John Bull. 16th May 1923.
JOHN BULL
A MAN WE’D LIKE TO HANG.
The infamous Aleister Crowley, who has been expelled from Italy, proposes to return to this country. He is not wanted here. We do not want a man of his record on British soil. Apart from anything else, he is a beast whose disloyalty is only exceeded by his impudence.
The Italian police, who have been kept informed of our revelations concerning Aleister Crowley, the debased and blasphemous person who both preaches and practises corruption, have taken the appropriate action. They have ordered him peremptorily to leave their country within seven days, never to return. So far, so good. It is at least a tribute to public decency that this man should be bundled unceremoniously out of his Abbey at Cefalu, where he practised his horrible rites and perverted his victims. But clearly what is required is concerted international police action. Otherwise Crowley will simply transfer his malevolent activities elsewhere; and continue to find fresh followers. At present his intention after a short stay in Paris, where he is at the moment, is to come to London. This must not be allowed.
He has written to his agent in London, the notorious Jane Wolff, to outline this programme. Jane Wolff has not been surprised at the expulsion of the "Master" from Italy. Crowley had to leave America with almost equal precipitancy, when the police of the United States were on his track some time ago.
Probably Crowley expected such a development himself. Hence his recent visit to England. He was not able to complete his arrangements, however, owing to the publicity given to him in our columns, and he returned hurriedly to Sicily. Jane Wolff in the meantime is taking a holiday in this country, and proposes to go for a tour of the Surrey Hills, and after that to make a journey through the West of England. She declares that the police cannot touch her, although she was much annoyed at their activity after our article describing the interview with her by our Special Commissioner, whose identity she was at the time unaware. Detectives called at the address in Russell Square, W.C; given in that article, and as a consequence, the landlady made it clear to Jane Wolff that her presence was undesirable, and requested her to go at the earliest possible moment.
Crowley himself is much more wary. But even he does not make any secret of his identity and character. When he went to Sicily he changed his name from Aleister Crowley to Alestor de Kerval. He took with him, in addition to Jane Wolff, another woman who is the mother of his two children, and who calls herself Countess Lea Harcourt. They opened a joint bank account at the Benea de Sicilia, with a deposit of some thousands of francs in bonds; and all cheques drawn were to be signed by both , Alestor de Kerval, Knight of the Sacred Lance, and Countess Lea Harcourt, Virgin Priestess of the Sea Grail. An astonishing mummery indeed, which might well have aroused local suspicion.
Gradually things began to leak out of Cefalu, and one of the consequences was, after our Articles had reached Italy, a raid by the local police. The Abbey was searched for opium and other drugs, but the search was unsuccessful. Crowley was rather pleased. He was able to point out to his followers how easily he had duped the police, and the seances were renewed with every circumstance of blasphemous indecency.
The Italian police, the American police, and the British police have all dossiers concerning this man. Obviously it is a case for concerted and drastic international action. This creature is an enemy of mankind, and should be dealt with accordingly.
If there is no other way of dealing with him as an undesirable, he could be made amenable for his treasonable attacks upon the King of England. We do not propose to reproduce his obscene - sneers. It is sufficient to say that they are on record and in print, and will justify the police of this country in being at least as active and determined to vindicate public decency as the police of Italy.
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