Kidner, Thomas | Day 22

Paid £5 for a committee room. Also received £24 to distribute to 8 men plus a separate £3 to give to Richard Prescott. His waiter made the payments on his behalf but one of the 8, Frederick Annall didn’t come to collect.

Witness Type: Briber, Publican, Beerhouse Keeper

Party: Conservative

Witness Testimony:

  • 21953.

    (Mr. Holl.) What are you ? — A licensed victualler.

  • 21954.

    What house do you keep ? — The New Inn.

  • 21955.

    You paid away some money in connexion with the election ? — No, I did not pay away any money. My waiter paid money away, but I did not.

  • 21956.

    You knew of it ? — Of course. I took the money of Mr. Olds.

  • 21957.

    Let us go by steps; how much did you take from Mr. Olds ? — £24.

  • 21958.

    That was for the purpose of being paid to how many people ? — Well, eight.

  • 21959.

    £3 apiece ? — Yes.

  • 21960.

    Have you got a list of their names ? — No. I have got a return that my waiter gave me of the very men who had the money and signed (handing a paper to the Commissioners).

  • 21961.

    Are there eight of these ? — No, there are seven. One man never came for the money.

  • 21962.

    What became of that money ? — Well, I told the waiter if nobody came for it the only thing he could do was to stick to it. I did not want it.

  • 21963.

    He kept it, did he? You did not have it ? — No.

  • 21964.

    The other £21 was paid to these seven people whose names are in this list that you have handed to me ? — Yes. The reason I would not have anything to do with it was that I did not agree with the paper that they signed.

  • 21965.

    Can you tell me the name of the man that did not come ? — I think his name was Annall.

  • 21966.

    Do you know his Christian name ? — I think it is Frederick.

  • 21967.

    Where does he live ? — In Peter’s Street, I think.

  • 21968.

    Is that all the money that you received? First of all you gave this money to your waiter to give to these different men ? — Yes, certainly.

  • 21969.

    Is that all the money that you received ? — No, later in the day I met Mr. Olds down at the Rose, and he gave me £3 to give to a man named Prescott.

  • 21970.

    What is Prescott’s Christian name ? — Richard, and that was about 1 o’clock.

  • 21971.

    (Mr. Turner.) What day was that ? — The election day.

  • 21972.

    (Mr. Holl.) Did you pay that to Prescott? — No, I paid it to my waiter. I walked back to my waiter for him to pay Prescott, for, of course, I would not be at home in the day.

  • 21973.

    You gave it to your waiter to give to Prescott. Do you know whether Prescott got it ? — I believe he did.

  • 21974.

    Did your waiter tell you so ? — Yes, he told me he had it, but I had no receipt for it.

  • 21975.

    You understood from your waiter that he had given it to Prescott ? — Yes, he told me that he saw him passing by and called him in and gave it to him.

  • 21976.

    What is the waiter’s name ? — John Crow I always called him.

  • 21977.

    Is he with you now ? — No, he was only there about three weeks, or a month, during the election. From what I have heard the other day I believe he is serving the Queen.

  • 21978.

    You think he has enlisted ? — Yes, from what I have heard, but I cannot say it for true.

  • 21979.

    You do not know where he is ? — No.

  • 21980.

    Is that all the money you received ? — Yes.

  • 21981.

    And all the money you paid ? — Yes, all the money I paid.

  • 21982.

    You did not receive anything more on no account at all ? — No, not a farthing. There was £5 for the committee room, and I have always had that ever since the Reform Bill. It is always a Conservative committee room.