Emmerson, Richard Joynes | Day 1

James Barber Edwards testified that he received £1300 from Charles Ross Foord of Rochester who had brought £1500 in gold sovereigns to Sandwich by train. Emmerson met him with James Barber Edwards and they split the money between them. £1300 went to Mr Edwards and £200 to Mr Emmerson. Mr Emerson received two further amounts of £210 and £350. The latter was paid by Messrs Lewis and Lewis.

Witness Type: Briber, Freeman, Treater

Party: Liberal

Other Days The Witness Was Called On: Day 2 | Day 14

Witness Testimony:

  • 597.

    You engaged the room for the election at IL. a day ? – Yes, and, in fact, the understanding was that he should not take the other party into his house – that we should hire the house.

  • 598.

    There is the “Fleur-de-Lys” ? – It is a better hotel than the “Fleur-de-Lys.”

  • 599.

    That is the rateable value of the “Bell” hotel ? – I believe he pays 40L. a year ; it is the best hotel in the place.

  • 600.

    You spoke of two committee clerks, were they at Mrs. Hunter’s, or the “Bell” ? – It would be according to where we met ; one or two evenings we met at the “Bell” hotel, and, of course, Mr. Woodruff was always there, and we also kept some one at the committee room at Mrs. Hunter’s.

  • 601.

    Did any one sit permanently at the “Bell” committee room, or did they only go there occasionally ? – There was a daily messenger always left there, but I do not think we had our meetings there, in fact, I am sure we did not, we met at the other committee rooms generally.

  • 602.

    Did you go to the “Bell” hotel more than two or three times ? – I should think we did more than that.

  • 603.

    I see the rateable value of the “Bell” is 25L., and 17L. that was paid is more than half a year’s rateable value ? – We did not consider it overpaying, considering we were to have the house devoted to our services whenever we liked to go in, and that it was not to be used by the other party.

  • 604.

    The next item is seven houses at 4L. a piece, and Mrs. Hunter ; what house is that ? – Mrs. Hunter is a Widow and a draper, and has a very nice room opposite the Guildhall, and we generally have it as a committee room, in order that we may meet there instead of the hotel, where, of course, we should be asked for refreshments ; it is to prevent that.

  • 605.

    Is it a large room ? – Yes, a very nice room.

  • 606.

    To what extent did you occupy that room ? – If we met at the “Bell” we always met every day at Mrs. Hunter’s ; there was someone always running out and in.

  • 607.

    Was it there the committee clerk was ? – Yes, he was generally there.

  • 608.

    How many days do you say it was used, and how long each day ? – It was used all day ; there was always someone there running in and out.

  • 609.

    How many days did you take it before Sir Julian Goldsmid came down ? – A few days before he came down. The fact is, that immediately Lord Brabourne was elevated to the peerage, we began to make arrangements for conducting the election, and we went to the “Bell” hotel to secure the house, and we also told Mrs. Hunter that we should want a committee room at her house.

  • 610.

    You told her you should want it, but when did you first use it ? – It was an arrangement that she should have 10L. for her room. The object was to prevent meeting at the “Bell” hotel ; that induced us to have her room.

  • 611.

    The next item is POLES and banners, 26L. 5s. 6d. ? – I cannot give any information as to the parties who gave orders for those items. They came to me afterwards without any knowledge of them whatever. They were ordered by someone, no doubt, but who I cannot say.

  • 612.

    You do not know at all ? – No.

  • 613.

    By whom is the claim made ? – It is made by a Mr. Rose principally, I think.

  • 614.

    Where of, is it Mr. Rose of Sandwich ? – Yes, 22L. 11s. 9d. for Mr. Rose, 19s. Mr. Guest, 1L. 15s. Hunter, and Grey 1L. ; you have all the bills, I believe.

  • 615.

    You do not know who ordered them at all ? – No.

  • 616.

    Do you know that they were supplied ? – I think they were supplied.

  • 617.

    Is T. Rose a voter ? – Yes, he is a voter.

  • 618.

    Is Hunter a voter ? – That is Mrs. Hunter again, the lady to whom the committee room belongs.

  • 619.

    Is her husband alive ? – No, she is a widow.

  • 620.

    Is Guest a voter ? – Yes.

  • 621.

    And is Grey a voter ? – Yes.

  • 622.

    You know nothing about it, beyond the claim being sent in ? – No.

  • 623.

    Then fly hire and conveyance, 10L. 18s. ? – Yes, the other 5L. in the first account was for sundry FLYS, which I had paid, but it has since been taken off.

  • 624.

    Then four CARRIAGES upon the day of the election, 1L. 6s. each ? – That is the whole day, and tie others were FLYS at various times, I suppose. That is a widow woman, so that there could be no object in giving money there. There was a small bill to Wingham of 15s., which has not been paid, which was to convey a freeman from Preston to Sandwich. That is included in the 5L., that I just now said has been taken out.

  • 625.

    There is no detail of the 5L. ? – No, not at all, it has been left out altogether ; it was put down as something to indemnify against the sundry FLYS.

  • 626.

    No account of from whom they were had, or anything about them ? – No, it came out of my pocket, whatever it was.