POLICE BRIBED

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 23, 28 January 1935, Page 7

POLICE BRIBED

ALLEGATIONS OF HAREIS FIRE CONSPIRACY CASE - Leopold Harris, the fire raiser, who is serving a sbnt'enoe of fourteen years' penal -servitude,-'declared in evidence at Bow Street Police Court, London, that ho had bribed "important officers of Scotland Yard," says the "Daily Express." "But," ho added, "I do not admit I had a control of Scotland Yard." " ' ' / Harris made his statement , while under cross-examination by Frederick Edgar Bickards, ono of the defendants in the, lire conspiracy charge. Bickards and another man were charged with conspiring together and with Harris and others to cheat , and defraud insurance companies by making and procuring to be paid false and fraudulent claims. Question after question was rained on Harris by Bickards. Asked if there; were any suspicion' by the salvage officer on duty that the Pore Street lire was a suspicious one, , Harris replied: "I have already said that the salvage .officer, immediately he wont on duty and saw that Harris and Company had been appointed assessors, knew that ho was on the same arrangement." - In answer to Sir 80110 Graham-Camp-bell, the Magistrate,; Harris said:."The salvage officer knew that he was being .paid by moa certain share of the fee, and if ho saw suspicious circumstances he would not disclose them!" . ,; . Bickards: You gave the salvage officer on duty £15 to £18?— Yes. _ ' How much did you give his superior? —I think it was,£lo. Any others?— Either £2 or £3 to one. of the lire brigade officers. .. "Would it bo true to say you gave this money for almost every fire?— Yes, I would say it was a recognised arrangement., ....... Bickards: Did you find any difficulty in persuading of. the fire brigade and.salvage corpa.to accept large bribes, from you?— Certainly not. It was areeognise.d.thing.. , They "yrera\ never refused?— Not on one occasion., . ■ , . "IN, HIGH PLACES." "Would it bo true to say that you- or members of Harris and Company have bribed people in high places?—Yes^ it would be true. Would it be ;true to say that you or membeTs of Harris and Company- had bribed important police officers? "Perfectly true," replied Harris, emphatically. ■ You found no difficulty there?—No, not a great difficulty certainly. You have admitted that you had a certain control over the fire brigade and salvage corps. Would 'you admit that a further control existed —a control of a certain section of Scotland Yard?—l do not admit that IMd a control at Scotland Yard. -Will you admit that you have bribed important officers of Scotland x Yard?rrThat is true. • ■ ; How do we know that you are not just as active where you are today?— "Are you suggesting to me, Mr. Bickafds, that in his Majesty's prison I am gnilly of corrupt practices?" Bickards: Do you know that everybody in connection with your case received a present? Harris: I have not heard so. Do you know that they still celebrate your committal to/prison ? ;Sjr Itollo: Who are "tliey."? > Eickards: The prosecuting solicitor. BARGAIN SUGGESTED. Bickards continued: "My sibinission to you is that you are conspiring'today with the police in this caseJVand that your part of the bill is a rctttission of your sentence?" *f' Harris: I am afraid you arp telling a deliberate lie and blaspheming the polico unnecessarily. I put it to you that this bribery which you told your clients about- is very highly exaggerated?— The bribery of the salvage corps is proved by documentary evidence, so that your criticism, is quite unnecessary. In cross-examination by_ Mr. Samuel Lincoln for Joseph, Harris said that in regard to fires concerning which he had been bonvicted it was sometimes thepractice of the owner of the busness to prepare false books and "arrange things" so that the whole thing would appear accidental. Mi-. Lincoln: The object, of course, being to deceive the salvage officers and the insurance company's assessors. Harris: To deceive only the insurance company assessors. "Ninety-five per cent, of my business was perfectly straightforward and honest," declared. Harris in reply to another question.