Testimonies

Gillow, William | Day 14

Witness Type: Other

Party: Liberal

Witness Testimony:

• 16860.

  (Mr. Jeune.) Do you live at Sandwich ? — No, Woodnesboro’. 

• 16861.

  Is that near Sandwich ? — Yes, about a mile and a half. 

• 16862.

  You are a brewer, I think ? — I have a brewery in Sandwich. I am not a brewer; my son is my brewer. 

• 16863.

  And I think you own houses in Sandwich ? — Yes.

• 16864.

  How many public-houses do you own ? — Four or five, I cannot give it exactly for the moment.

• 16865.

  Did you take any part in the election ? — Very little indeed. 

• 16866.

  Did you canvass ? — I might have canvassed three or four. 

• 16867.

  Did you give anybody any money ? — No. 

• 16868.

  Are you sure ? — Yes; not a penny. 

• 16869.

  Did you treat at all ? — I might have spent about 2s or 3s in a glass of sherry, or something of that sort, but not exactly for their vote. 

• 16870.

  And you say you canvassed three or four people ? — Yes, I canvassed three or four I should think. 

• 16871.

  Who did you canvass ? — I canvassed Mr Drayson for one. 

• 16872.

  And who else ? — On Saturday night I saw a person named Kenton, a person about my own age. I was standing at the door of the Fleur-de-Lis – Mr Roberts had a meeting there – and I said to Kenton, “Well, Kenton, are you going to vote for us?” I had known him all my life, as he worked for my father and me the greater part of my younger life. I met him as a labourer I had known for some time, and I spoke to him. 

• 16873.

  I daresay you have read what Kenton has said ? — Yes, I saw it this morning. 

• 16874.

  Kenton has said you told him he should have a present ? — I think he has made a mistake. I do not think I said so. 

• 16875.

  Kenton has pledged his oath to it; do you pledge your oath to it ? — I might have said so, but I do not think I did. I beg his pardon, but I think he has made a mistake. I do not say I did not say so; it was done in a moment. I was at the bottom of the stairs and Mr Roberts came down, and I was introduced to him about that time. I do not know whether I promised or not. I do not think I did, because I intended to have nothing to do with the election. It was on the Saturday night before the election. 

• 16876.

  You see Kenton pledged his oath one way; are you prepared to pledge your oath the other ? — I will not be prepared to pledge it, for I might have done so.

• 16877.

  Was there anybody else you promised in the same sort of way ? — No.

• 16878.

  Might you have done so ? — No.

• 16879.

  Will you say you did not ? — I will say I did not. 

• 16880.

  You pledge your oath you did not ? — I do not think I did. My recollection does not tell me at this moment that I did. 

• 16881.

  I want you, if you can, to go a little further than that ? — I do not intend to stop at that point; of saying that I think I did so, but in that case I cannot give you a decided answer. 

• 16882.

  I am dropping that case for a moment. Just put Kenton on one side and take the other people you canvassed; can you say you did not make them promises or offers for their vote ? — I can say I did not. 

• 16883.

  Can you say that positively ? — Yes. 

• 16884.

  Did you provide any money for the purpose of the election ? — No. 

• 16885.

  Your son’s money was his own ? — Yes, as far as I know. 

• 16886.

  You did not provide that money for him ? — Not a penny. He had no money from me. 

• 16887.

  Did you provide for anyone else ? — No, I spent no money at the election. 

• 16888.

  Directly or indirectly ? — No. 

• 16889.

  Did you receive any money for the purpose of handing it on to anybody else ? — Not a penny. I had very little to do with the election.