THE EVENING DESPATCH

Birmingham, Warwickshire, England

8 October 1934

(page 5)

AUTHOR’S APPEAL

Security for Costs in Libel Action

The Court of Appeals to-day fixed £25 as security for costs of Miss Nina Hamnett in the appeal which is being brought by Mr. Aleister Crowley, the author, against the verdict and judgment in favour of the defendants in the libel action which he brought in the King’s Bench Division last April.

Mr. Crowley had sued Miss Hamnett, authoress of a book entitled “Laughing Torso”; Messrs. Constable and Co., Ltd, publishers; and Messrs. Charles Whittingham and Briggs, printers of the book.

Mr. Crowley complained that the book imputed that he had practiced “black magic,” which he said was a libel upon him. The defense was a plea of justification.

Last July an order for £100 as security for costs in the appeal was obtained by the publishers and printers.