Olds, Samuel | Day 3

In total Olds received £2,500, purely for bribing Publicans and voters.
He secured and paid for committee rooms in 88 public houses – 71 in Deal & Walmer, according to testimony by Daniel George Frederick Simmons, plus 17 in Sandwich. Each was paid £5 a-piece. Well over the odds when their annual rent was on average £12.

In November 1881 he was found guilty and sentenced to six months hard labour. Released in May 1882.

Witness Type: Briber, Councillor / Alderman, No Indemnity

Party: Conservative

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

Witness Testimony:

  • 2324.

    Now are you certain of that ? — Yes.

  • 2325.

    When did you tell him that you had distributed it. You told him then you say how you had been directed to distribute it, and he told you he knew nothing about it ? — Yes.

  • 2326.

    Now after you had distributed it the next morning did you tell him how you had distributed it ? — Well, I might have named it, that I had given it out ; he was busy, one way and the other.

  • 2327.

    Did you tell him generally that you had distributed the money in the manner which you had been directed to do. I do not mean did you give him the names ? — I may or may not ; 3 have no doubt he knew or guessed the manner in which I had distributed it ; but I do not think I gave him a list of all the names or the amounts.

  • 2328.

    I am not asking that, but did you tell him you had distributed the money in the manner you had been directed to do ? — I have no doubt I did.

  • 2329.

    Can you tell us when you told him that ; that morning, or the afternoon, or when ? — In general conversation. I told him I had received this money and distributed it.

  • 2330.

    You told us when you told him you had received it ; now try and remember when you told him you had distributed it. Did you tell him that on the day of the election ? — It might be on the day of the election.

  • 2331.

    It might be any time ? — I should say it was sure to be, it was all done previous to the election.

  • 2332.

    And did you tell him on the election day ? — I cannot recollect.

  • 2333.

    That you did tell him there is no doubt ? — There is no doubt I told him I had received some money, and he said, ” It has nothing to do with me.”

  • 2334.

    You keep repeating that; but I ask whether you had told him you had distributed it in the manner you had been directed to do ? — I might have done; I am not positive.

  • 2335.

    Do tell us what is the real fact; it is not a question of what may or might be ? — Well, the election day was a very busy one I know ; I may have mentioned it to him or I may not. I could hardly get to speak to him the election day; he was very busy in the committee-room.

  • 2336.

    But he was your principal The distribution of this money was a material element in the election. Do you mean to say that you cannot remember whether you told him that you had disposed of this money, or not ? —I cannot remember that I did, I have no recollection, I may have done so. I do not say that I did not or that I did, it must be an open question.

  • 2337.

    You had told him the day before that you had received this money ; did he ask you what you had done with it ? — The remark he made is, ” I have nothing to do with it, I know nothing of it ; ” so I did not trouble him again, it is very probable I may not have said anything more to him about it.

  • 2338.

    When did you first learn that this money was coming, or that some money was coming ? — I had no idea till it came.

  • 2339.

    Who told you to expect some ? — Nobody.

  • 2340.

    How was it Giles and Hughes, and all those people seem to have got scent of it ? — That was on the night.

  • 2341.

    If the party had not been expecting it before night, how did they know it was coming ? — They were sent to me.

  • 2342.

    Who sent them to you ? — I do not know ; they told me they were told to come and see me.

  • 2343.

    They told you they were told to come and see you ? — Yes, that is what Giles said, “We are told to come and see you, Mr. Olds. ”

  • 2344.

    And I suppose Evans, Solomon, and Hayman, and Ralph, and those other men also told you that they had been told to come and see you ? — Yes.

  • 2345.

    Each of them ? — Yes, each of them.

  • 2346.

    Each of those you gave the money to ? — Yes.

  • 2347.

    Did none of them tell you who told them to come ? — No.

  • 2348.

    Not one of them ? — Not that I can recollect.

  • 2349.

    Have you any idea who told them to come ? — Mr. Hughes might have said, “Go and see Mr. Olds” ?I cannot say that he did. You see it would not be in my presence if he did. They will tell you that.

  • 2350.

    Did they lead you to believe ? — That they had been sent there.

  • 2351.

    Did they say that ? — They said, “We are told to come and see you, Mr. Olds,” They did not say by whom.

  • 2352.

    Did they tell you that Hughes had told them to come and see you ? — No.

  • 2353.

    Are you sure of that ? — They got the information ; where from I do not know.