Powell, Edward | Day 10

Received nothing. Questioned in detail about whether he had been promised money by Stephen Pritchard which he denied. Pritchard confirmed he had not seen him.

Witness Type: Other

Witness Testimony:

  • 12845.

    (Mr. Jeune.) Where do you live ? — Pope’s Hole.

  • 12846.

    What is your occupation ? — A carpenter.

  • 12847.

    What did you get ? — Nothing.

  • 12848.

    You seem to be about the only person here who has not ; do you really mean that you received nothing at the election ? — Yes.

  • 12849.

    From nobody ? — No one.

  • 12850.

    Were you employed in the election ? — No.

  • 12851.

    Did anybody promise you anything ? — No.

  • 12852.

    Did anybody talk to you about your vote ? — Yes.

  • 12853.

    Did Mr. Pritchard ? — No.

  • 12854.

    Who did ? — Several asked me.

  • 12855.

    And did anybody tell you they would see you got something or would look after you ? — I see my name on the paper that Mr. Pritchard has got me down as a bribed man, but I have received not one farthing from Mr. Pritchard or had any conversation with Mr. Pritchard not two words about the election, for I have never spoken to that man about the election.

  • 12856.

    But before the election ? — No, not before or after.

  • 12857.

    Before the election are you quite certain Pritchard did not come to you ? — Quite certain.

  • 12858.

    Have you got a wife ? — Yes.

  • 12859.

    Did Mr. Pritchard talk to your wife ? — No.

  • 12860.

    Are you quite sure ? — Quite sure. I have come here to tell you the truth.

  • 12861.

    And he never talked to your wife ? — No, he never did talk to my wife. Mr. Hawkes has been twice, and that is why I stated this to you, so that I should not be pulled down to-morrow and lose time, because loss of time is loss of money.

  • 12862.

    (Mr. Holl.) Mr. Hawkes did have a promise ? — I had not ; I speak for myself alone.

  • 12863.

    Is there anybody of your name that you know —any other Edward Powell ? — Not that I know of. There is a Powell, I think, in Deal, but I do not know whether it is Edward.

  • 12864.

    (Mr. Jeune.) Mr. Pritchard says he promised you something for voting ? — He did not.

  • 12865.

    He says, so ? — Of course then it lies with you gentlemen on my side and his to prove it ; you are here on this occasion.

  • 12866.

    (Mr. Holl.) We are only explaining to you how you came to be called ? — I explain to you gentlemen he has never broke breath to me about election affairs at all, neither great nor small, and I am on my oath.

  • 12867.

    I am sorry you have been summoned if that is so ; but we could not tell you that until you came ? — I will tell you the truth.

  • 12868.

    I am sorry you have had the trouble ? — Mr. Pritchard has never spoke to me.

  • 12869.

    (Mr. Jeune.) By making all these kind of assertions you rather throw doubt on your own statement ; it is not necessary to make such violent assertions about it ? — It would make you angry if you knew it was wrong.

  • 12870.

    You do yourself no good by these kind of assertions. Mr. Pritchard has been here and said he promised you something for your vote ; can you account for his having made a mistake of that kind if it is a mistake ? — No, I cannot, without he has made a mistake and drawed the money for me and put it in his own pocket and forgot to pull it out again.

  • 12871.

    That does you no good ? — It does not do me no harm.

  • 12872.

    I do not know about that ; it does you harm to make imputations of this kind, which in this case are entirely unfounded. Mr. Pritchard never had that money, and therefore could not have put it in his own pocket ? — Well, I never promised him.

  • 12873.

    You are certain of that ? — I am certain of that.

  • 12874.

    Well, we shall have very likely to see Mr. Pritchard about it and get at what the truth is ? — Very well, sir.