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Legal Suit Between Aleister Crowley and Gerald Yorke
1932.—C.—No. 599.
In the High Court of Justice.
Chancery Division.
Mr. Justice Bennett
Between Aleister Crowley, Plaintiff and Gerald Yorke, Defendant.
George the fifth, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Defender of the Faith, to
Gerald Yorke of 49, Oxford Mansions in the County of London
We command you, That within Eight Days after the Service of this Writ on you, inclusive of the day of such Service, you do cause an Appearance to be entered for you in an Action at the Suit of
Aleister Crowley
And take notice that in default of your doing so the Plaintiff may proceed therein, and Judgment may be given in your absence. Witness,
John, Viscount Sankey
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, the 7th day of September, in the year of Our Lord One thousand nine hundred and thirty-two.
The Plaintiff Claims.
1. That an account be taken of all dealings effected by the Defendant as agent for the Plaintiff.
2. Payment of all monies found due to the Plaintiff.
3. Delivery up of all books, documents, manuscripts, pictures and all other goods belonging to the Plaintiff.
4. Damages.
5. Any further or other requisite relief.
MR. GERALD YORKE WILL SAY:
I have known Mr. Edward Alexander Crowley, commonly known as Aleister Crowley, since 1928.
I got into touch with him through books and I joined his Order of Occultists at that date. I was then a Director of two Public Companies.
At that time Mr. Crowley was living in Paris and I was living in England.
We became great friends. He showed me the manuscript of Book he had written some time earlier called "Magic" [Magick in Theory and Practice]. I was struck by the book and helped him to get it published. I put up £800 of my own money for the purpose. Also I obtained a few subscriptions and by these means together with a guarantee for £1,000 which I gave we were able to publish the book.
This book did not actually come out until 1930 when I paid the last Printers Bill out of my own moneys.
Meantime on 14th December Mr. Crowley had written to me appointing me to be his Agent and Treasurer.
On 24th February he gave me a formal Power of Attorney.
After such appointment members of Mr. Crowley's Order sent their subscriptions to me. They are shown in the accounts which I have rendered to Mr. Crowley's Solicitors.
In 1928 and the early part of 1929 I was engaged actively on Mr. Crowley's affairs. I tried to get people interested in him, took his typescripts to publishers and helped him in many ways.
In 1929 Mr. Crowley after being turned out of France came to London and the Mandrake Press took over the publication of his books. I became Director of the Mandrake Press, Ltd. and put in £1,000. Mr. Crowley got a friend to put in £500.
As Director of the Mandrake Press I found there was not ready sale for Mr. Crowley's books and I disapproved of his methods.
One of Mr. Crowley's grievances against me is that the £1,000 which I put into the Mandrake Press was used for the general purpose of the Company and was not reserved for the publication of his books. The Mandrake Press subsequently went bankrupt.
On 21st September 1930 Mr. Crowley wrote suspending me from all functions and demanding the return of various books and pictures to Mr. Israel Regardie.
Amongst my grievances are (1) Mr. Crowley obtained money from Mr. Watson Turner for publishing his books but used it for his own purposes (2) He left his wife [Maria de Miramar] destitute and went to Portugal with another girl [Hanni Jaeger]. When he went away I had about £60 of his left in the fund. I dealt it out to his wife. His poor wife went through the Work House to Colney Hatch. Before she went I helped her privately. Colney Hatch is still after Mr. Crowley for the bill.
Mr. Crowley's grievances against me are that I had never introduced him and Miss. Busch [Bertha Busch] to my friends socially or given them the letters of introduction to people with capital who might put up money for him.
My experience has lead me to distrust his commercial integrity and his code of morals in private life is not that of my circle.
In June 1932 I thought I saw a way of raising £500 for Mr. Crowley but it failed.
In August 1932 I bought an outfit for Miss Busch, Mr. Crowley's mistress who is a charming woman. I bought the outfit with Mr. Crowley's approval.
It was not until I told Mr. Crowley that I was coming to the end of the moneys I was prepared to advance to him that he threatened proceedings.
In answer to Mr. Crowley's claim as endorsed on the Writ I say as follows:
(1) I delivered my hand to Messrs. Forsythe & Co., an account prepared by me of expenses and payments by me on behalf of Mr. Crowley. That account showed a balance due to me of £800 or thereabouts. In addition to this I have made out other accounts against Mr. Crowley amounting to £507.6.6 and £379.15.6.
(2) All the books, documents and manuscripts which I held on behalf of the Plaintiff were deposited by me with A.G. Dixon & Co. long ago.
On 14th October 1930 I wrote to Dixons to hold the goods to the instruction of Mr. Israel Regardie in accordance with Mr. Crowley's letter to me of 21st September 1930.
These books, documents, manuscripts and pictures were subsequently removed by Mr. Regardie to Burns of Escher.
I paid Dixons fees to release them.
So far from money being found due from me to the Plaintiff there is due from Crowley to me £1687 or thereabouts.
In March or February 1930 Mr. Crowley was running a Picture Exhibition in Berlin. I assisted Mr. Regardie in getting the pictures from Burns and despatching them to Berlin. I paid £2.10.0 for transport. I produce the receipt.
I saw the pictures in Berlin but the Exhibition was a failure. As far as I know the pictures are still in Berlin.
On Mr. Crowley's directions I withdrew from Burns and the American Express Co. books and manuscripts including diaries some of which I took to Mr. Crowley at once in Berlin. The remainder I handed to Messrs. Forsythe & Co. his Solicitors in August 1932, but have not yet had a receipt for them.
I cannot conceive on what grounds Mr. Crowley is asking for damages against me.
Up to the commencement of these proceedings in spite of disagreements I remained friendly towards Mr. Crowley. He brings this action solely for the purpose of delaying my departure for China. As long ago as April last he knew I was going.
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