Reed, James | Day 11

Given £5 which he distributed between 10 voters on the Walmer Court Estate belonging to Mr Page at 10s apiece. Nothing for himself.

Witness Type: Briber

Party: Liberal

Witness Testimony:

  • 13565.

    (Mr. Turner.) What are you ? — A farm bailiff .

  • 13566.

    Where do you live ? — Church Street, Walmer. 

  • 13567.

    What had you to do with this election ? — I voted for Sir Julian Goldsmid. 

  • 13568.

    What did you got for voting for him ? — I got nothing for voting. 

  • 13569.

    Well, what did you get ? — I received 5L. after the election. 

  • 13570.

    Who from ? — From Mr. Minter. 

  • 13571.

    What for ? — Assisting him as messenger and different things. We had a great many voters on the place and I tried to hold them for Sir Julian Goldsmid. 

  • 13572.

    Before the election were you promised anything ? — Mr. Minter never promised me anything. 

  • 13573.

    Who employed you to do that ? — Just before the election Mr. Minter asked me to do that. 

  • 13574.

    Did he tell you you would have something for your services ? — Not at all, he never promised me anything for my services. I was never promised anything. 

  • 13575.

    You expected something ? — I do not know that I ought to have expected to receive it. 

  • 13576.

    You did expect something, did you not ? — I have voted a good many times and never had anything, and done great services to them too — to Mr. Brassey and Mr. Hugessen. 

  • 13577.

    And never had anything ? — I had a few shillings the election before this, but not enough to pay my expenses and my trouble. 

  • 13578.

    What did Mr. Minter say when he gave you the 5L ? — He called me as I was passing about three weeks after the election, and said,  “You have done us  very good service, now I shall give you 5L. 

  • 13579.

    You were not surprised when you got the 5L., were you ? — I was not surprised — of course as he offered me money I was willing to receive it. 

  • 13580.

    (Mr. Holl.) How many voters did you canvass  — 20 ?  — We had about 10 voters on the place. 

  • 13581.

    And you canvassed each of them ? — I tried all I could for to get them to vote for Sir Julian. 

  • 13582.

    And that is all you did ? — That is all I did. I never offered them anything. 

  • 13583.

    Did you canvass anybody else ? — No. 

  • 13584.

    You canvassed 10 voters ? — Yes. 

  • 13585.

    And you got 5L., that is 10s. each voter ? — I was not promised anything ; I did not know I was going to get anything. 

  • 13586.

    (Mr. Jeune.) There were 10 voters, where ? — On Walmer Court Estate— Mr. Henry Page’s. 

  • 13587.

    You were the farm bailiff, and had 10 people under you ? — More than that, but 10 voters under me. 

  • 13588.

    And your influence with them, I daresav, is considerable— they look up to you naturally ? — Well, it is likely they do. 

  • 13589.

    And you used your influence to persuade them ? — I used my influence for Sir Julian. 

  • 13590.

    And I daresay most of them promised you they would vote for him ?  — Well, they did promise. 

  • 13591.

    You kept your flock right; you did not let any of them stray ? — I tried to do it as far as I could. 

  • 13592.

    You did your best ? — Yes. 

  • 13593.

    And you did not use any means of persuasion other than words ? — I never used any means of persuasion at all. 

  • 13594.

    Not a little drop to drink ? — I never offered them no drink.