Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-12-23
BRITISH PUNISHMENT.
OFFICERS OF THE LAW SENTENCED
FOR TAKING BRleEs.

FOR TAKING BRIDES.
nl.,or, Of oae Of ,hs Most Celebrated
Crimiuai Case. Of The Century 4 Crime
rhat rafnisied the lame Of Eusisnd's
Pet Detective Tnrcr.
In December, is1b. q remarkable trial
took place before Baron Pollock AZ the
Old Bailey, London. Great Britain
awoke one morning TO lind that the most
trusted officials Of Scotland Yard had
been receiving large brides from q gang
OF noted criminals. Curr and Benson
the latter u whom committed suicide IN
this country n few years ago-were un'
dergoing u long term " penal scrvitude
for what were known az the great turf
frauds" While In prison they rendered |
certain evidence to the British govern. /
incnt which led 20 the arrest Of Chlcf
Detective Inspector CLARK, Detective In
spectors Dnscovitch, Moiklejohn and |
Palmer. with thoir legal adviser aud at
torncy, Edward froggai. attorney at
law.
The news sent shock throughout the |
British islands. The police force IN gen
oral was not by any means considered |
Immaculate but the great bureau pt de-
lection nj Scotland Yard was entirely
exempt from n shadow " suspicion.
Every effort had been made 10 hush up
the case. 20 as not 10 shake the conf
deure Of the public Dismissal, with
consequent los 81 large pensions, waE,
It was urged, sufficient punishment, but
the home secretary was incXoraDlc, uud
the trial went on.
II WAS present during several days OF
/ itsduratiun." said tne Englshmun. The
detective were confident u acquittal,
being ignorant II the overwhelming evil
dence in the hands II the prosecution.
] Their look Of confidence changed into
/ one OF CONSERVATION whrn, close cropped
/ and hagglrd. clad In the hidcous striPi
| dress uf the fclpn. upon which from head
TO foot WAS stamped the government
/ broad arrow. Harry Benson, the not0ri-
Gus swindler, entered the witness box.
'lIe was man Of education and
| marked ability, first class huguist aud
capable Of missing IN the hest society.
The defense was ably conducted, but no
crofs examination could shake the con.
Wet. who now had Nj, natural enemies
/ w lis tolls aud fer once WIS telling the
truth. Curr followed and Ia every point
corroh0rtted his fellow prisoner. lie be-
longrd 20 lower grade than Benson,
but possessed considerable force Of intel
lect. 81 much for the evidence Of brib-
cry, which, 1t may be said. came from q
tainted source.
"Eut kilograms were produced show
ing that when In pursuit the dctoc'
tIvcs wired the cunyics of their move.
mcnis. warning them 10 ny. Time after
time. when close ON their track, these
messages were sent aud subsequent meet.
ings were held In London, whcre hum
drcds Of pounds were paid over TO thoso
sleuth hounds Of the law Frogsat, tho
lawyer. WAS also In the conspiracy and
rendered services Of n technical nature.
lie and Clark were out on bonds aud
quite confident Of arqnittal.
"Iho iirt relied on lack of evidence;
the chief inspector had stronger grounds.
For years he had been body detective Ia
the Prince of Wales. aud during his at.
tendance on his royal highncss Il may Id
supposed that he had acquired sccrc,
knowledge Of his actions which the
, crown officials would not like diyulged.
That knowledge Is power was proved
IN this instance, for Il certainly enabled
Clarl, to clude the moshes OF the law.
"Iho Judge charged the jury dead
, against the inspectors and Froggat, but
{ was very light on the chief. In fact Tia,
crown produced very little testimony
against him. After an absence OF about
an hour the jury returned. The verdict
: was Guilty as against the four miuol
p detectives aud the lawyers Not guilty
~ against Clark, who at once left tn,
. dock
. Have You anything TO say, Drasco
4 witch, asked the judge, why sentenc,
should not be pronounced upon your
l 1.-THE prisoner made a fine speech-h
a could speak six lsnguagcs-in which Ia
. referred TO long services rendered, TN
r ruin which his conviction involved, th
Z overwhelming nature Of the Temptation
I and finally his helpless wife and family
' The other officers followed IN sinila
E strain and with fearful eloquoncc boRgci
h for mercy. THESE men, who had mcr
I oilessly fastened the steel haudcuiIs o
victims innumerablc made piteou
l. spectacle when In the strong grasp q
It the law, Their poadIngs We're Of littl
avail. and after reminding them OF In
- scandal they had brought upon thoi
Il profession, the baron sentenced them {
II two years imprisonment with hard Il
bor--this was the seyertst punishment
II available under the act Of parliament
!. and before thcyiully realiz their door
r, they Were hustled ont Of ut into IN
cella OF the Oll Bailey.
.. "Fruggnts turn now came, and 1t wa
q generally thought his sentence would b
10 lighter.
n ~ have special sympathy for YOU
N Edward Froggat,' concluded the iudg,
W You belong TO the same honorable pr.
e, fcssion rs do myself, Much is intrinsic
- 10 IA and much is expected OF Us. |
sentencing you do 50 with pain and r,
luctnnce, but cannot SEQ any reason e
reducing the term vi mprisoninent-tw
II years with hard labor
II "T'his came ON the wretched man lib