Hulke, Frederick Thomas | Day 21

Gave £5 to Ralph for services rendered and 2 sovereigns to George Jenner. He asked Simmons to advance him some money and was not then entirely truthful as to how it was spent. Claiming it was to repair damage to a trap and so on. He was reluctant to say he had given money to Ralph because he had supported the Liberals in previous elections and had now switched sides.

Witness Type: Briber

Party: Conservative

Witness Testimony:

  • 20340.

    (Mr. Holl.) You reside in Queen Street, Deal ? — Yes.

  • 20341.

    And you are a physician ? — A surgeon.

  • 20342.

    I think you took an active interest in the election that took place in May last ? — Yes, I did.

  • 20343.

    Your views were in the Conservative interest ? — Conservative decidedly.

  • 20344.

    You were one of the gentlemen who received Mr. Crompton Roberts when he came down ? — Yes, I was.

  • 20345.

    Did you receive any money or expend any money in connexion with the election ? — The only amount I spent was that sum that Mr. Simmons mentioned, £7.

  • 20346.

    From whom did you receive that ? — I received it from Mr. Simmons.

  • 20347.

    Tell me what it was for, and how you expended it ? — £2 of that I paid away to a man of the name of Jenner, for information that he was to get me after the last election, and before the present election, that is, between the walk-over and this election. I paid away a sovereign on two occasions to a man of the name of Jenner, in Walmer, to go about and get me information.

  • 20348.

    Who was Jenner ? — A waterman.

  • 20349.

    Was it to get information in connexion with the election ? — Yes.

  • 20350.

    What character of information ? — That our chances in Walmer were favourable.

  • 20351.

    That is, to ascertain the views of the parties ? — To ascertain what the views of the watermen were. Amongst watermen you are obliged to send a waterman.

  • 20352.

    Was that given to him entirely for his time and trouble in obtaining such information ? — Yes, entirely.

  • 20353.

    Not with a view of his distributing any portion of it ? — No, not with any such views at all.

  • 20354.

    I understand you to say that you gave him a sovereign on two occasions ? — Yes.

  • 20355.

    How long was that before the election of May ? — It must have been three or four weeks at least before that.

  • 20356.

    How was the rest of the £7 expended ? — £5 was given to a Mr. Thomas Ralph, also for services rendered during the election.

  • 20357.

    What is Mr. Thomas Ralph ? — He is a clerk, living in Alfred Square.

  • 20358.

    What were the services that he rendered ? — He was very active in going about, and he told me that also he was a little money out of pocket with necessary little expenses, and so on. I wanted him to be put down as paid canvasser, to which he objected, and therefore I gave him the £5 myself. He had his own reasons for objecting to going down as a paid canvasser.

  • 20359.

    What were the services that he rendered ? — He was showing himself active in the cause, attending meetings, and putting himself otherwise to inconvenience. It was taking him out of his regular routing.

  • 20360.

    Was he a voter ? — Yes, he was a voter. He is a gentleman of some little position, although he is a clerk.

  • 20361.

    Is this Alderman Ralph ? — Yes, Mr. Thomas Ralph, the alderman.

  • 20362.

    Do I understand you to say that the services he was rendering were simply going about to the different meetings. Was he canvassing ? — I presume he was canvassing, but I had nothing to do with the canvassing, and therefore I could not say exactly. I do know that he was active, and used to attend our evening meetings.

  • 20363.

    You would not pay a gentleman in his position, would you, for attending these meetings ? — Not entirely; but then, you see, his presence was some support to us.

  • 20364.

    Do you know anything more specific that he did beyond what you have told us ? — No, I do not.

  • 20365.

    You do not know whether he canvassed or not ? — I know that I should imagine he did, but I do not know it personally.

  • 20366.

    Was any portion of this £5 that you gave to Alderman Ralph to be expended by him at all in treating, or in any such way ? — No, it was given to him entirely for his services.

  • 20367.

    Nothing of that kind at all ? — No.

  • 20368.

    You say positively it was given entirely for his services ? — Yes.

  • 20369.

    And such services as you have mentioned ? — Yes.