Ralph, John James | Day 5

Gave 40 men £3 and paid 3 others out of own pocket

Witness Type: Briber

Party: Conservative

Witness Testimony:

  • 5240.

    (Mr. Holl.) What are you ? — A shoeing smith.

  • 5241.

    What other money did you receive ? — I received 120L.

  • 5242.

    You took an active part in this last election, did you not ? — Yes.

  • 5243.

    On the Conservative side ? — Yes. Mr. Crompton Roberts.

  • 5244.

    Did you receive any money from anyone ? — I received from Mr. Olds 6L. for canvassing, and 4L. afterwards ? — 70L. in all.

  • 5245.

    When did you receive, that ? — On the Monday ; No, the election was on the Tuesday.

  • 5246.

    About what time of the day did you receive it ? — 7 o’clock in the evening.

  • 5247.

    Did you distribute it, canvassing the persons whose names are down in this list ; how many of them are there ? — 42.

  • 5248.

    Had you promised these people money for their votes ? — Yes.

  • 5249.

    When did you promise them ? — When we were canvassing, a man of the name of Joseph Brown had been to the biggest part of them, and promised them all the same, and, of course, they said they would vote for Mr. Crompton Roberts, if they got the same.

  • 5250.

    When did you canvass them ; about how many days before the election ? — I began to canvass as soon as Mr. Crompton Roberts came down.

  • 5251.

    And how soon did you begin to promise that you would give them money ? — I said there would be something, but I did not say what it would be.

  • 5252.

    You did not mention the amount ? — No.

  • 5253.

    But you told them there would be something ? — Yes.

  • 5254.

    How came you to tell them that there would be something ? — I was sure there would be, there generally is at election times.

  • 5255.

    Had anybody told you so ? — No, but I told them there would be something most likely.

  • 5256.

    Do you know Joe Brown’s address ? — Sandown Farm ; I think that is the address.

  • 5257.

    Had he been canvassing ? — Yes, for the same parties that I was canvassing, the other side, the blues.

  • 5258.

    He had been canvassing for the blues ? — Yes

  • 5259.

    You told them when you canvassed that you would give them something ? — I told them there would most likely be something.

  • 5260.

    Did you make them a promise that you would give them something upon simply your own supposition ? — Yes, of course.

  • 5261.

    Had you heard anything beyond that ? — Nothing beyond that then ; decidedly not.

  • 5262.

    When did you first hear anything beyond that ? — That was on the Saturday.

  • 5263.

    You first heard something more definite on the Saturday, that there would be something going for them. Who did you hear that from ? — The chat amongst the committee men.

  • 5264.

    Can you remember anybody ? — Not more one than another.

  • 5265.

    You heard a talk amongst the committee that there would be something ? — Yes.

  • 5266.

    You cannot remember who said that at all ? — No.

  • 5267.

    Did Mr. Olds tell you ? — No.

  • 5268.

    You cannot remember any particular person ? — No, because it was all spoken in the COMMITTEE ROOM.

  • 5269.

    Then on the Monday you got something ? — Then on the Monday I got the money.