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Correspondence from Charles Stansfeld Jones to Aleister Crowley
P.O. Box 141, Chicago
August 24, 1925
Dear Therion
Since writing you yesterday I have had further proofs of the disgusting methods adopted by S. [Max Schneider] who evidently claims to have some authority from you for attempting to throw dirt on the work here. I meet people who have been approached to join his so-called committee, to whom copies of your letter to me were given long before I received it with a lot of filthy remarks and quotations from other letters purporting to be from you—little personal things nothing to do with the Work—and such people have simply turned the suggestion down cold and refused to become party to such an obviously underhand and dirty piece of work.
The more I consider this matter the more I am of the opinion that however d….d foolish and rotten your action was, the actions of S., as a result, are so very "via-tor" that he is not alone responsible for making a fool of you in the first case, but of so very evidently fooling himself, to the amusement of all he approached, except the two disgruntled persons on his committee who have no sense of humour, that the whole thing begins to look like a joke at your expense.
However, in spite of the occult break which has taken place between us, and which I really do not regret because I think it will be for the best in the long run, there is the question of the books. Your personal books and me which I have protected for you all these years have been released from storage in Detroit and I think it is undoubtedly best that take these into your own charge in Germany. I have never even seen them since I carefully packed them at the U.[niversal] B.[ook] S.[tore].
But the other books, upon which I have paid all storage to date, I have ordered to be held long enough to enable me to receive a reply from you to this letter. We should come to a clear and definite settlement in regard to this matter. Owing to the peculiar circumstances under which I received these books, the lack of proper inventory at the time from you, and our occult relationship in various orders etc. etc. it appears a little difficult to determine whose property they are and what should be done with them in fairness to all parties.
I suggest (1) They be charged to me at the declared customs value (of which I have the voucher) and that after deducting from this the various sums of money I have sent you since the receipt of the books, the amount I paid Lodge on your account, and the cost of storage on your personal books in Detroit, that I be considered as owing you any difference, or you owing me any difference that may then appear, and that the books be considered as my personal property to dispose of in any way I chose.
Or (2) That the bulk of the books (some 38 or 39 cases) which are still on hand and untouched, be considered as your property, any reduction in quantity from the number originally sent to me, being considered as used for the furtherance of the work here in your interests, and provided that you agree to pay me, or owe me, the amount I have expended for freight, cartage, storage, etc. during the years I have been keeping them safe and in as good a condition as when received. But I think it only fair, should you wish these books released to any agent in America, that I receive the storage charges etc. above referred to, in cash, since my work here has tended to give these books a certain value they would not otherwise have in this Country. But, if you wish the books shipped to Germany for European distribution, carriage forward of course, I should be willing to allow this cash item to stand over until more prosperous times and, since I am taking the responsibility of holding the books until I hear from you, I would pay the additional storage necessary to release them within the next two months.
If I have not heard from you direct, not through any agent, by the end of October 1925, I shall consider you as accepting plan Number (1) and go into things from that angle.
I think you will agree that both the above suggestions are fair, and it is for you to decide which is most to your advantage. I should like to feel that this whole matter is cleaned up without ill-feeling on either side and I feel that in your heart you are of the same opinion.
Yours fraternally,
Achad.
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