THE MARSHALL MORNING NEWS

Marshall, Texas, U.S.A.

12 April 1934

(page 8)

BLACK MAGIC IMPUTATION BRINGS

SUIT FOR LIBEL AGAINST AUTHOR.

Aleister Crowley, author, has brought libel action in the high court against Miss Nina Hamnett, alleging that passages in her book, “Laughing Torso,” imputed that he practices black magic.

On the stand Crowley admitted that newspapers had described him as “the worst man in the world and a monster of wickedness.” He said, however, that he practices magic by developing his will power, but not “black magic.”

In a bizarre session, Crowley added that he assumed the names “beast 666” which he said according to the Apocalypse is the number of the sun; and also “master therion,” meaning “great wild beast.”

The prosecution maintained that there are two forms of magic, white and black, the former on the side of the angels and the latter on the side of the devil.