THE DAILY EXPRESS

London, England

29 June 1934

(page 7)

ALEISTER CROWLEY FOR TRIAL.

WOMEN'S LETTERS THAT VANISHED.

Edward Alexander Crowley (Aleister Crowley, the novelist), of Upper Montagu-street, W., was committed for trial at Marylebone Police Court yesterday accused of feloniously receiving five letters, the property of Betty Sedgwick [Betty May].

He pleaded not guilty and reserved his defence. Bail was allowed in £10.

"Before Mr. Crowley is sent for trial," said Mr. Gallop, defending, "he wishes it to be well understood that he has an absolute explanation."

BASIS OF THE CHARGE

Mr. Edward F. Iwi, for the prosecution said that the charge related to the alleged receiving of letters between June 31, 1933 and April 10, 1934, from a house at Seymour-street.

It appeared that the prosecutrix, who was generally known as Mrs. Betty Sedgwick, was living during June 1933 at that house, and had certain papers in her possession, including the documents which were the subject of this charge.

"According to my instructions," said Mr. Iwi, "those documents were stolen while she was there and had been received by the defendant, knowing them to have been stolen.

"Mrs. Sedgwick was at Seymour-street only until the end of June, when she left for a cottage in Berkshire. When she arrived she found that the documents were no longer in her case.

"In April of this year Mrs. Sedgwick was a witness in the case Crowley v. Constable and others, and gave evidence on behalf of the defendant Constable.

"She was cross-examined by Mr. Eddy, who appeared for the defendant in today's case. Certain documents were produced in court and were put to her.

"I do not propose," said Mr. Iwi, "to say what Mr. Justice Swift remarked on that particular occasion, but the documents were ordered to be kept in the custody of the court."

Mr. Iwi explained that the documents were produced by Mr. Eddy.

Evidence was given by Mrs. Betty Sedgwick, who told the magistrate that she was a model by profession, usually known as Betty May.