DEATH OF "WICKEDEST MAN IN BRITAIN"

Chronicle (Levin), 4 December 1947, Page 5

DEATH OF "WICKEDEST MAN IN BRITAIN"

Received Wednesday, 7 p.m. LONDON, Dec. 3. Aleister Crowley, whose writings a Judge cinc-e described as "dreadfui, horrible, abominable and blaspiienio,us stuff, " and wlio was described as "tne wiekedest man in Britain," has died at Netherwood, Hastings, aged 72. Crowley, who once claimed he had diseovered "the elixir of perpetual youth," was accused of practisiug bhick magic, eelebrating black inass and of conducting oltsene^ ritual. He was expelled from Italy and his pcrmit to live m France was oancelled. When lie canie to England he established a "teiuple" in Chancery Lane wliere he claimed to ' exercise magic. On .' tlie only occasion he tried to answer charges made against him, he brought a libel action against Aliss Nina Hiimnett who said in her book ' Laughing Torso" publishecl in 1934, that he practised black magic. The easc was stopped by tlie jury and .Tudge. Air. Justiee Swift remarked: "1 though I knew everv conceivable form of wickedness. I though t that everything that was vicious and had hau been produced at some timo or another before tne. I have learned in this case that we can always learn something more if we live long enough. I have never heard such dreadfui, horrible. abominable and blasphemous stuff as has been produced by this man." Crowley claimed lie believed in human I sacrifices. i