FIRE CONSPIRACY

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 68, 13 December 1933, Page 9

FIRE CONSPIRACY

Trial of London Salvage Corps Chief HARRIS GIVES EVIDENCE London, December 11. At the trial of Captain Brynmor Miles, on charges arising out of the fire-raising conspiracy, Leopold Harris gave evidence that Miles approached him in May, 1930, saying that he knew Harris was paying London Salvage Corps superintendents considerable sums. He added that, while they were getting all the plums, he as chief officer did all the work and accepted all the responsibility, yet received nothing for it except his salary. He indicated that he was prepared to assist Harris for a good consideration. Harris said that he agreed to pay £25 a month, which Miles accepted until three weeks before Harris’s arrest. Harris added that he paid Miles £5OO early in 1931, and occasionally gave him odd sums up to £4O instead of £25 a month when business was good, in return for zhich Miles imparted valuable information. Harris declared that he also paid salvage officers for influencing business in his direction. Miles knew of this. Harris declared that he made the statement implicating Miles because he desired to extricate himself from the seething mass of bribery and corruption in which he had been involved for fifteen years. He wanted to serve his sentence feeling that he had cleared himself of all previous associations in order to help in clearing his conscience. The trial was adjourned.