New Britain herald., 1921-10-04
HARRIS' ARREST IS
 B|G DEVELOPMENT
Brings to Light Story Of Alleged
 Hold-up in Wallingford

The arrest last evening of Arthur
 H. Harris, we'll known local young
 man living at 99 West street, brought
 the total up to nine who have been
 taken into custody in the sensational
 rum ring expose that has been
 brought about by States Attorney
 Hugh M. Alcorn-and more arrests
 are coming.
 Harris has long been engaged in
 the trucking business and since the
 dry days came on it was freely hint
 ed among those better acquainted
 with him that he was getting his" in
 payment for cooperating with the
 rum runners and aiding in transpor-
 tation of liquor. After his arrest
 early last evening Harris was grilled
 by the state police for about two
 hours, after which the statement was
 given out that the young New Britain
 truckman had been truthful in
 everything he said.' This fact was
 established when the statements made
 by Harris dove-tailed exactly into all
 evidence previously obtained by the detectives.
 Following the grilling of Harris it
 was reported in Hartford that the
 authorities have information on hand
 indicating that Harris has received a
 total of about s4,OOO from those iden-
 tified with the rum ring for trans portation of liquor from New York and other booze centers.
 Double Crossing'' Case. According to statements issued since Harris arrest, a sensational l "doub1e-crossing" liquor deal which | was pulled off in May of 1920 is in part responsible for his own down. fall. It is said that Harris was en- gagged by Salvatore Varielli, now under arrest, Frank Maietta and John Cianflione, all of this city, to provide and drive a truck, to be load ed with liquor, from Bloom street in New York, to this city. His instruc- tions, it is said, called for IS barrels of alcohol for which s15,OOO was to | be paid. Harris Is said to have reached New York on May 19, 1920, and went through with his part of l the deal.
 Here the plot thickens. for it is ] said that before Harris left New
 Britain it was agreed that he was to be accompanied back by an agent of | his employers. It is also claimed that | before leaving, Harris arranged with | Richardson and the Giardino broth CTS to notify Richardson of the ap- proximate time of his arrival at a certain point.
 Harris, it is said, called the po- liceman from Stamford and as a re- suit Richardson, the two Giardinos and two others stationed themselves at a point just north of Wallingford. It is furthermore claimed that a uni { formed policeman in Wallingford 1 joined the party there. Liquor Man Robbed. Unverifled reports of subsequent events are that these men imperson- ated state police and held up the Harris truck and, tipped off in ad- | vance that Harris companion had ls3O0 in his pocket, they took this | from him. The almost unbelievable part of this is that Sergeant Rich | ardson is claimed to have directed this raid in person. It is also claimed
 that Harris companion was given a dollar and told to beat it, while the Is barrels of liquor were loaded onto | another truck and taken away. | Tn the meantime, it. is said, Variel- l Ii was waiting in Southington for the | delivery of his liquor at a designated | place. Later, it is said, all men con- | cerned in this alleged deal made a l settlement.
 Harris was arrested at his mother ! in-law's home on West street yester- 1 day as he was reading an account of | the arrest of McAuliffe.. The war rant served on him was for a ma terial witness, rather than an actual participant in any crime.
 Later in the evening, owing to the delicate condition of his wife and the | obvious humanness that required his being near her, Harris was permitted to go to his home, in custody of his father.