FIRE FRAUDS CASE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18584, 19 December 1934, Page 5

FIRE FRAUDS CASE

—•— BRIBERY OF BRIGADES PRISONER GIVES EVIDENCE • i: ' l -* LONDON, Dec. 3, Brought from prison, where he is serving a sentence of 14 years for fire insurance frauds, Leopold Harris swore in a Police Court to-day to having bribed fire 'brigade and police officers. ' . :: He was called as a witness for, the prosecution in the case in which Fred Rickards and Henry Joseph are charged with fire frauds, and was cross-examined 'by Rickards. Asked whether the salvage officer had been suspicious regarding the Fore street fire, Harris replied that immediately the salvage officer saw that Harris and Company were the assessors, he knew, under the usual arrangement, that, if lie saw suspicious circumstances and did not disclose them, he would be paid £ls to £lB, his superior receiving £lO and the fife brigade officer £2 or £3. ... Harris said there was no trouble-in getting officers of the fire brigade and salvage corps to take bribes. He admitted that he had bribed, important police officers, but would not say that he could control Scotland Yard. He denied conspiring with the , police in the present case so as to. <ccure a remission of his sentence.