THE SCOTSMAN

Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

29 June 1934

(page 7)

AUTHOR CHARGED.

Alleged Theft of Letters.

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.

Edward Alexander Crowley (Aleister Crowley, the author), of Upper Montague Street, London, was, at Marylebone Police Court yesterday, committed for trial at the Central Criminal Court on a warrant charging him with feloniously receiving five letters, the property of Mrs. Betty Sedgwick [Betty May], knowing them to have been stolen.

Bail was allowed in £10.

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. Iwi said yesterday 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.

“According to my instructions,” 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 yesterday produced the documents, which, he explained, were in his personal care.

VALUE OF THE LETTERS

Prosecutrix, in the box, said that she was a model usually known professionally as “Betty May,” and she was now living at Hampstead. She did not see the five letters (four originals and a copy) after June of 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-halfpenny,” was Mrs. Sedgwick’s reply.

Witness said that a Captain E. Cruze, or Cruse, was living in the Seymour Street house in June 1933.

Mr. C. Gallop, who appeared for the defence (cross-examining)—Had Cruze, as far as you know, any money at all.

Mrs. Sedgwick—None.

Witness agreed that she went to Cruze to see a solicitor.

Mr. Gallop—Did you not authorise 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.