Burns, John | Day 21
Claimed not to know the man who gave him the money on the Esplanade on the evening of the election. Both candidates visited him and Mr Porter and Mr Rea both came together to ask him which way he would vote but he refused to tell them. Said he expected to receive money like everyone else.
Witness Type: Bribee
Party: Unknown / Did not vote
Witness Testimony:
- 21482.
(Mr. Turner) What are you ? — A tailor.
- 21483.
Where do you live ? — Middle Street, Deal.
- 21484.
What did you get at the election ? — £3.
- 21485.
From whom ? — I do not know who it was; he was a stranger to me.
- 21486.
When was it ? — On the evening of the election.
- 21487.
It was for your vote, I suppose ? — It could not have been for that, for I had voted before.
- 21488.
What do you suppose it was for ? — Well, I have a right to suppose what it was for as far as it goes, but I do not know at all.
- 21489.
You have a shrewd suspicion, I suppose ? — I can give a good guess.
- 21490.
It had something to do with your vote ? — Yes. I suppose so.
- 21491.
Did you receive anything else ? — No.
- 21492.
(Mr. Jeune.) Had you never seen the man before ? — No, never.
- 21493.
Nor since ? — No.
- 21494.
What sort of looking man was he ? — I could not tell you; he was a strange man.
- 21495.
A dark or light man ? — He was here on the election day.
- 21496.
Did you see him about during the election ? — No, I never go about, so I could not see him.
- 21497.
Was he a dark stoutish man ? — No, he was not.
- 21498.
What coloured hair had he ? — I could not say; I was not in his company two minutes.
- 21499.
Did he come to your house ? — No, I met him on the Esplanade.
- 21500.
Did he call you to him ? — Yes.
- 21501.
By name ? — Yes.
- 21502.
What passed ? — That is all that passed; he gave me the money.
- 21503.
What passed when he gave you the money ? — Nothing; he never asked me a question, nor I him.
- 21504.
Do you mean he said, “Burns, here is £3 for you,” and that is all ? — No, he did not say that.
- 21505.
What did he say ? — He said, “There is £3 for you,” and asked me if I had been to vote.
- 21506.
Had you a colour on ? — No.
- 21507.
Did he ask you which way you had voted ? — No, he never asked me any other question about it.
- 21508.
Did he ask you which way your politics were ? — No, he never mentioned politics at all.
- 21509.
Do you say he only said, “Burns, have you voted,” and you said, “Yes,” and he gave you the money ? — Yes, that is all.
- 21510.
(Mr. Holl.) Had you colours up at your house ? — No.
- 21511.
Had you not been canvassed ? — Nobody ever asked me, except Mr. Roberts and Sir Julian Goldsmid ; they both came.