Olds, Samuel | Day 2

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 3 | Day 14

Witness Testimony:

  • 1925.

    Who was it ? — A stranger here.

  • 1926.

    That does not matter ; who was it ; do not you know the name ? — No, I do not know his name ; he was down about the election.

  • 1927.

    You do not pretend to say that you sent over 10L. to Mr. Hughes by a man who you did not know ? — He was working here.

  • 1928.

    Surely you must know his name ? — I do not.

  • 1929.

    (Mr. Jeune.) He was a stranger ? — Yes; the money was received.

  • 1930.

    Was he about the place during the election ? — Yes, and I sent it over.

  • 1931.

    How did you know that he had anything to do with Mr. Roberts, or with the Conservative party ; was he acting with them here ? — Oh, I am wrong; I can recollect it now ; I sent 10L. by Mr. Watts, the spirit merchant ; I was going to send it by another man, this stranger, and I saw Mr. Watts.

  • 1932.

    Is Mr. Watts a Deal man ? — Yes, Deal and Sandwich ; he has a business in Sandwich, and I was going to send it by this stranger, but I recollect I did not.

  • 1933.

    You sent it by Watts to Hughes, of Sandwich ? — Yes.

  • 1934.

    Did you pay the other 22L to Hughes yourself ? — Yes, I paid that myself.

  • 1935.

    Was that in one sum or two ? — That was paid in two sums.

  • 1936.

    12L, and 10L. ? — Yes.

  • 1937.

    Upon those occasions, when you paid him those two sums of 12L. and 10L., did you take any receipt of him as an acknowledgment that he had received the money ? — Yes, I should be sure to. I think I had a receipt for the 12L., and then I had another receipt for the two 10L., namely, the 10L. I sent by Mr. Watts and the 10L. I paid myself.

  • 1938.

    You think you had a receipt for those two sums together ? — Yes.

  • 1939.

    Is this a mere piece of supposition of yours this time, or is it something that you really do remember ? — Yes, I remember it ; it just came into my head. I was going to send it by the stranger, and then saw Mr. Watts.

  • 1940.

    I mean about the receipt ; did you get a receipt for the 12L. ? — Yes.

  • 1941.

    You are sure of that ? — Yes, I am certain of it almost.

  • 1942.

    Did you get any receipt for the 10L. that you sent by Watts and the 10L. that you paid yourself afterwards ? — Yes, it was accounted for by Mr. Hughes, of Sandwich, to me.

  • 1943.

    And those receipts you returned to Mr. Hughes ? — Yes, all receipts I gave to Mr. Hughes, the agent.

  • 1944.

    We must adjourn now, and I really do hope that between this and tomorrow morning you will try and think these matters over ? — I have got nothing to guide me, even our agent is away.

  • 1945.

    If you think it over a little, it is impossible for us to suppose that you cannot remember the main features of all these transactions which took place only two or three months ago ? — It is four months ago.

  • 1946.

    A man of business does not go and do these things, and then a few months afterwards not remember them ; it is quite incredible ? — I really cannot recollect.

  • 1947.

    You may have been taken a little by surprise now, and therefore think it over ? — I will do the best I can.

  • 1948.

    (Mr. Turner.) There are two more to whom you paid the 4L. extra. You will try and remember those names ? — Yes.

  • 1949.

    (Mr. Holl.) I should like you also to furnish me with a list of the 41 canvassers ? — I really could not do it.

  • 1950.

    You can do it with the register ? — I might make out some of them.

  • 1951.

    You may be able to remember the bulk of them, you were in the habit of mixing with them and dealing with them, if there be two or three of them that you cannot remember that is another thing ? — There are many I do not know, even that were working.

  • 1952.

    Make out the best list you can of all the canvassers you employed and paid ? — You see that I was not working much amongst the canvassers, I merely assisted Mr. Hughes to go and pay these people. I was not working about with them the whole of the day.

  • 1953.

    Perhaps you may be able to get some assistance from those who were working with them, to enable you to make up the list of these 41 canvassers, do the best you can to make up a list of the canvassers to whom you paid 6L. each ? — Mr. Hughes could produce a list in a moment, but it will be very difficult for me to do it.