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IN RE: ALEISTER CROWLEY
Federal Bureau of Investigation Report
Report made by: Frank X. O'Donnell
Place where made: N.Y. City
Period for which made: July 19th [1919]
Date when made: July 30th, 1919
In Re: Aleister Crowley (Radical Activities) [Case:] 365985
Copy of this report furnished to: Radical Division, N.Y. Office.
The above named Subject appeared before Mr. William Johnson, Assistant to the Attorney General of the State of New York on two occasions, the first on July 17th, 1918 and the second on October 11th, 1918. The earlier examination involved a questioning of Crowley as to his possible knowledge of matters involved in the investigation of Edward A. Rumley. A complete copy of the questions and answers in said examination have been given to me by Mr. Simon of the Attorney Generals office and will be found filed with this report.
A summary of the second examination, which was held in connection with the investigation into "German Propaganda that is carried on in the United States by German agents", is briefly contained in the following. A great deal of the ground covered in this was previously touched on in the former examination but more fully developed on this occasion.
Under questioning, Crowley stated that his full name is Aleister St. Edward Crowley; that he was born in Leamington, Warwickshire, England; that he is still a British subject; never having sworn allegiance to any other country. He stated that by occupation he is an author, having written about forty books of poetry and a large number of treatises on mysticism and kindred subjects and that he has from time to time contributed to various newspapers and periodicals on a number of subjects. He stated that he had always resided in England up to the beginning of November, 1914 when he came to this country aboard the S.S. Lusitania. He had had two addresses one in London and one in Scotland but that the war had broken up his
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connected with it for the past seven or eight years. He states the order, while existing in various parts of the British Empire has been held in abeyance on account of war conditions and that he has just organized a branch in this country. He states the funds of the organization deposited with the Title Guarantee and Trust Company are the proceeds of the sale of property of his in Scotland. He states while the funds are really the property of the order, he has a right to draw on them for the organization's purposes and that he feels responsible for them. The funds, he said, were transmitted from England through the New York firm of Lord, Day and Lord, they being correspondents of Subject's lawyer in Scotland. Since residing in this country, Crowley has made his abode at different times at the following addresses:
The Hotel St. Regis, Hotel Wolcott, 40 West 36th Street, after which he moved to New Rochelle and then to Philadelphia, returning to this state he took an apartment on West 57th Street above the Alps Restaurant, leaving here he spent several months in California, followed by trips through Canada to Seattle, San Francisco and back to New York, when in January 1916 he took an apartment next door to the Harvard Club in this city. He next lived in an apartment on Broadway about 52nd Street and upon vacating which he spent several months in New Hampshire, staying at New Voice Lake, New Hampshire in the Adams Cottage, which was maintained by Evangeline Adams, the astrologer, returning again to New York he remained for two or three weeks at 115 East 28th Street, whereupon he went to New Orleans and resided for the winter at 3402 or 3403 Delphine [Dauphine] Street, directly opposite the Delphine [Dauphine] Theatre. After this he spent some time with cousins by the name of Bishop [Lawrence Bishop] in Titusville, Florida, after which he returned to New York, on this occasion moving into a studio conducted by a man named Leon Engers Kennedy, on 5th Avenue, the number of which he does not recall. About this time he became associated with the publication known as the International. Up to the past summer, he had resided at 64 West 9th Street. During the past summer he lived on Esopus Island on the Hudson. During his stay at the last named address, he was visited by the following: Roddie Minor, 134 West 15th Street" Mr. Stansfield Jones [Charles Stansfeld Jones], 138 West 11th Street and a Mrs. Madeline George, formerly of the hotels Seymour and Biltmore. At this time (October 1918) Crowley stated that he was negotiating with the Universal Book Stores at Detroit, Michigan, trying to arrange a contract with them by which they would take over his stock of books and certain future publications for sale in this country. He stated that he was supporting himself principally through the funds of the Ordo Templi Orientis, previously referred to, to which he feels he is entitled, inasmuch as he was personally responsible for having supplied about nine tenths of the total amount of money on deposit.
Questioned further about the order he stated that it was just like masonry and he admitted at [sic] the actual head of it was a German, Theodor Reuss by name, whom he always thought might have some considerable official position in Germany. This man, he stated, had left England with the German Ambassador, since which time he had been in various places and at the present time (October 1918) he was alleged to be running the Continental Times, an American newspaper, in Berlin and was also running a branch of the Ordo Templi Orientis under another name in Switzerland, issuing manifestos which were pacifistic in tone. He admitted that the lodge of the order in England had been raided and that the nominal head of same, a woman [Mary Davies], who called herself a psychic had been arrested as a fortune-teller. He stated no formal charges had been made directly against the order but that he had reason to believe that the people behind the raid, misunderstanding the motives of his association here with George Sylvester Viereck thought that in that way they could annoy him and break up the organization. Asked again if he knew where Theodore Reuss might be at the present he stated that he had been told by Mr. Raynes of the Literary Digest that Reuss had come to the Bronx, although he did not believe there was any foundation for the rumor, however he had reported the information, he said to this Department. Crowley admitted that he was very well acquainted with Reuss and that since his departure with the German Ambassador from London he had been corresponding with him. Reuss, he said, was an out and out German and that he did not think he would hesitate a moment to use the order for the purpose of disseminating German propaganda if the opportunity offered itself to do so. Crowley then described his endeavors to become associated with the British Secret Service, detailing his dealings with Commodore Gaunt [Guy Gaunt] of the British Intelligence Office but admitted that he never succeeded in obtaining any official recognition. Crowley denied that there was any action pending against him in London that would prevent him from returning to England at any time he wished. Upon asking who was associated with him in developing the Ordo Templi Orientis in this country, Crowley gave the names of Mr. Jones and Mr. Kennedy, previously referred to and added the name of Mrs. Waddell [Leila Waddell] of 97 Elliot Avenue, Yonkers. Mr. Jones, he said, was at one time Treasurer of the order but had resigned this office.
In conclusion Crowley stated that in negotiating with the Universal Book Stores in Detroit, he was dealing with a Mr. Ryerson [Albert W. Ryerson] and stated that a Mr. Gibson is secretary and treasurer of the Company. Messrs. Lord, Day and Lord, he stated were still his attorneys. Investigation will be continued.
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