THE DAILY MAIL

London, England

26 July 1934

JUDGE AND ALEISTER CROWLEY.

BOUND OVER FOR TWO YEARS.

Edward Alexander Crowley, Aged 58, described as an explorer, was found guilty at the Old Bailey yesterday on a receiving charge, and was bound over and ordered to pay 50 guineas.

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 artists' model, of South Hill Park-gardens, Hampstead, N.W.

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 which Crowley was the plaintiff.

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

£5 Paid for Letters

Mr. George Mather, a merchant, of Cambridge-terrace, W., said that after Crowley asked him to secure the letters he went to see Cruze and asked him to loan him the letters. Mather added that he gave Cruze £5 for the letters, and handed them to Crowley.

Judge Whiteley: Where did you get £5 from?—Crowley.

Mr. C. Gallop (defending): Were they lent, obtained, or procured for the purpose of being disclosed to the judge and jury in the libel action?—Quite.

Was it the intention that they should be disclosed when Mrs. Sedgwick was in the witness box?—Yes.

Crowley was then called. He described himself as an author and poet, writing under the name of Aleister Crowley.

Mr. Gallop: In the course of the libel action did you hear that Mrs. Sedgwick would probably be called as a witness against you?—Yes.

Crowley's Denial

Crowley added that he wanted to know whether these letters did prove the alleged plans of Mrs. Sedgwick that she was going to commit perjury. He never at any time suspected that the letters were stolen.

After an absence of half an hour the jury found Crowley guilty. Judge Whiteley asked if anyone knew what has happened to Captain Cruze.

Mr. Stevenson: I wish we did.

Judge Whiteley said he did not think he had the power to impose a fine. Crowley would pay the costs and be bound over for two years to be of good behavior.

The judge added. "If anything of this kind happens again you will be brought to this court and sentenced to six months' for this offence. Do you understand that?"