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:

  • 2384.

    Had you any conversation with Mr. Hughes about this beforehand ? — I cannot recollect any conversation. I know when I received it I told him I had got so and so, and he said, “I know nothing about it.”

  • 2385.

    Had you any conversation with Mr. Roberts about this ? — No.

  • 2386.

    Are you quite certain of that ? — Quite certain. I never had a shilling of Mr. Roberts.

  • 2387.

    I am not asking that. Had you any conversation with Mr. Roberts about this money coming downto be distributed, or that money would come down to be disbursed ? — I had not.

  • 2388.

    Nor with anyone ? — Nor with anyone that I am aware of.

  • 2389.

    Do think. It is not a question of what you are aware of. You must know whether you had or not ? — I might have said in this way, people, as I said before, asked me would there be any money. I naturally would have thought there would be some money down, but I had no idea from what source it would come, or who it was coming to.

  • 2390.

    Had not you some kind of idea given to you from some conversation that money would be sent down either to you or somebody else for the purpose of being distributed for the purposes of the election ? — I might have had an idea that it would come down, but I could not specify from who. I have got no evidence from anyone.

  • 2391.

    I am not asking about evidence ? — Or conversation.

  • 2392.

    Had anything occurred between you and anybody else that led you to mink that would be the case, and if so, who was it ? — I don’t know. I cannot recollect any conversation whatever about the matter. I was surprised when I found it there. It took me quite by surprise.

  • 2393.

    You say you told Mr. Hughes of it the day it came down, what did he say to you ? — He said, “I know nothing about it, and I don’t want to. It has nothing to do with me.”

  • 2394.

    Surely you told somebody afterwards connected with your party how you had disposed of this money in order to discharge yourself of the receipt of it ? — I had no one to inquire.

  • 2395.

    But you could do that without inquiry. Did not you give information as to what you had done with it ? Do you want us to think that you, having received this money, did not think it worth while to let them know whether you kept it or spent it ? — I did not get anyone to make any inquiry. I paid it away as quick as I could, and done with it.

  • 2396.

    Did not you tell anybody you had spent it ? — I might have said it was all gone.

  • 2397.

    Who to ? — I really cannot recollect. I might have told Mr. Hughes I had spent it all, but I do not say so as a fact.

  • 2398.

    You knew this money came down for the purposes of the election ? — The man told me so.

  • 2399.

    And you knew he was the agent of Mr. Roberts for the election ? — Mr. Hughes ?

  • 2400.

    Yes ? — He had the whole management and control

  • 2401.

    Do you mean to tell me you received so large a sum as 1,000L, and you never thought it worth your while to inform him or anybody else what had been done with it ? — He did not want to be informed.

  • 2402.

    Did he say so ? — He said he did not want to know anything about it.

  • 2403.

    Did he tell you so ? I do not want what you think, but did he tell you so ? — He said, “I know nothing about it, nor don’t want to.”

  • 2404.

    That was the observation he made when you first told him you had received it ? — Yes.

  • 2405.

    Who had you told beforehand that money might be expected down here ? — I don’t know as I told anyone.

  • 2406.

    You say it was the usual thing, and you knew people expected it, and were asking it ? — Many of them asked, and I told them I knew nothing at present.

  • 2407.

    I suppose you told that either to Mr. Roberts or Mr. Hughes, or some of your principals ? — Yes, I might have done.

  • 2408.

    Who to ? — I might have stated they were asking for money.

  • 2409.

    But who to ? — I might have told Mr. Hughes.

  • 2410.

    Did you tell Mr. Roberts ? — No, I had very little conversation with Mr. Roberts.

  • 2411.

    Are you quite sure you never told Mr. Roberts — I am quite sure I never told Mr. Roberts.

  • 2412.

    Are you quite sure you are accurate in saying you had no conversation with him about any money coming down ? — I had no conversation with Mr. Roberts about any money coming down whatever.

  • 2413.

    Had you with Captain Roberts ? — No, none whatever with Captain Roberts.