THE LANCASHIRE EVENING POST

Preston, Lancashire, England

28 June 1934

(page 6)

MYSTERY OF FIVE LETTERS.

Mr. Crowley Committed for Trial.

“COMPLETE ANSWER.”

Edward Alexander Crowley, aged 58, of Upper Montague Street, W., appeared on remand, to-day, at Marylebone Police Court, charged with feloniously receiving five letters, the property of Betty Sedgwick [Betty May].

At the previous hearing, Mr. Edward F. Iwi, who prosecuted, said that certain documents which were the subject matter of the charge were at present in the custody of the Master of the Crown Office. Application would have to be made in the High Court for the documents to be produced.

Mr. Kerman [Isidore Kerman], for Mr. Crowley, said that his client had a complete answer to the charge.

Mr. Ivan Snell, the magistrate, allowed bail in the sum of £10.

To-day Mr. Iwi said that the letters were alleged to have been received between June 21, 1933, and April, 1934 from a house in Seymour-street, in which Mrs. Sedgwick was living in June, 1933.

LETTERS PRODUCED.

"According to my instruction," Mr. Iwi added, "those documents were stolen while she was there, and were received by the defendant, knowing them to have been stolen.” Last April, when Mrs. Sedgwick was a witness in the case Crowley v Constable and others, certain documents were put to her and ordered by Mr. Justice Swift to be kept in the court's custody.

Mr. Iwi now produced the documents which he explained were in his personal care.

Prosecutrix, in the box, said that she was a model usually known professionally as "Betty May," and was now living at Hampstead. She did not see the five letters—four originals and a copy—after June last year until the High Court action.

Mr. Iwi: Did you willingly part with these letters to anybody?—No.

"What value do you place on them? Mr. Iwi asked.

"Sevenpence half-penny," was Mrs. Sedgwick's reply. She said that a Captain E. Cruze, or Cruse, was living in the Seymour-street house in June, 1933.

Mr. Gallop (cross-examining). Had Cruze as far as you know, any money at all?

Mrs. Sedgwick: None. She agreed that she went with Cruze to see a solicitor.

Mr. Gallop: What was the object?—To prevent me from being attacked in Soho by roughs. She denied that she had handed the letters to Cruze or the solicitor.

Mr. Gallop: Did you not authorize Cruze to get rid of those letters in the most advantageous manner that he could think of?—Certainly not.

After further evidence the magistrate remarked that he was glad someone else would finally deal with the case. “If the defendant is found guilty,” he added, “I shall be very interested to know how the person who has to deal with it does deal with it.”

Mr. Gallop said that following the magistrate’s remark he would not call Crowley. “He wishes it to be understood that he has an absolute explanation,” Mr. Gallop added.

Crowley, who pleaded not guilty, and reserved his defence, was committed for trial at the Old Bailey and allowed bail of £10.