Testimonies

Ralph, George | Day 7

Witness Type: Briber, Publican, Beerhouse Keeper, Treater

Party: Liberal

Witness Testimony:

• 6873.

  (Mr. Holl.) What are you ? — A publican. 

• 6874.

  What house do you keep ? — The “Forester,” in Beach Street, Deal. 

• 6875.

  Did you receive any money from anyone in connection with the election ? — I did. 

• 6876.

  How much ? — Mr. Outwin gave it in his evidence that I received 96L. from him, but I cannot account only for 90L. 

• 6877.

  You think you received 90L. ? — Yes ; I cannot recollect ever receiving 96L., and I told him so. He told me he had 96L. booked against me. and I told him I never received only 90L. ; not as I recollect. 

• 6878.

  You think you received only 90L., do you ? — Yes. 

• 6879.

  Now what did you do with that 90L. ; did you keep any memorandum of what you did with it ? — No, I did not ; we was in a hurry ; it was rather late. 

• 6880.

  Is that a list of what you did with it ? — That is the list of what I did with it (handing same) I expect. I am greatly in debt now, worse luck for me. 

• 6881.

  I see you paid 14 persons 3L. each ? — Yes. 

• 6882.

  That would be 42L. ; and then you paid one man, Robert Williams, 2L. 10s. ? — Yes. 

• 6883.

  Then you paid 32L. to George Mockett Pain, of 4, Alexander Cottages, on behalf of himself and crew ? — Yes, that was of the lugger “Albert Victor.” I sent down to Portland to get them home, for I knew there was four men in the boat with votes. 

• 6884.

  First with regard to the men you paid 3L. to ; was that paid for their votes ? — Yes. 

• 6885.

  Did you pay it them on the morning of the voting, or the day after, or when ? — On the morning of voting ; they would not vote without it. I had a great many more promises, but I could not get them. Of course we were rather behind in the affair. 

• 6886.

  Now what was that 32L. for the crew of the “Albert Victor” lugger for ?— When I learnt as the lugger “Albert Victor” was down at Portland, and when I heard the election was coming off I wrote and tele graphed to several places to get them home. They were people who used my house, and four out of the six had got votes, and I knew they had been in the Liberal interest, and I wrote down and telegraphed to various places, and they found the letter at Portland. They went in for fresh water, I think, and they came home and said their expenses were very great When they go away with a lugger like that their expenses are 5L. or 6L. for fitting out, and they came hack home, and they said this 32L. was not enough. I said I could not give them more, so I gave them the 32L. to share between them.

• 6887.

  How many men came home and voted ? — Four voters and two non-voters. 

• 6888.

  And they all came home ? — Yes, they all came home, the two men could not do anything with the boat down there without the others. 

• 6889.

  But they all came home, and the four who were voters voted ? — Yes. 

• 6890.

  Had you told them when you wrote to them that you would pay them for coming ? — Certainly not. I said they would be right if they came home to vote. 

• 6891.

  And they came home and voted ? — Yes. 

• 6892.

  How long would they be coming from Portland ?  — As soon as ever I heard when the election was going to be, I wrote directly to different places, for I was not at all sure where they would be. I wrote to the Isle of Wight, and Black Gang, and several places, but they happened to put in at Portland, and got my letter then. 

• 6893.

  But how long would they be coming from Portland ? — Two or three days. It depends entirely on which way the wind is. If the wind is against them they would probably be three or four days working home. 

• 6894.

  Do you remember what you told them when you wrote ? — I said the election was coming off on such a day, and “Will you come home as soon as possible.” 

• 6895.

  And vote ? — Yes, and vote. I am certain I said that. 

• 6896.

  And what did you say you would do for them if they did ?  — I did not say anything in the letter, because they knew I should do as much as I could for them when they did come home. 

• 6897.

  They knew that you would give them as much as you could ?  — Yes, as much as I could. 

• 6898.

  And you did give them as much as you could ?  — As much as I thought right. They wanted more, but as long as they got so much to pay for provisions and coming home, and they had got to go back again to some place before they got anything, I thought that was enough. 

• 6899.

  Did anyone tell you to do this ? — No. I was on the committee, and I did it out of my own head, to get as much as I could for Sir Julian Goldsmid. 

• 6900.

  Did you tell Mr. Outwin you were going to do that ? — Mr. Outwin knew I was going to do it ; I told him so. 

• 6901.

  I see there is 5L. down for damage done to ROPES by having them cut to pieces ?  — Yes. I found four flag POLES, myself, and the ROPES. I have a great many belonging to me, for I do a good deal in fishing. I supplied those four FLAGPOLES with ROPES, and in the morning they were all cut to pieces, and not worth anything at all except for old stuff. 

• 6902.

  So you put down 5L. for damage done to ROPES ? — Yes, I would much rather not have had them cut at alL You cannot get much of a rope for 5L. worth anything.