THE PITTSBURGH PRESS

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

13 April 1934

(page 39)

Confessed Genius Loses Weird Suit.

A “Black Magic” libel suit brought by Aleister Crowley, writer, ended suddenly today when the jury disgustedly indicated that it had heard enough and returned a verdict in favor of the defendant.

Crowley, who introduced much fantastic evidence, sued Miss Nina Hamnett because he said she had libeled him in her book, “Laughing Torso,” by saying he practiced black magic. Crowley admitted he practiced magic, but said it wasn’t black.

Justice Swift told the jury:

“I have never heard such dreadful, horrible, blasphemous, abominable stuff as that produced by this man describing himself as the greatest living poet.”