THE EVENING CHRONICLE

Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England

24 July 1934

(page 1)

Notes That Reappeared in Court

MODEL’S LOST LETTERS

“Aleister” Crowley Accused

RECEIVING CHARGE

Carried His Silk Hat in the Dock

Edward Alexander Crowley (58), who was described in the calendar as an explorer, pleaded not guilty at the Old Bailey to-day to the charge of receiving four original letters and one copy of a letter, said to have been stolen from Mrs. Betty Sedgwick, known as “Betty May,” a model.

Crowley appeared in the dock carrying a silk hat.

Mr. Melford Stevenson, prosecuting, said it was alleged Crowley received the letters between June 21, 1933, and April 19, 1934.

PUBLISHERS SUED

In 1932, he said, Crowley was a plaintiff in a civil action for damages for libel. That was brought against a firm of publishers in respect of a passage in a book published by them, in which certain reflections, according to Crowley, were made upon him in the name of Aleister Crowley.

Mrs. Sedgwick, said counsel, also know as Betty May, who was an artist’s model, had given to the solicitors for the defence in that action information about Crowley. In June, 1933, she was expecting to be called as a witness to give evidence against him in the action.

In April, 1934, she gave evidence and was cross-examined. “As often happens, said counsel, “in this case she had received from the solicitors for the defence certain sums in respect of her expenses.”

In June, 1933, Mrs. Sedgwick was living at an address in Seymour Street, London. Also living there was a man names Cruze. Mrs. Sedgwick had in her possession a number of letters.

“There were four letters which had passed between her and the solicitors, arranging for her to be callas as a witness. The letters disclosed that she had been receiving from the solicitors money for expenses. There was also a letter relating to her arrangements with publishers of a book that she was preparing.

GONE FROM ATTACHÉ-CASE

She put the five letters with other documents in an attaché-case, and she had the attaché-case with her at Seymour Street.

Towards the end of June she went to a cottage in the country, and on opening the attaché-case she found the documents had disappeared. She did not see the letters again from the end of June, 1933, until April, 1934.

In that month she gave evidence for the defence, and the letters were produced in court by counsel appearing for Crowley in the case.

Mr. Stevenson said it was not known who stole the letters. The only person who was likely to have any interest in their possession was Crowley. It was for him to give an explanation of his possession of them.