1934 April - Source Unknown

Woman Asked About Five Lost Letters.

On a charge of feloniously receiving five letters, the property of Mrs. Betty Sedgewick, Edward Alexander Crowley, aged 58 (known as Aleister Crowley, an author), of Upper Montague-street, W., was committed for trial at the Old Bailey. Bail was allowed.

Mr. Edward F. Iwi, prosecuting, said that Mrs. Sedgewick, of South Hill Park-gardens, Hampstead, had lived at a house in Seymour Street, W.

She left there for a cottage in Berkshire and found that the documents mentioned in the charge had been stolen.

In April of this year Mrs. Sedgewick was a witness in the case Crowley v Constable and Others, and was a witness on behalf of Messrs. Constable.

PRODUCED IN COURT.

Mrs. Sedgewick, giving evidence today, said the documents were produced by Mr. Crowley’s counsel (Mr. Eddy) during the High Court case. She had never willingly parted with them to anyone.

After the magistrate had examined the letters, Mr. Iwi turned to Mrs. Sedgewick and said, "What value do you place on them?"

"Sevenpence-halfpenny," was Mrs. Sedgewick’s reply.

Mr. C. Gallop (defending) : Was anyone else living at the house in Seymour-road at the time you wrote the letter of April 25? - Yes.

When did you last see him? - Not so very long ago - in the Duke of York public-house. It was before the civil trial.

Did you know, when you went to the Duke of York public-house, that these letters were missing from your possession? - Yes.

What was his name? - Captain E. Cruze. Sometimes he spelt it Cruse.

Did you go with Cruze to see a solicitor? - Yes.

Was the object to negotiate with Messrs. Waterhouse for remuneration for your services? - No.

What was the object? - To prevent me from being attacked in Soho by roughs.

Did you not yourself hand the letters to Cruze? - No, never.

REQUESTS FOR MONEY.

Did you not authorise Cruze to get rid of these letters in the most advantageous manner that he could think of? - Certainly not.

The letters from you were requested for money, weren’t they? - Yes.

When you went back to the place you describe as your country cottage, did you go with Cruze or without him? - Without him.

The magistrate said the case was out of the ordinary.

"And I am very glad," he said, "that someone else will finally deal with it. If the defendant is found guilty I shall be very interested to know how the case is dealt with."

"Before Mr. Crowley is sent for trial he wishes to be well understood that he has an absolute explanation," said counsel.