THE EVENING DESPATCH

Birmingham, Warwickshire, England

10 May 1933

(page 9)

DAMAGES FOR AUTHOR

Shopkeeper’s Libel Notice Inside Book

Damages of £50 were awarded in a High Court action to-day to Mr. Edward Alexander Crowley (Aleister Crowley, the author) who sued a London bookseller, Mr. Arthur Gordon Gray, of Praed-street, Paddington, for libel.

Inside the paper cover of Mr. Crowley’s novel “Moonchild” exposed for sale at his shop defendant attached a notice stating “Aleister Crowley’s first novel, the dairy [sic] of a drug fiend, was withdrawn from circulation after an attack in the sensational Press.”

The innuendo attached to the notice, said Mr. Crowley’s counsel was that that novel was improper and that its circulation had been stopped by law.

Counsel for the defence said Mr. Gray admitted the libel and expressed his complete apology and the notice had been withdrawn.

Mr. Justice Bennett said there was not the smallest ground for suggesting that any book Mr. Crowley had written was improper.

He granted a stay of execution with a view to an appeal if the amount of the damages was brought into court.