Spicer, Walter | Day 8

Plus £3 from Thomas Allen for the hire of a committee room that he did not use and to influence his vote for the Liberals. He drove a carriage for the Conservatives. He owned property in Peter Street and the reference to a committee room probably relates to the Noah’s ark which was in Peter Street where the Licensee was Margaret Spicer in 1879. The Poll Book shows him owning 1 & 12 Peter Street.

http://www.dover-kent.com/Noahs-Ark-Deal.html

Witness Type: Both Sides, Bribee

Party: Conservative

Witness Testimony:

  • 9339.

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

  • 9340.

    Where do you live ? — 16, Peter Street.

  • 9341.

    What did you receive ? — I received 3L. from Mr. Wilds, of the “North Star.”

  • 9342.

    What was that for ? — For my vote, I suppose ; I had no other reason.

  • 9343.

    Who did you vote for ? — Mr. Roberts.

  • 9344.

    Was it to vote for Mr. Roberts ? — I suppose it was ; we came to no understanding beforehand that I was to vote for him, but I had that I suppose for voting for him.

  • 9345.

    You supposed it was for that ? — Yes.

  • 9346.

    And you did vote for Mr. Crompton Roberts ? — Yes.

  • 9347.

    Did you receive anything else ? — Yes.

  • 9348.

    What was that ? — I received 3L. from Mr. Thomas Allen, of Peter Street.

  • 9349.

    What was that for ? — Three or four days beforehand he asked me if I had a room that I could let him for a COMMITTEE ROOM ; I said I did not know ; he says, ” Well, we shall make no use of it, I do not suppose.” ” Well,” I says, “I daresay you can have it.” He says, “Will 5L. do” ? I says, “It will.” The morning of the election he sent to me 3L. ; of course I cannot say that he was aware that I was going to vote for the Liberals, when he knew I was going to drive the carriage for the Conservatives. I drove a carriage for the Conservatives for a few days beforehand, so he might have thought he might have influenced my vote towards the Conservatives.

  • 9350.

    (Mr. Holl.) Is Thomas Allen a Conservative or Liberal ? — He was a Liberal.

  • 9351.

    You cannot say whether you thought the 3L. was to influence your vote for the Liberals ? — I cannot say whether he thought that that would influence me to vote for the Liberals, knowing us all to be Conservatives.

  • 9352.

    (Mr. Turner.) Did he know you were going to vote for the Conservatives ? — He did not know I suppose.

  • 9353.

    Did he pay you the 3L. before or after you voted ? — Before I voted.

  • 9354.

    (Mr. Holl.) He had nothing else to pay you for, except your vote, had he ? — Only for the room that he presumed to hire.

  • 9355.

    He had no reason for taking the room, except to get your vote ? — Not that I know of.

  • 9356.

    He did not use it ? — No, he made no use of it whatever.