THE LINCOLNSHIRE ECHO

Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England

25 July 1934

(page 1)

CROWLEY FOUND GUILTY.

Received Stolen Letters.

TO PAY 50 GNS. COST.

Edward Alexander Crowley (58), described as an explorer, was found guilty at the Old Bailey to-day, of 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 South Hill Park-gardens, Hampstead.

Mr. Melford Stevenson, prosecuting, said 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.

The letters referred to the payment of certain expenses by a firm of solicitors to Mrs. Sedgwick, who was a witness for the defence in the action, and she was cross examined upon them.

“TIGER WOMAN.”

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 that parts of the book were untrue, but the passage about Crowley and the abbey were correct.

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

Crowley, in the box to-day, said that £5 was paid for the letters. He did not at any time suspect that they were stolen.

WHY PAY?

Mr. Stephenson (cross-examining). Did you think it in the slightest degree likely that the lady would consent to their passing into your possession?—I did.

Judge Whiteley: Why should you give £5 for something you could have got for nothing?—Her consent would, no doubt, be dependent on some compensation.

Judge Whiteley, summing up, said that Crowley had not been previously charged with any criminal offence at all.

“So far as that is concerned he comes into this court with a good character,” the judge added.

Crowley was bound over for two years, and ordered to pay a sum not exceeding 50 guineas towards the costs of the prosecution.