THE DAILY MIRROR

London, England

14 April 1934

(page 12)

JUDGE’S SCATHING COMMENT

ON ALEISTER CROWLEY.

“Abominable Stuff by Man Who Poses as

Greatest Poet”—Jury Stop Libel Suit.

Miss Nina Hamnett, who was one of the

defendants, photographed yesterday.

There was a dramatic end in the King’s Bench Division yesterday to the action in which Mr. Aleister Crowley, the author claimed damages against Miss Nina Hamnett, authoress of a book entitled Laughing Torso, and the printers and publishers, for alleged libel.

Mr. Crowley complained that passages in the book accused him of practicing “black magic” in a villa at Cefalù, Sicily, which was known as the Abbey of Thelema.

The jury stopped the case, the foreman saying they were unanimous in finding a verdict for the defendants.

Judgment was thereupon given for the defendants, with costs.

Addressing the jury after Mr. J. P. Eddy had made his closing speech for Mr. Crowley, Mr. Justice Swift said:—

“SOMETHING NEW”

“Thirty minutes ago you intimated to me that you had made up your minds about this case and that you did not want to hear any more about it.

“I pointed out to you that before you could stop it Mr. Eddy was entitled to address you. I also pointed out that before I could take your verdict I must be satisfied that you understand the issues you are trying.”

His Lordship added: “I have nothing to say to you about the facts except this. I have been forty years engaged in the administration of the law in one capacity or another. I thought that I knew every conceivable form of wickedness.

“I thought everything which was vicious and bad had been produced at one time or another before me. I have learned in this case that you can always learn something more if you live long enough.

“Never have I heard such dreadful, horrible, blasphemous, abominable stuff as that which has been produced by the man who describes himself to you as the greatest living poet.”

“PLAIN QUESTION OF FACT”

When Mr. Eddy asked for a stay of execution Mr. Justice Swift said: “No, Mr. Eddy, it was a plain question of fact for the jury.”

Mrs. Sedgwick [Betty May], formerly the wife of Frederick Charles Loveday (referred to in the case as Raoul Loveday), was cross-examined by Mr. Eddy when the hearing of the case was resumed yesterday.

She denied that her life in London immediately before her marriage to Loveday could be fairly be described as “drink, drugs, and immorality.”

When she married Loveday he had been ill. “I was a model,” she said. “I had to keep both of us. I was sitting very hard because we had no money.”

She denied that the suggestion that she and her husband should go to Cefalù was made with the idea of “rescuing” her from the life she was leading in London.

Mr. Eddy: I suggest you are the source of all these stories about “the worst man in the world” and “orgies in Sicily.”

Mrs. Sedgwick denied this, and declared that the evidence she had given about the sacrifice of a cat during ceremonials at the “Abbey” was absolutely true.

“SHOT AT MYSTIC”

Mr. Eddy alluded to an alleged threat by Crowley to expel witness from the “Abbey,” and read the following description of the incident which counsel said appeared in Mrs. Sedgwick’s book, Tiger Woman.

“I seized a revolver and fired it at the mystic (Crowley). It went wide of the mark. He laughed harshly. Then I rushed at him, but I couldn’t get a grip on his shaven head. He picked me up in his arms and flung me bodily outside through the front door.”

“Is that melodrama true?: asked Mr. Eddy. “Absolutely true,” Mrs. Sedgwick replied.

Counsel next asked: Are you “Tiger Woman”?—Yes.

Why do you call yourself that? Because I think I am rather feline in looks and I thought that would be rather a good name for me.

Are you known as “Bumble Toff”?—Yes. lots of people call me that.

Do you know anybody who signs himself “Poddle Diff”?—Yes, a very old friend of mine.

Were you acting under the advice in this matter of your old friend “Poddle Diff”?—No.

“LETTERS STOLEN”

Mrs. Sedgwick vigorously rejected a suggestion that her evidence had been paid for, and declared that certain correspondence with the solicitors, which had got into Mr. Crowley’s possession, had been stolen.

After Mrs. Sedgwick had left the box, O’Connor (for Miss Hamnett) suggested to the jury that the point had been reached which they should stop the case.

The foreman asked the judge if the time had arrived when they might intervene, and the judge advised them that if Mr. Eddy wanted to speak to them he was entitled to do so. Mr. Eddy then addressed the jury.