Olds, Samuel | Day 2

In total Olds received £2,500, purely for bribing Publicans and voters.
He secured and paid for committee rooms in 88 public houses – 71 in Deal & Walmer, according to testimony by Daniel George Frederick Simmons, plus 17 in Sandwich. Each was paid £5 a-piece. Well over the odds when their annual rent was on average £12.

In November 1881 he was found guilty and sentenced to six months hard labour. Released in May 1882.

Witness Type: Briber, Councillor / Alderman, No Indemnity

Party: Conservative

Other Days The Witness Was Called On: Day 3 | Day 14

Witness Testimony:

  • 1595.

    (Mr. Holl.) I think you are a carriage and cab proprietor at Deal ? — Yes.

  • 1596.

    And you took an active part in the election, I think, in May last ? — I did.

  • 1597.

    Upon the Conservative side ? — On behalf of Mr. Roberts.

  • 1598.

    Who did you first see in connection with Mr. Roberts ? — Mr. Roberts came down himself.

  • 1599.

    You were one of those who were present at the meeting when he came down upon the 4th of May ? — I was not present at the meeting; I saw him but I did not wait to attend the meeting.

  • 1600.

    Prior to his coming down had you taken any steps at all in connection him the approaching election ? — As soon as I knew he was coming I went and engaged several public-houses for our committee rooms.

  • 1601.

    Was that before he came down ? — The same night as he came down.

  • 1602.

    What time did he arrive here ? — By the 6 o’clock train.

  • 1603.

    Had you engaged any houses before he came, or did you commence to do it immediately after his arrival ? — I commenced immediately he arrived.

  • 1604.

    Did you have any communication with him in respect of it before you did it ? — I did it entirely upon my own account.

  • 1605.

    Did you arrive at the conclusion that it would be desirable to do it solely yourself or in concert with any other persons ; of course I do not mean Mr. Roberts. Did you talk it over with any other leading Conservatives in the place ? — No, I took the whole responsibility myself. I engaged them as a preliminary. I merely questioned them whether I could have them if wanted.

  • 1606.

    You did not actually engage them that night ? — No.

  • 1607.

    Before you went round to them did you discuss the propriety or advisability of doing it with any of the leading Conservatives here ? — No, not with any one.

  • 1608.

    Upon that occasion you went round and entered into preliminaries with them ? — Yes.

  • 1609.

    Upon that night what number did you enter into preliminaries with ? — That night I should think about 20.

  • 1610.

    You did not, as I understand, that evening come to any arrangement with any of them ? — I merely asked them, could I have a committee room at the house, and what was the lowest price I could get it for during the election. I told them my object was to have a room if we wanted it, and the windows, and also the outside of the house for posting our bills. I got several who stated . they would take 5L. ; five or six were agreeable to take 5L., and I took that figure and offered the rest the same price.

  • 1611.

    You did not enter into any bargaining with all of them, but only with some of them ? — Only with some that night.

  • 1612.

    With how many do you think you bargained ? — I should think I engaged about 20 that night.

  • 1613.

    Do you mean with each of those 20 you entered into a discussion as to what they would take ? — No, with some of them. I did not go into any discussion, but merely asked them whether we could have a room if it was wanted.

  • 1614.

    And with some you entered into a discussion as to what they would take ? — Yes, what was the lowest I could get them for.

  • 1615.

    You did not enter into any actual arrangement with any of them ? — No, not that evening.

  • 1616.

    The next day what did you do ? — The next day I saw Mr. Hughes and we had some conversation about the bill posters. The bill poster wanted something like 50L. for bill sticking. Mr. Hughes informed me that the bill posting would come to a large sum, and I had better get as many houses as I could at that price, as he considered it very cheap. If I could get them at 5L. each I was to get as many as I could, and that they were all to be paid one price.

  • 1617.

    He thought the bill posting would be more expense than taking the houses ? — Yes ; the houses were taken for posting our bills in the windows as well as for the purpose of the committee room.

  • 1618.

    You say that Mr. Hughes authorised or suggested that you should take as many as you could ? — Yes, and I went the next day and paid.

  • 1619.

    You told Mr. Hughes the price that some of them asked ? — Yes ; some wanted 10L. and some wanted 20L., but I took what I could at the 5L. with no alteration whatever.

  • 1620.

    When did you actually engage the houses ? — Upon the following day.

  • 1621.

    Upon the following day you engaged how many ? — I really cannot say, but the receipts are all returned. I engaged some the following day and some the next day after.

  • 1622.

    Some upon the 5th and some upon the 6th ? — Yes, upon the 5th and 6th I paid for those that I engaged, and I paid for the others as I engaged them.

  • 1623.

    Can you say how many you actually engaged upon the 5th ? — I should think about 60 on the three days.

  • 1624.

    How many did you engage upon the 5th ? — I could not say, it is so long ago.