The Detroit times., 1913-10-28
CHEATS FIRE
BOARD In HAY
SALE; ARRESTED
Claude Leach, Farmer, Locked
up After He Admits Giving
Short Weight
TRIES TO SETTLE CASE
BY CANCELING LAST BILL
Offer of $1,000 From Another
Source to "Hush Up Matter"
Also Refused

Claude Leach. 31-year-old farmer,
living near Pennington, Mich, was
arrested by Detectives Parker and
Shepherd, Monday night, in fire de-
partment headquarters, after the
board of fire commissioners had found
startling evidences OF crookedness In
sales OF hay to the department. AS
the result of the disclosures, the
board has ordered a thorough investi.
cation. and another audit of the sup
plies accounts, the last audit having
been made in August, 1918.
Martin Cooney, superintendent OF
horses for the fire department, made
the revelations that resulted IN the
arrest Of Leach, on suspicion OF hav-
Ing committed felony.
Supt. Cooney discovered. q week
ago, that an immense amount Of hay
seemed to be used by the department,
and weighed two loads, billed by
Leach. as containing S,420 pounds net.
He found that the loads contained
only $3.50 pounds, or little over
one ton. although more than four tons
were being charged for.
heanhs- when called before the
board, Monday, ID said to have con.
fessed that he was aware Of short
ages dating back to Aug. %, but said
that he just discovered. last week,
that the scales on which he weighed
the hay. were defective. He said he
smashed the scales last Saturday. It
Is said that they were smashed only
after the investigation had been start
ed, and Leach had found that his
sales were being viewed with sus-
picion.
Leach told Commissioner McGraw
that he broke UP the scales for punk
because they got him in wrong" He
said he was sore" at them.
The fire board suspects that inves-
tigatiOn will show shortages dating
back to 1911, during which time Leach
has sold 285,640 pounds of hay, for
$2,400, without any certificate from
the city sealer OF weights, as should
have been demanded under the rules
of the fire department.
The fire department employees who
accepted the hay, took weight slips,
made out on Fairbanks, Morse & Co.
blanks, and signed m. Davies" or
just Davies"
Fire Commissioner BosQuette says
that Leach admitted that he obtained
a pad OF the slips from the scale CON-
pany, and faxed" the name Davies, .
on the slips. Leach may be prose-
cuted for signing the weight slips In
that fashion, and also for making
false affidavits on vouchers, stating
that the goods were delivered as rep
resented.
Supt Cooney said that Leach Of
fered to settle" the whole affair by
not charging the city for his last bill
OF S213.
Fire Commissioner Sanborn T. Nc.
Graw says that an offer to settle the
affair by paying $1,000 to the fire
board, was also received, but was re-
fused. The money IL said to have
been offered. to hush up any scan
dal."
Quixzed by the fire commissioners,
Monday night, Leach was asked what
M. Davies had to do with the sales
Of hay to the city.
Hes the man I bought the scales
from, six or seven years ago." said
Leach. He admitted that Davies had
not weighed any Of the hay.
isn't It true that you signed his
name to the slips?" asked Commis.
sioner Bosquette.
"Yes," Leach replied.
Commissioner Katz asked Leach
whether anybody in the Are depart.
ment had been ''in cahoots" with him,
and Leach said NO"