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Correspondence from Karl Germer to Louis Wilkinson
K. J. GERMER 260 West 72nd Street New York 23, N.Y. Endicott 2-6799
January 22, 1948.
Dear Mr. Wilkinson,
Before going into the reply to your letter of January 12th, let me first thank you for the great trouble you have taken and are taking.—Your letter makes the situation at your end clear, and the minor questions I still have, are not vital at the moment. I'll mention them later. The question of the Official Receiver being the most important, let me go straight into this.
I have had a conference with my lawyer yesterday. He has no legal connection in England. You should understand that none of us is in a position to hire expensive counsel, and pay high fees. We must try to work this out on a narrow margin. I can supply all the necessary data to prove our case from here, and assist a lawyer—if we must have one—to put it before the Official Receiver in a proper way. After all, the facts are simple and clear.
I propose to write two separate letters addressed to you (with copies for yourself). The one letter is accompanied by copies of cables and letters exchanged between Aleister Crowley and myself during the year 1947, which show not only that I was instrumental in urging A.C. to begin printing of the books, but also the details of the financing from this side. I can supply the originals, if needed, at any time on loan. You could pass this on to the Official Receiver direct or through a lawyer in London.
In one letter you mentioned that Lady Harris' [Frieda Harris] lawyer might be a good man to contact. I like the idea, because what we need is a man who could be induced to bring some personal interest and enthusiasm, so that our case can be presented with some force and intelligence. I presume Lady Harris would be prepared to have a personal talk with him.
My lawyer is of the opinion that, whatever is decided about the ownership of the £460: the funeral, last illness (doctor's fees, nurse, Watson [Herbert Watson]), rent, if any, administration expenses, and possibly others, should have precedence over old bankruptcy debts. If these were paid from the £460, there would be no more than about £200 (roughly) if the Receiver were to impound the cash for the old pre-bankruptcy creditors. To this would have to be added only the offer I would make for the books and papers that are now in the hands of Mr. Symonds [John Symonds].—Still, I cannot see how, in justice, the Official Receiver, after seeing my evidence, can decide against me.
I have a sentimental reason to clear A.C.'s name for posterity and have firmly decided to make my earlier proposal, to come to an arrangement with the creditors, in positive form. If I can get a Discharge of A.C.'s bankruptcy status, and can thereby eliminate long-winded legal litigation, I am willing to pay the former creditors a sum of £300 (three hundred pounds) at once, and as soon as the arrangement is put into legal form and can lead to the probation of the Will and the Receiver's yielding any right or claim on A.C.'s assets.
I am not writing to the Official Receiver whose address you sent me. This had better be done by the solicitor handling the case in London or direct.
I am glad you found the Official Receiver a nice man. I, too, am quite willing to be as fair and liberal as my, or our, means permit. If I contemplate all the expenses involved: Offer to the creditors; new debts and obligations, legal, shipping expenses, completion of the two books in the press, freight, I'm getting a shiver.
I plan to transmit to you a sum of £300 before the middle of February, I'm sorry it cannot be done earlier. I would authorize you to pay from this urgent expenses due now, such as Whiteley's bill, Lady Harris' outlays, etc., and leave the around £200 that would remain to make an urgent payment on account to the Court if it is required to close my Discharge proposal. All the other debts will have to remain until the £460 have been released. I presume you will agree with this position?
Not knowing what the papers, books, etc. that Mr. John Symonds has consist of, I'm unable to judge how much I might offer to the Receiver. I'll be guided by your advice.
I'm happy to hear Mr. John Symonds is working on a "Life of A.C.'s". I hope he will be successful in concluding a contract with the publishers. I wanted to write him before, but it is physically impossible for me.—But I have written to the printers for the data I need, and for a Statement and invoice. No reply yet. (copy enclosed)
You will realize that once my offer to the creditors is accepted all wrangling about details of A.C.'s assets, literary estate, etc. fall flat. So I will not go into these too much. I'm grateful to you and Lady Harris for offering to advance the cash for Whiteley's, the nurse, Watson. I hope I can transfer my money in time.
Vernon Symonds' claim for £50 seemed to me immediately very unreasonable when I read it. I'll write to him.
Without reply from the printer I would not like anything to be paid to him, anyway not from the money that I'm proposing to send now, which should be earmarked as stated above. I must first have details from him for which I had asked, and a statement on what A.C. has paid on account. From the copies of letters etc. enclosed you will see that there was an agreed price for the books.
Has anything further developed with the negotiations that John Symonds had with William Rider's? If we could pay the printer's bill: would we be free to dispose of the books, bind them, without interference by the Receiver?
I have three volumes of a Commentary on the Book of the Law of 700 pages. Is this the "Condensed Commentary"? It may be about 2 years since it was mailed to me.
Re "Forth Beast": I'm puzzled by your remarks at the end of your letter. I'll order a supply from Faber & Faber a little later. I suppose on re-reading the passage your remark about the Board Trade refers to the shipping of A.C.'s books which at this time must wait.—In this connection let me say that when at some day everything of the estate of A.C.'s is ready for shipment it will be necessary to let me give the final address and the method where and how to ship it.
The cuttings, you had announced, have not arrived yet.
My offer made in a letter to Lady Harris of paying "Watson" a sum of £15 for the assistance as an extra still stands. If I do not wish to act now, it is only for the reason that I don't want to endanger the vital arrangements with the creditors. Better then wait till things are clearer.
Has the Whiteley stuff been released now?
May I remind you of the complete list of outstanding payments and debts?
I am going to write my letter containing my proposal to the creditors and my substantiation to the £460 in separate letters addressed to you, with a copy for yourself. Then you can either submit them to the lawyer you select, or, direct to the Official Receiver, as best you think.
Who has the three Receipts of the National City Bank totaling $2450 transferred to A.C. from May to September? I sent them to the Hastings solicitors. I hope they gave them to you? If not please ask for them, as they are part of the evidence.
I hope I have covered every point and hope to get good news from you in due course.
Please give my regards to Lady Harris and Mr. John Symonds, in case my writing to him should have to be further delayed, and with kindest regards to yours, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Karl Germer
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