Testimonies

Cornwell, Edwin | Day 11

Witness Type: Other

Party: Liberal

Other Days The Witness Was Called On: Day 4

Witness Testimony:

• 13124.

  Witness recalled and further examined. (Mr. Holl.) There is a sum of 14L. which you paid to Mr. Lowndes, and I think in your evidence you said that that money was paid to him for the purpose of paying a number of board boys ? — I think that question was asked in this kind of way, “What is Goymer ?” and I answered, “Goymer is chief clerk, and Lowndes had “charge of the board boys,” but I did not intend to convey in any way that he paid the board boys. 

• 13125.

  What did you give Lowndes that 14L. for ? — Mr. Edwards told me that Mr. Lowndes would apply to me for 14L., and I was to give it to him. That is all I know of the transaction, and that was two days after the election. 

• 13126.

  Did you not know what it was for ? — No, I did not at that time, but I have heard since what it was for. 

• 13127.

  I want to draw your attention to your evidence ; you were asked, “There is Lowndes’ account, 14L., what is that,” and you say, “He was the principal man to attend to the board boys. Mr. Edwards told me to give him 14L., and I did so.” I gathered from that that you meant that Mr. Edwards told you to give it to him to pay for the board boys ? — No, it is not so ; you will find that Lowndes name is down with Warner and Watts ; it is not in my regular list. If you took it so I did not intend that you should imply anything of the kind, I can assure you. 

• 13128.

  Then the next question is, “He looked after the board boys during the election “?  — Yes, and he had 5L. 10s. for his services. 

• 13129.

  I understand you to say he did look after the board boys ? — Yes. 

• 13130.

  Was he the principal person to attend to them ? — Yes, to attend to them and the messengers. 

• 13131.

  He told us yesterday that he did not pay them, but that you paid them yourself ?  — Yes, I paid them. 

• 13132.

  Then how was he the principal man to attend to the board boys ? — Taking their names down, and keeping the time, and seeing that they went to the different stations. 

• 13133.

  Did he keep their names ? — No, I do not think he did. 

• 13134.

  Did he take their names down ?  — Yes. 

• 13135.

  Did he keep their time ? — Yes, he kept their time. 

• 13136.

  Do you mean that he looked after them ? — Yes, and sent them to the different stations. Some had to go to Walmer and different parts of the town. Every day he had his duties to attend to in that way, and sent the messengers, and so on. 

• 13137.

  Are you quite sure he did that ? — Yes. 

• 13138.

  Do I understand you to say that he attended to the board boys, but did not pay them ?  — Yes ; I paid them. 

• 13139.

  Was he the principal person in attending to them ? — Yes, he was. 

• 13140.

  Did he return you a list of the names of the boys, and the time they had served ? — Yes. 

• 13141.

  And you paid them from that ? — Yes, I paid them from that. 

• 13142.

  When was this 14L. given to him ? — The second day after the election. 

• 13143.

  Did not you know at all what it was wanted for ?  — No. I met Mr. Edwards as I was going to pay the messengers, and he said “Lowndes will ask for 14L, give it to him,” That is all I know of the transaction. 

• 13144.

  Did you make no inquiry of Edwards what it was for ?  — No. 

• 13145.

  Nor of Lowndes ? — No. 

• 13146.

  I see there are two sums of 25L., and one you said you gave to Warner, who has been before us ?  — Yes, and the other to Watts. 

• 13147.

  What did you give the money to Watts for ? — He had got a district COMMITTEE ROOM at the “Railway inn”, and wanted money on account of his COMMITTEE ROOM, and I think he repaid himself for his COMMITTEE ROOM, his own services, and other things as well. 

• 13148.

  Who told you to give Watts that 25L., or did you give it to him out of the money handed to you ? — He asked whether I could give him some money, and I inquired of Mr. Edwards whether I should do so, and he ordered me to give him 25L. 

• 13149.

  You asked Mr. Edwards whether you should give him any money ? — Yes. 

• 13150.

  Did you ask Mr. Edwards how much ? — Mr. Edwards told me how much. 

• 13151.

  He told you to give Watts 25L. ? — Yes. 

• 13152.

  What did Watts say it was for when he asked for it ? — Only for generally the purposes of the election. He had a district COMMITTEE ROOM at his house. 

• 13153.

  That would not be more than 6L. ? — I suppose he was to give in an account of what he had done with it afterwards.