Elliott, Mrs. Sarah | Day 8
Reported about her husband John William Cavell Elliott who disappeared abruptly to Canada. No satisfactory explanation beyond he sold goods for around £4-5 pounds to pay for his passage to America which cost £6 10s.
Witness Type: Other
Witness Testimony:
- 8315.
(Mr. Jeune.) Where do you live ? — 159, High Street.
- 8316.
What is your husband ? — A gardener.
- 8317.
What is his Christian name ? — John William Cavell Elliott.
- 8318.
He was here at the time of the election, was he not ? — Yes.
- 8319.
Where is he now ? — In Canada.
- 8320.
When did you last hear from him ? — A few days since.
- 8321.
Who sent him there ? — He went of his own accord.
- 8322.
Who paid for his going ? — He paid for it himself.
- 8323.
Who gave him the money to pay for his going ? — He sold the things as best he could to go.
- 8324.
When did he go ? — He went upon the 15th July.
- 8325.
He had been up to London before that, had he not ? — Yes.
- 8326.
What things did he sell ? — He sold some things that we had in the shop. We were keeping a small shop and we parted with our business. He sold the things that we did our business with.
- 8327.
Are you carrying on the business still ? — No.
- 8328.
What was the business ? — A small grocer’s shop.
- 8329.
Why did he go to Canada ? — Well, I believe because he could not succeed here.
- 8330.
Now come, come, you know all about this, why did he go to Canada ? — He could not succeed here at all.
- 8331.
You do not mean that seriously; come, you must tell us why did he go to Canada ? — That is all I know. He went because he could not succeed here. I think very likely he was afraid about the election.
- 8332.
Did he ever think of going to Canada before ? — Yes, several times he mentioned it, that is, going to America.
- 8333.
Why did he not take you to Canada or America with him ? — He had not enough money. He had not the means to do so.
- 8334.
Do you really mean to tell us that it was a mere accident that he went upon the 15th July to America ? — Yes.
- 8335.
You know he had been connected with matters upon the election here ? — Yes.
- 8336.
And do you really mean to tell us that he went to America purely accidental ? — (No answer).
- 8337.
Now come you must tell us why did your husband go to America; who sent him ? — At first, I believe, he could not succeed.
- 8338.
That is one reason, what other reason was there ? — I think he had some trouble about this election, but I cannot say because I did not understand it.
- 8339.
Who gave him money to go to America ? — It is the truth that he sold what we had to go.
- 8340.
I daresay it may be so ? — That is quite the truth. He had not any more than to pay his fare. When I heard from him he had been travelling 350 miles through the desert, through the forest, with scarcely anything to eat; that is the last I heard of him.
- 8341.
You say he sold the things, and I daresay that is quite true ; but do you not know that anybody gave him money to help him to go ? — No, I believe it is all false. No one gave him any money to go, and it is quite false.
- 8342.
Are you quite sure of that ? — Yes, quite sure.
- 8343.
How did you sell the things that were sold ? — We sold them to a broker here.
- 8344.
What is the name of the broker ? — Mr. Mowle, who lived opposite, bought a few canisters and scales.