THE EVENING CHRONICLE

Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England

25 July 1934

(page 1)

LOST LETTERS CHARGE

Aleister Crowley’s Defence

ALLEGED RECEIVING

Accused’s Comments on Artist’s Model

The defence was continued at the Old Bailey to-day when the trial of Edward Alexander Crowley (58), described as an explorer, was resumed. Crowley was charged with receiving four original letters and one copy, said to have been stolen from Mrs. Betty Sedgwick, professionally known as “Betty May,” an artist’s model, of Hampstead.

Mr. Melford Stevenson (prosecuting) said that the letters disappeared from Mrs. Sedgwick’s attaché case, and were later produced during the hearing of a libel action in the High Court in which Crowley was the plaintiff.

Mrs. Sedgwick was questioned at length yesterday by Mr. C. Gallop (defending) about a book she had written called “Tiger Woman, My Story, by Betty May.” She said parts of the book were untrue but the passage about Crowley and the Abbey [Abbey of Thelema] were correct.

THEFT ALLEGATION

She alleged that a man named Captain Eddie Cruze had stolen the letters from her.

Mr. George Mather, a merchant, continued his evidence for the defense. He said that when he told Crowley that Cruze had the letters in his possession, Crowley said that he would like to see copies.

“I got copies of the letters,” said Mather, “and Mr. Crowley asked me to get the originals.”

Witness had not the slightest suspicion the letters might have been stolen.

Mather said he gave Cruze £5 for the letters, and handed them to Mr. Crowley.

The Judge: Where hid you get the £5 from?—Mr. Crowley.

Crowley, who described himself as an author and poet writing under the name of Aleister Crowley, gave evidence.

Mr. Gallop: Were you plaintiff in the action, Constable v. Another?—I was and I am.

Crowley said he heard Mrs. Sedgwick would probably be called as a witness against him. He did not regard her as a trustworthy person,

Crowley added that in December, 1933, Mr. Mather told him Cruze knew all about the projects of Mrs. Sedgwick, and would disclose the whole affair to him.

“PREPARING FOR PERJURY”

“Mather told me,” said Crowley, “that Betty May was preparing to commit perjury. I already knew that from several sources. Mather said that Cruze’s story could be substantiated, and that he had some letters in his possession.

“I wanted to know whether these letters proved Mrs. Sedgwick was going to commit perjury.”

Crowley said £5 was handed to Mather by a friend. He asked if he might write the name down if the judge desired to know it. The name was not mentioned in court.

Crowley said that he did not suspect the letters had been stolen, nor did any legal adviser of his suggest that possibility.

COUNSEL AND JUDGE’S COMMENTS.

Mr. Stevenson: Are you representing yourself as a respectable citizen whose word is to be trusted?—Yes.

Mr. Stevenson: I want to read what Mr. Justice Swift said about you. Did he say this: “Never have I heard such dreadful, horrible, blasphemous, abominable stuff as that produced by the man who describes himself to you as the greatest living poet”?

“Is that the view Mr. Justice Swift expressed about you?” asked counsel.

Crowley: The quotation, as far as I know, is accurate. He was referring to this book.

SOLICITOR’S POSITION

Mr. Isidore Kerman, the solicitor who conducted the libel action, said that he did not know Crowley had paid £5 for the letters. With the knowledge he had he thought the transaction quite proper.