Testimonies

Edwards, James Barber | Petition Day 1

Witness Type: Briber, No Indemnity, Petition witness, Treater

Party: Liberal

Other Days The Witness Was Called On: Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 9 | Day 10 | Day 14

Witness Testimony:

• 1. [Mr. Justice Lewis] Do you produce all the election accounts that have been rendered to you? — Yes, my Lord.

• 2.

  The whole of them? — The whole of them.

• 3.

  Where do you live? — In Deal.

• 4.

  Where in Deal? — High-street, Deal.

• 5.

  What were you at the last election? — I acted as agent; Sir Julian’s professional agent.

• 6.

  As election agent? — Not election for expenses.

• 7.

  Are you a solicitor? — I am.

• 8.

  You produce all the bills that have been sent in to you, paid and unpaid? — Paid; there are some particulars not here.

• 9.

  You must go through them? — Then I must make them out.

• 10.

  You say there are some more? — There are some more that I have not any bills of.

• 11.

  I must have every account sent in to you? — Every item.

• 12.

  Mr. Justice Manisty.] Have you not made out any list? — I have not the list here.

• 13.

  You have one at home? — Yes: I can get a list.

• 14.

  You must give us a perfect list of them, paid and unpaid? —

• 15.

  Mr. Justice Lush.] You have made out a list of them? — I have made out a list.

• 16.

  Be good enough to fetch it? — I will, my Lord.

  [The Witness withdrew.]

  Mr. Day requested the returning officer to produce the list of election expenses, and a list of vouchers and receipts.
  The same was produced; The Court examined the bills and vouchers.

  [Mr. Justice Lush (to Mr. Matthews).] You have not seen the bills.
  [Mr. Matthews.] Not the details.
  [Mr. Justice Lush.] There are 70 receipts of £5 each: vouchers for 70 committee-rooms at public-houses, and there is this remarkable feature about them all, that they are hired and paid for on the 6th of May, the election being on the 18th, and the peculiar form is, “For the use of committee-room when required.”
  [Mr. Matthews.] Those houses were chiefly used as advertising stations.
  [Mr. Justice Lush.] The payment is made before the election and the form is, “For the use of the room when required.”
  [Mr. Matthews.] Quite so, practically. Only if they were required or used as committee-rooms. They were chiefly required and used as advertising stations. The houses were plastered over with bills upon which I have something to say to your Lordships.
  [Mr. Justice Lush.] In the summary list we have got down £5 for each, amounting to £350; 70 houses at £5 each. The sum charged in the summary is, “Committee-houses, £527.” That is signed by Mr. Hughes, so that you must have had nearly double that number.
  [Mr. Matthews.] I think not.
  [Mr. Justice Manisty.] Here it is under Mr. Hughes’ own hand; I suppose before the regular committee rooms there was more paid.
  [Mr. Justice Lush.] Mr. Day’s statement is very nearly borne out by the receipts. It will save a great deal of evidence. Is the registrar here? We want to know how many of these are non-voters.
  [Mr. Day.] The returning officer will have that.
  [Mr. Justice Lush.] Your client has not seen them.
  [Mr. Day.] We should like to have this, for the purpose of analysing them.
  [Mr. Justice Manisty.] This requires no analysing.
  [Mr. Day.] No, we shall want to trace the other committee-rooms.
  [Mr. Justice Lush.] A great part of your particulars go to this item.
  [Mr. Day.] I thought there was a band.
  [Mr. Justice Lush.] Yes; a band of music, in direct defiance of the Act. There is £24 for musicians upon the polling day.
  [Mr. Day.] Those are not introduced eo nomine, therefore I want to analyse the items.
  [Mr. Matthews.] I am told that there is an analysis of the vouchers which brings them together, and will show your Lordships exactly how the matter stands.
  [Mr. Justice Manisty.] That does not give half of the items; it is lumped, “Committee-houses, £527.” That is why we want the whole of the vouchers; but there is really £5 paid for each.
  [Mr. Day.] I shall have to call evidence to show the character of these houses.
  [Mr. Justice Lush.] It will save an immense amount of evidence, having gone through these accounts.
  [Mr. Matthews.] I have counted the houses.
  [Mr. Justice Lush.] Then there must be a considerable amount added to make up the amount.
  [Mr. Day.] Seventy-one houses are for Deal and Walmer; there is Sandwich besides. I stated to your Lordships that 62 of the 71 were occupied by voters. I believe your Lordships will find that to be correct; where the receipts are given by the men, they are practically all voters.
  [Mr. Matthews.] Many of them are known supporters of the Liberal candidate; and many of the public-houses had bills up for both colours. They were the only advertising stations that could be got in Deal.
  [Mr. Justice Lush.] We should like to hear evidence upon that point, and also as to what proportions of the 71 are voters; I suppose by far the larger proportion.
  [Mr. Day.] Out of the 71 in the particulars, we say 62, as appears here, are voters.
  [Mr. Justice Lush.] Whoever put down the figures can come and prove that the persons are voters.
  [Mr. Matthews.] I am told that the bulk are on the Register, but some of them are not.
  [Mr. Justice Lush.] Those that I have got down here contain only Deal and Walmer.
  [Mr. Day.] I will call a gentleman who has gone through the register, and he will tell you that out of the 71, 62 are voters.
  [Mr. Justice Lush.] We want to know how many of these are voters; secondly, how many other public-houses and beerhouses there are in the different places that were not engaged; that is to say, how many were left; and, thirdly, how many of them had bills of both parties up.