34 DAYS’ TRIAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 21 August 1933, Page 5

34 DAYS’ TRIAL

OLD BAILEY’S RECORD FIRE CONSPIRACY CASES ACCUSED CONVICTED (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, 18th August. After 34 days’ trial, the longest in the history of the Old Bailey (the previous being 23 days) the tea accused of a fire conspiracy were convicted oil various charges, in addition to four who, besides Harris and Jarvis, pleaded guilty. The case was remarkable for the first installation of the ‘•whispering telephone” in Court communicating with solicitors’ offices in the Old Bailey enabling the speedy production of documents, of which 15,000 were involved. The 02 charges were so complicated that counsel in recording verdicts used a chart with black and white squares, which when completed resembled a crossword puzzle. Mr Justice Humphreys in a threedays’ summing up spoke 100,000 words. He declared that Capsoni was a most despicable type of criminal and blackmailer. “I shall not be able to pass on him the sentence lie richly deserves, while the lowest depths of infamy were perhaps reached when Capsoni’s wretched wife was set to do the actual burning.” Counsel have begun addresses for mitigation of sentences. It is estimated that the case will cost £IOO,OOO, which the insurance companies and Lloyd’s are paying, because they believe they have been systematically deprived of £500,000 yearly by fraudulent claims, which the prosecution aimed to stamp out. THE SENTENCES LONDON, 19th August. The sentences were:—Leopold Harris fourteen years’ penal servitude; David Harris five years; Gould six years; Riley, Marks, Ball, Priest, and Jarvis, three years; others 9to 21 months. The Judge said that society was rid of a number of dangerous criminals heading an immense widespread conspiracy, which might have brought many others into the dock, one of whom had confessed and had died the following day, “whether accidentally or otherwise I do not know.” CAPTUREOF GANG YEARS OF INVESTIGATION LONDON, 19th August. The capture of the fire-raising gang was the result of several years’ investigation by Mr William Crocker, solicitor and specialist in insurance Jaw, who was employed by Lloyd’s underwriters and leading fire insurance companies. He discovered that the system of the gang was as follows:—A dummy business was created in the name of one of the gang. It was stocked with inflammable material, then a grossly excessive insurance policy was negotiated and the premises subsequently set on fire by another member of the gang. An inflated claim, supported if necessary by forged invoices, was then presented Every member of the gang was shadowed for many months and their every movement watched. It is estimated that the gang had been making half a million sterling annually for many years. A result of the trial will be the making immediately of new safeguarding regulations in connection with respective fire insurance policies, under which conspiracy will be impossible. While Mr Justice Humphreys was senfencing the prisoners in the dock their wives and female relatives could be hoard sobbing outside the Court. Mr Justice Humphreys characterised Leopold Harris as an arch-villain. He doubtless made enormous sums by the conspiracy, most of which be apparently spent on the Stock Exchange and elsewhere. Harris received the maximum penalty for arson upon ten counts, on which he pleaded guilty. Mr Justice Humphreys also emphasised the appalling danger to life of these incendiary fires. One prisoner, a septuagenarian silk merchant, William Revival, who received a sentence of eighteen months, fainted. FULL SIGNIFICANCE ONLY NOW REVEALED ' (Received 21st August, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, 20th August. The “Daily Telegraph” says that the full significance of the fire conspiracy trial can only now be revealed. In the opinion of leading insurance officials it has saved British fire insurance from grave disaster arising from lack of confidence. The trial has scotched a racket which was rapidly assuming Chicagolike proportions, and which in the past few years has cost British insurance companies £2,500,000 in payment of fraudulent claims. Even now only a small proportion of the criminals concerned has been brought to justice. It is known that at least 100 persons were directly or indirectly concerned, but to prevent further confusion and complications only sixteen were put in the dock.