THE LIVERPOOL POST AND MERCURY

Liverpool, Lancashire, England

23 September 1932

(page 8)

“LAUGHING TORSO”

ALEISTER CROWLEY’S ACTION

AGAINST AUTHOR

In the Vacation Court, yesterday, Mr. Justice Lawrence had before him a motion to restrain the further publication of a book entitled “Laughing Torso,” by Nina Hamnett, published by Messrs. Constable and Company, Limited, and printed by Messrs. Charles Whittingham and Griggs, Limited.

The motion was supported by Mr. C. Gallop, on behalf of Mr. Edward Alexander Crowley, living at Albemarle-court, Piccadilly, an author, the plaintiff in the action.

Mr. Gallop said that the book, “Laughing Torso,” was the work of Miss Nina Hamnett, who was a defendant to the action. The other defendants were the publishers and printers.

Mr. Crowley was an author who wrote under the style of Aleister Crowley, and he complained of passages in the book, “and in particular,” said Mr. Gallop, “of passages which I have not the slightest intention of reading in this court unless obliged to do so. 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.”

Publishers’ Undertaking

The present motion was only for an interim injunction to restrain the further circulation of the book until the trial of the action, or further order. But in the action Mr. Crowley asked for the delivery up of all available copies for the purpose of their being destroyed.

Mr. Upjohn, for the publishers and printers of the book, said Messrs. Constable suspended its publication. He was willing to give an undertaking not to continue publication until further order, and he hoped that the matter might be disposed of without further troubling the court. As to the future sale of the book, he was instructed that it had not been proposed to issue a second edition.

Mr. Gallop.—So far as the publishers and printers are concerned I am content with the undertaking.

Mr. Justice Lawrence said that on the undertaking given the matter would stand over until October 5th.