CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1933, Page 5

CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD

FIRE INSURANCE CASES. ADMISSIONS IN OLD BAILEY. _ By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, July 18. There was a sensation in the Old Bailey fire conspiracy trial when Leopold L. Harris withdrew his plea of riot guilty and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to commit arson and nine charges of arson. The jury formally returned a verdict of guilty. Jkrvis similarly pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud and to commit arson. Seven of tlie 16 accused have now- pleaded guilty on various counts.

In March last an incendiarism conspiracy existing since 1925, backed by a central organisation securing an amount running into six figures, was alleged against 11 men and women who were charged at Bow Street with conspiring to defraud insurance companies. The prosecution, in outlining several cases, alleged that Harris, an assessor, headed the organisation. With the other accused it was alleged he started companies and financed businesses in London and other places, filled the premises with junk, affected insurances for grotesque sums, and when fires occurred presented inflated claims. In one instance the invoices were fabricated. The prosecution said that an Italian, Capsoni, and his wife, claimed to have started five fires. They were not accused, but would be witnesses. Capsoni claimed to be deep in the organisation’s plans,' and the prosecution was using him as an "instrument of justice.” They paid him £5 weekly for six months, but relied on him only when he was corroborated by discoveries during the two years of the investigations. Counsel said it was learned that Harris had six businesses burned in three years and had put at least £30,000 in his pocket. “I set fire to it,” was the confession of Capsoni made three times in reply to questions by counsel for the prosecution as to how fires in Manchester and Leeds were started. . ' Another accused, Vincent Cope, was charged with firing a warehouse in Wembley.