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THE DAILY HERALD London, England 6 October 1932 (page 7)
JUDGE REFUSES TO BAN BOOK.
“UNDESIRABLE TO READ PASSAGES.”
Mr. E. Crowley.
When Mr. Justice du Parcq had before him, in the Vacation Court, an application to restrain the further publication of a book, “Laughing Torso,” by Miss Nina Hamnett, he said:—
The matter was before Mr. Justice Lawrence on September 22, when it was stated that Mr. Edward Alexander Crowley, the author, known as Aleister Crowley, who is the plaintiff in the action, complained of certain passages in the book which, he said, were untrue.
The publishers, Messrs. Constable, gave an undertaking to suspend publication until yesterday.
The judge refused the application.
Mr. Martin O’Connor (for Miss Hamnett) said: “My defence in this action is that every word published about Mr. Crowley is true, and will be justified at the trial. Miss Hamnett has known Mr. Crowley for a number of years, and can speak about his character, and of the matters referred to in the two passages as being within her knowledge.”
One passage complained of, he said, was told to her by Mr. Crowley personally.
Mr. Justice du Parcq: “It may be said that this is not only a libel but an obscene libel. It may be that it is a kind of libel which the Court would say was a criminal libel, and it is possible that it was a criminal offence to publish it, even if it were not a libel.”
The judge later stated that he did not think it desirable that the passages complained of should be read. |
