BUTLER’S FRAUDS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20926, 4 January 1938, Page 5

BUTLER’S FRAUDS

CHEATING BOOKMAKERS Detected through considerable ingenuity by British Post Office investigators, a man who tried a subtle fraud on bookmakers was sent to penal ser- ' vitude at Leicester Assizes. He is William Frederick Harris, aged ] 53, a former butler. With him appeared i Harry Cleveland Hall, aged 29. postman, the two pleading guilty to three I

specific charges—one for obtaining j £6/7/6. and two for attempting to ob- j tain £55/10/- and £8 2 6. by means of • a falsely postmarked letter. Mr Maurice Healy. K.C., prosecuting, explained that Harris had been em- ! ployed at a Leicester cafe and Hall | borrowed money from him. “Valuable Tool” In these circumstances Harris found j he had a valuable tool ready to hand. By arrangement, Harris would post a 1 utter to a local address before a certain race had been run.

The address on the envelope would be written faintly so that it could be easily erased. Hall would receive the letter in his daily duties, and on his round would give it to Harris. Harris, knowing the result of the race would insert in the envelope the bet on the winner, and the address of a bookmaker would be substituted on the envelope. Hall would then take the letter back to the post office so that it could be

delivered to the new address. The trick, said counsel, succeeded only one?. He added that the Post Office considered the charges against Harris serious. as he had corrupted a Post Office servant. Harris asked for two other offences committed in April and May of this year to be taken into consideration.

Detective-Sergeant E. Billson mentioned that Harris was sentenced to 22 months’ imprisonment in 1930 at Leeds for similar offences. “Harris has caused considerable trouble to the Post Office authorities during the past few years,” added the detective. "On six occasions Post Office servants have been prosecuted or dismissed through this man.” Hall had not been previously in trouble. The Judge told Hall he had betrayed a position of trust and brought discredit on an honourable service. He added that the detective work which had brought home the guilt of the two men reflected great credit on those responsible.

Harris was sentenced to three years penal servitude and Hall to nine months’ imprisonment.