Slaughter, Henry James | Day 11

Treated in various public-houses to the tune of about £7 or £8 out of his own money. Received £5 from Mr Cloke 6 weeks after the election.

Witness Type: Treater

Party: Conservative

Witness Testimony:

  • 13447.

    (Mr. Turner.) What are you ? — A brewer’s clerk. 

  • 13448.

    At Sandwich ? — Yes 

  • 13449.

    What is your address ? — Market Street .

  • 13450.

    Did you receive any money in this election ? — 5L from Mr. Cloke, about six weeks after the election. 

  • 13451.

    What was that for ? — For services rendered, I suppose. He said to me about six weeks afterwards, that for what I had done I should have 5L. ; there was 5L. for me. 

  • 13452.

    Did you render services during the election ?  — I was out and about all the time, like the rest, treating. 

  • 13453.

    And paying for it out of your own pocket ? — Yes, out of my own pocket. 

  • 13454.

    How much money did you spend in treating ? — 7L. or 8L, I should think. 

  • 13455.

    Did Mr. Cloke ask you to do that ? — No. 

  • 13456.

    What did Mr. Cloke ask you to do ? — He did not ask me to do anything. I was on the committee, and I thought I would do the best I could for the cause. 

  • 13457.

    Did you canvass ? — In the PUBLIC-HOUSES. I did all my work there. 

  • 13458.

    And you spent 7L or 8L. in treating ? — I did not know I was going to have anything. 

  • 13459.

    But you spent that sum ? — Yes. 

  • 13460.

    You did it out of generosity, I suppose ? — Just so. 

  • 13461.

    And for the good of the cause ? — Yes. 

  • 13462.

    And after the election, Mr. Cloke said you were to have 5L. ? — It was about six weeks after the election, that he said, “I have got 5L. for you.” So I thought I should be a fool if I did not take it. 

  • 13463.

    Have you ever told Mr. Cloke what you spent in treating ?  — Never. 

  • 13464.

    Not when he gave you the 5L. ? — No. 

  • 13465.

    But he knew you had been treating ? — I cannot say what he knew. I never told him. 

  • 13466.

    What did you think he meant by your “services” ? — Because he knew I had been about a great deal ; had been to different public-houses, I suppose ; and he knew I had been working for the cause. 

  • 13467.

    Your services, in fact, was this treating ?  — Yes. 

  • 13468.

    On which you expended 7L. or 8L. ?  — Yes. 

  • 13469.

    (Mr. Holl.) Did you receive any other money at all ? — No. 

  • 13470.

    Did you pay any money to anyone ?  — No. 

  • 13471.

    To nobody ? — No. 

  • 13472.

    Except what you spent in treating ?  — Except what I spent in treating. 

  • 13473.

    You paid some of the public-houses did you not ? — No. 

  • 13474.

    Not any ? — No. 

  • 13475.

    Which Mr. Slaughter did that, do you know ?  — I cannot say. 

  • 13476.

    Is there another Mr. Slaughter ? — Yes, there are five voters of that name.