, this is a sort of autobiographical work, but it includes what I suppose are intended to be interesting anecdotes about a diversity of persons, and among them Mr. Crowley. "There is not a word of truth in what is written. It is indecent, vulgar, and ignorant. Mr. Crowley has sworn an affidavit denying that there is a word of truth in it."

Mr. Upjohn, for the publishers, said that within ten minutes of their being served with the writ Messrs. Constable and Co, suspended its publication.

On the undertaking that there would be no further sale the matter stood over until Oct. 5.