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A Book by a Ghost, A Court Sequel

The Mail (Adelaide, SA)
Date: August 5, 1944
Page Number: 7

BRAZILIAN spiritualists have produced a near-parallel to the case of Ern Malley, the Australian poet who never existed, by getting a book dictated by the spirit of a dead author.
     Published in Rio de Janeiro as psychographed literature, the book is claimed to have been dictated by the spirit of Humberto de Campos to mediums of the Brazilian Spiritualist Federation.
     Spiritualism has many followers in Brazil, but they do not include Campos' family, which has brought a civil action against the federation.
     The family claims that, if the book is authentic, it is entitled to the royalties. If the federation admits the book is a fraud, the family will have the right to prohibit its sale.
     One awkward point for the family — should they ultimately accept payment it would be equivalent to acknowledgment of belief in spiritualism.
     Booksellers are swamped with orders for the controversial work.
     The Spiritualist Federation hopes to obtain from Humberto de Campos — by the same means as it obtained the psychographed book — permission to carry on publication. A special meeting with his spirit is being arranged with this in view.

 

Ern Malley Hoax part 4

Humberto de Campos Veras
(October 25th of 1886 - December 5 of 1934 )
was a journalist , politician and Brazilian writer.

The judge decided that books copyrights refer to books recognized while the author is alive; since it would be impossible for the court to prove the existence of mediunity. Even so; in order to avoid problems in the future, the spiritual writer’s name was substituted by the nickname “Irmão Max” (Brother Max).

Victim of Poetry Hoax Suspended by Union

Advocate (Burnie, Tas.)
Date: August 10, 1944
Page Number: 4

ADELAIDE, Wednesday.
     Max Harris has been suspended from the Adelaide University Union for one month. The reason given is that "he had brought the name of the Adelaide University student body into ill repute." Mr. Harris is one of the editors of "Angry Penguins," which was recently the victim of the "Ern Malley" hoax. Later he was sued for libel by Miss Patricia Hackett, and made a public apology.

 

Sunday Times (Perth, WA)
Date: September 3, 1944
Page Number: 7

ARE they still angry round in the editorial grotto of the "Angry Penguins"?
     Editor Max Harris might not be any great shakes at picking contemporary giants of Australian poetry, but he's got the whole literary fabric of "Time and Tide" quivering like a penguin's breast feathers in a head-on gale. If penguin's haven't got breast feathers, put it down to poetic license.
     It is more than six weeks since the "News Chronicle" told the story of the leg-pull by boys who dreamed up. poet "Ern Malley" with the aid of a book of quotations and a report on the draining of mosquito breeding grounds'.
     But controversy about it still floods "Time and Tide's" correspondence columns.
     This week John Stewart Collis, one of Harris' strongest critics, came back with nearly a whole column cracking those who claim the quality of Era's poetry justified Harris' mistake.
     "I think we may concede," he says, "that Ern Malley is on a level with the French, dadaists (who picked words out of a hat) and surrealists (who put down anything that came into their heads), and vice versa."


 

John Stewart Collis (1900–1984) was a British author.

INDECENCY ALLEGED IN PUBLICATION
"Angry Penguins"

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.)
Date: September 6, 1944
Page Number: 4

ADELAIDE, Tues: In a courtroom crowded with young men and women today, Maxwell Henry Harris, of Churchill ave, Glandore, was charged before Mr L. E. Clarke, SM, with having sold, offered, or distributed certain indecent passages in a publication known as The 1944 Autumn number of Angry Penguins. It was also alleged that Harris edited part of the publication and was a co-publisher. The hearing was adjourned until September 26.
     Mr D. C. Williams, of the Crown Law Department, who prosecuted, said that it was claimed that certain passages in the book were immoral, indecent, or obscene, or all three. Defendant was a member of the firm of Reed and Harris. When interviewed by Detective Voogelsang, and asked if he was editor of the publication, Harris replied: "Not exactly. There is a committee of four. I am one, and the others are John Reed, Mrs Sunday Reed, and Sidney Nolan, all of Templestowe rd, Heidelberg. Melbourne. Articles are submitted to us, and if we accept we send them to Melbourne, where the book is printed."
     Continuing, Mr Williams said that the issue of Angry Penguins in question stated that it was to commemorate the Australian poet, Ern Malley, who did not even exist. In parts the so-called literature in the publication was impossible to understand. Sex was dragged in without any apparent reason or real excuse.
     Detective Voogelsang said that he interviewed the defendant twice. Referring to "Boult to Mariana," defendant said that he thought that the poem was no more suggestive of indecency than Shakespeare, Chaucer, or others. The publication was intended for cultured minds, who understood those things and placed ordinary thoughts on a higher level.
     Following outbursts of laughter from the body of the court, the magistrate said, "I want to make it clear that this is not an entertainment, and if there are any more outbursts of laughter the persons responsible will be ejected."
     Mr Eric Millhouse, who appeared for the defendant, was granted the adjournment to allow him to call evidence for the defence, including Reed, a co-editor of the production.



 

L. E. Clarke
State Magistrate

c 1948

D. C. Williams
Crown Law Department

William
Shakespeare

Geoffrey
Chaucer