Bushell, James | Day 11

Received £7 10s for treating and a further £10 for helping out after the election.

Witness Type: Treater

Party: Conservative

Witness Testimony:

  • 13367.

    (Mr. Turner.) Where do you live ? — King’s Street, Sandwich. 

  • 13368.

    What are you ? — A leather seller. 

  • 13369.

    What money did you receive at this election ? — 7L. 10s., I think. 

  • 13370.

    Who from ? — Mr. Hughes. 

  • 13371.

    That is Mr. Hughes the grocer ? — Yes. 

  • 13372.

    Was that in one sum ? — No, I had it in several separate sums of 1L. or 2L. at a time. 

  • 13373.

    What was it for ? — For paying for refreshments. 

  • 13374.

    To whom, voters ? — Yes, voters, or anyone. 

  • 13375.

    Do you keep a public-house yourself ? — Oh, no. 

  • 13376.

    But the money was to be expended in refreshments ?  — Yes. 

  • 13377.

    Did you spend it in that way ? — I spent some and left several small sums at different houses to be spent. 

  • 13378.

    At PUBLIC-HOUSES ? — Yes. 

  • 13379.

    Did you render any account of it to Mr. Hughes ? — Yes, every morning I used to go and see him and tell him it was spent, so that he might go himself and see whether I spent it. 

  • 13380.

    And it came to 7L. 10s. ? — I cannot be sure whether it was 7L., 10L., or 8L. I could not say to a few shillings.

  • 13381.

    And it was all for refreshments to be given to voters ? — Well, I do not know. I did not stand myself when I went into a public-house whether voters or not. If I was asked for it I used to pay for some. 

  • 13382.

    Without knowing how they were going to vote ? — Yes. 

  • 13383.

    Or whether they were voters ? — Yes. I did not make any difference at all. 

  • 13384.

    Did you pay any moneys away but that ?  — I think about 2L. 12s. or 2L. 13s., or something of that sort, I paid before I received any money. I paid it out of my own pocket. 

  • 13385.

    Did you repay yourself out of the 7L 10s ? — No, that was refunded to me by Mr. Olds of Deal, or Mr. Hooper of Sandwich. I cannot say which. 

  • 13386.

    But at all events they did repay it you ? — Yes. 

  • 13387.

    How was that spent ? — I spent it in refreshments. 

  • 13388.

    Was this before the polling day ? — Yes. 

  • 13389.

    Had you any other moneys ? — I was paid 10L. for helping the committee sometime after the election. That I knew nothing about. That was not mentioned to me before I was asked to help them canvass. 

  • 13390.

    Were you a canvasser then ? — No, I was asked to help them as much as I could. Money was spent in refreshments, and in treating, as I say, but nothing was mentioned to me about being paid for my time, or anything of that sort.

  • 13391.

    You got your 10L. after the election ? — After the election Mr. Hughes called on me and said, “We are going to have a settling up, and if I can give you anything for your expenses I shall be happy to do so.” I heard nothing about it until the petition, and then Mr. Cloke gave it out in his evidence. 

  • 13392.

    And he gave you 10L. ? — Yes. 

  • 13393.

    And you expected to get paid when you took to helping the committee, did you not ? — Nothing was said about it. 

  • 13394.

    But you thought it would be paid for your services ; it was not to be for nothing ? — I was asked for my vote by Mr. Hooper, and I told him I had made up my mind which I should vote for. I said, “I shall vote for the Conservative, and I do not want to be bothered any more about it by anyone.” He asked me a few days afterwards if I was of the same mind, and I said I was, and I did not want to hear anything more about it, and he asked would I help him. 

  • 13395.

    Did you expect anything ? — Nothing was said about it. 

  • 13396.

    But what was your mind about it ? — I did not expect it.