Testimonies

Kynaston, Edward | Day 20

Witness Type: Other

Party: Conservative

Witness Testimony:

• 20287.

  (Mr. Turner.) You live at Deal ? — Yes, I have a cottage there that I go to sometimes.

• 20288.

  You took part in the election ? — I was interested in it.

• 20289.

  Upon the part of Mr. Crompton Roberts ? — Yes, upon the part of the Conservative party.

• 20290.

  Did you receive any moneys to apply in any way during the election ? — The only money that I received in any way was a sum of £18, which I think you know about, brought by me from the “Royal Hotel,” I think, the day before the election, and given to a party at the “True Briton.”

• 20291.

  To the landlord of the “True Briton” ? — No, I think a man named Axon absolutely had the money. As far as I recollect, I gave it into his hands.

• 20292.

  From whom did you receive the £18 ? — Mr. Hughes.

• 20293.

  What was the object of giving it to Axon ? — That I did not enquire into. Axon had some money to give some men for wages, the particulars of which I did not inquire into. I was going down to the Royal Hotel, at Deal, at the time, and I asked Mr. Hughes for it, and I believe I signed a receipt for it, and gave the money to Axon.

• 20294.

  You applied to Mr. Hughes for it, having been applied to for it by Axon ? — Yes.

• 20295.

  He said he wanted it for wages, was that it ? Did Axon tell you the amount he wanted ? — Yes, £18. He used a funny expression; he said it was for “Dividends,” whatever that might mean.

• 20296.

  What did you understand he wanted it for ? — It was no business of mine to enquire what it was really wanted for, but, of course, I knew pretty well what it referred to. I understood there were a certain number of men at the True Briton who had been employed to watch the poles, and put up the poles and do messenger’s work, about which you have heard, and I understood that this £18 was money due to them for that purpose.

• 20297.

  Was it for what might be done in the future upon the part of these men ? — No, I think this was the evening before the election.

• 20298.

  Had it any reference to their votes ? — No, nothing whatever so far as I know.

• 20299.

  So far as Axon told you ? — No, certainly not.

• 20300.

  And you had no reason for knowing from any other source whether the money was to go for paying for their votes ? — It was to go, so far as I knew, in payment of these men that had been employed.

• 20301.

  And you applied to Mr. Hughes for it ? — Yes.

• 20302.

  Did you tell Mr. Hughes what Axon told you ? — I said that Axon wanted some money to pay what was due to some men employed at the “True Briton,” and he gave me £18, and I gave it to Mr. Axon, or his party.

• 20303.

  Is that all that you received ? — Yes, every farthing.

• 20304.

  Do you know whether these men on behalf of whom Axon applied for the money had been watching ? — Yes, and it was necessary, because otherwise the other side would have had every pole down upon the beach.

• 20305.

  Have you had any experience of previous elections ? — No, I have lived there five years, but there has been no contest.

• 20306.

  I understand Axon asked you for the money as being due to these men, and you asked Mr. Hughes for it, and when he gave it to you you handed it to Axon ? — Yes, that is the exact account of it.

• 20307.

  (Mr. Jeune.) Is that all the money you had, or that you applied for ? — Yes, the whole of the money.

• 20308.

  I see here in the evidence of Mr. W. F. Spears, he has put down in his list what he expended, and what he received, “Kynaston, three poles,” and then he is asked, “Did you put up these poles at the Esplanade, Middle Beach, Deal Castle, and did you pay Ralph £1 16s.” (A.) All I put up I paid £1. 10s. a pole for. I do not think I paid under £1 10s. or over £1 10s. ; I did not pay a shilling more.”

  Then he is asked again: “Can you tell me whether these sums that are put down to Ralph £1 16s., License £1 18s., Baxter £1 10s. Kynaston (Flagstaff) £3 15s.” ? — I have no recollection of it. I know that some poles were put up outside my boathouse in order to increase the decorations, but I have no recollection of signing any order.

• 20309.

  Did you pay £4 10s. for three poles ? — No, I paid nothing more than the £18 that I have just told you about.

• 20310.

  Spears is asked, “Can you tell me whether these sums that are put down to Ralph £1 16s., Licence £1 18s., Baxter £1 10s., Kynaston (Flagstaff) £3 15s., were moneys paid to you, or were they paid direct to the men whose names I have read?” and he says, “They must have been paid to the men.” Is there anybody else of the name of Kynaston in Deal besides yourself ? — No, there is nobody else of the same name.

• 20311.

  There was a list handed in by Spears in which there was included Ralph £1 16s., Licence £1 18s., Baxter £1. 10s. You do not remember whether you gave any order for a flagstaff ? — No, to the best of my belief I did not. I should not be likely to saddle Mr. Crompton Roberts with the cost of putting up a flagstaff for my gratification. No doubt these sums were given on my account, and it would arise in this way: they would say, “Mr. Kynaston must have a pole.“

• 20312.

  Did you receive any money from Mr. Simmons ? — No, I received no money from anybody except the £18 from Mr. Hughes.

• 20313.

  I think Mr. Simmons suggested that you were one of the persons who distributed some sums in what he called “small charities.” Did you distribute any money ? — No, I did not spend a single farthing the whole time of the election except my own personal expenses. I never even treated anybody to a glass of beer, and I did it purposely knowing that the thing was improper.

  (Mr. Edwin Hughes.) In order to confirm my statement in regard to the amount of money, viz., £2550, which Mr. Olds had, I have seen Mr. Olds, and insisted upon his coming here today in order to admit it, and he is perfectly prepared to admit that he did have a total of £220, and he has told me that I pledged him to secrecy at the time in reference to the amount he had received, and it was in consequence of that, that he had been so reticent, and he tenders himself here for the purpose of putting himself right, as he ought to do.

  As he says, it has been done out of fealty to me, in order to comply with the wish I expressed at the time. I do not want him to get into any trouble through being loyal to me, and therefore I really hope that the Commissioners will allow him to confirm my statement, and to admit that £2550 was the amount that he received. The Commission is not yet over, and I am very desirous that the Commissioners should give Mr. Olds that opportunity, because I do not want him to get into any trouble on my account. I should also like to put in this letter that was sent to Mr. Olds by my agent Trappe, and the name torn off was Trappe (handing in a letter).

  [Adjourned for a short time]