Holness, George | Day 8

Received money from both sides. £5 from Mr Reynolds plus £3 from Henry Spears of the Antwerp to vote for Mr Crompton Roberts.

Witness Type: Both Sides, Bribee

Witness Testimony:

  • 8720.

    (Mr. Turner.) What are you ? — A shoemaker.

  • 8721.

    Where do you live ? — 22, Middle Street.

  • 8722.

    Did you receive anything ? — Yes.

  • 8723.

    Who from ? — Mr. Reynolds.

  • 8724.

    3L. was it ? — 5L.

  • 8725.

    What for ? — I do not know. I suppose it would be for my vote.

  • 8726.

    Who did you vote for ? — I voted for Mr. Crompton Roberts.

  • 8727.

    Did you receive anything else ? — Yes.

  • 8728.

    Who from ? — Mr. Spears, at the “Antwerp.”

  • 8729.

    Samuel Spears ? — Henry Spears, at the “Antwerp.”

  • 8730.

    How much did he give you ? — 3L.

  • 8731.

    What for ? — To vote for Mr. Crompton Roberts.

  • 8732.

    The 5L. and the 3L. you had ? — Yes, that is it.

  • 8733.

    Then you received 8L. to vote for Mr. Crompton Roberts ? — No. I had the 5L. from Mr. Reynolds for the Blue.

  • 8734.

    For Sir Julian Goldsmid ? — Yes.

  • 8735.

    Then you received 5L. to vote for Sir Julian Goldsmid and 3L. to vote for Mr. Roberts ? — Yes.

  • 8736.

    Who first asked you to vote ? — Mr. Reynolds did not ask me plainly to vote for him. He said he should want the favour of my promise, and he should do what he could for me.

  • 8737.

    (Mr. Holl.) And after that Spears gave you 3L. to vote for the Conservative ? — Yes, and I voted for the Conservative.

  • 8738.

    And that money was paid you before you voted ? — No, after I voted.

  • 8739.

    Spears gave you 3L. after you voted ? — Yes.

  • 8740.

    (Mr. Turner.) Who do you say you voted for ? — Mr. Crompton Roberts.

  • 8741.

    Then you took the money from Spears after you had voted for Mr. Crompton Roberts ? — Yes, that is it.

  • 8742.

    (Mr. Holl.) And you took the money from Reynolds after you had voted for Mr. Crompton Roberts ? — Yes, from both of them.

  • 8743.

    You did not tell Mr. Reynolds you had voted the other way, did you ? — I did not see him ; he left the money ; after I had voted I found the money had been left for me as a present.

  • 8744.

    (Mr. Jeune.) Why did you vote for Mr. Crompton Roberts rather than Sir Julian Goldsmid ? — Because I did not like the other side. I did not like their ways.

  • 8745.

    (Mr. Turner) You liked their money ? — I was not going to ask him to take it back again ; it was left for me.

  • 8746.

    (Mr. Jeune.) Their money was as good as anybody else’s money, but you did not like their ways ? — My opinion was the other way.