Drayson, John | Day 9

Very amusing testimony. Took £3 from both sides for his vote. Also received money from Mr Cloke to make sure there was no bribery!

Witness Type: Both Sides, Bribee

Party: Conservative

Witness Testimony:

  • 10806.

    (Mr. Turner.) What are you ? — I am a very poor man.

  • 10807.

    But what is your work ? — Rope maker and twine spinner.

  • 10808.

    Where do you live ? — Moat Sole, Sandwich.

  • 10809.

    What did you receive ? — Well, I must reckon up.

  • 10810.

    Come, you know very well, let us have no nonsense, what did you receive ? — I received three sovereigns.

  • 10811.

    From whom ? — Mr. Hooper.

  • 10812.

    To vote for whom ? — The Conservative side.

  • 10813.

    For Mr. Roberts ? — Yes.

  • 10814.

    Did you receive anything else from anybody ? —Yes, I did.

  • 10815.

    Well, how much ? — 3L. from Mr. Piddock.

  • 10816.

    That was to vote for the Liberals ? — Yes.

  • 10817.

    Did you vote for the Conservative or Liberal ? — The Conservative.

  • 10818.

    Did you receive anything else ? — Yes, I did.

  • 10819.

    What ? — 3L. from Mr. Cloke.

  • 10820.

    What was that for ? — For work.

  • 10821.

    What kind of work ? — Well, I cannot tell you any different, only that I was employed in regard to the election.

  • 10822.

    Canvassing, or putting up FLAGS ? — No, nor yet taking them down again.

  • 10823.

    What were you employed for ? — To see that there was no bribery.

  • 10824.

    And you saw that there was no bribery by taking the money from both sides yourself ; that was your notion of seeing there was no bribery ? — I was to work for the Conservative party.

  • 10825.

    You told us you took 3L. ? — Yes. I could find no other bribery, only my own. I thought there should be one case.

  • 10826.

    And that was your own ? — Yes.

  • 10827.

    You are a martyr in fact. I want to know a little more what you did for the 3L. which you said you had for seeing there was no bribery ? — I nave not had that but a very short time.

  • 10828.

    What were you to do for that which Mr. Cloke gave you ? — Mr. Cloke engaged me to look after this business, and he told me if I could only do it myself it would be sufficient. As I could find no one else, I did it myself.

  • 10829.

    But he must have told you something that you were to do. He did not say, merely, “Look after this business.” He must have told you something which you were to do for it ? — Not particularly.

  • 10830.

    What did you think you were to do ? — I do not know I was to look out in this way to see that no one else passed any money, I suppose, in this election, I did not understand much about them. What I had got to do was to see that there was no bribery, and I could not find a case, and I thought I would make one.

  • 10831.

    How did you go to work to see that ? — I kept my eyes open, but it was no good.

  • 10832.

    What trouble had you taken to see that there was no bribery ? — Worked night and day, eight days and eight nights.

  • 10833.

    But what were you doing ? — Walking about during the whole time.

  • 10834.

    Looking after what ? — Bribery.

  • 10835.

    Did you go into people’s houses, or what ? — Yes, in and out of houses, as far as I could go.