Coleman, Benjamin Longden | Day 2
Farmer & Market Gardener Employing 22 Men 13 Boys (240 Acres)
Applied to Mr Emmerson to manage election. Received two sums of £40 and £50. The first was to engage Public Houses.
Party: Liberal
Witness Testimony:
- 1420.
Did not you arrange with him that you would give him something if he would come and vote for you ? — I do not remember making any arrangement with him.
- 1421.
What had you said to him about it ? — He may have asked me, the same as a good many more did, to do the best I could for him.
- 1422.
Did he say, “Will you give me something ?” — I do not remember seeing him particularly until after he polled. I must have seen him, because I canvassed him, but I do not remember seeing him until after he had polled, when I gave him something.
- 1423.
Then J. Easter ; what is he ? — The same as him ; he told me he meant voting our side.
- 1424.
But what is he ? — A bricklayer.
- 1425.
Where does he live ? — I think St. Peter Street.
- 1426.
What arrangement did you make with him ? — No more arrangement than that I gave him a sovereign.
- 1427.
Had not you promised him anything, or had you not spoken to him before the polling day ? — No, I canvassed him.
- 1428.
When you canvassed him, what did you say about giving him anything if he came up to vote ? — I cannot remember each individual case ; he, no doubt, asked me to do something for him.
- 1429.
Did you tell him that you would do something for him if he came and voted for your candidate ? — No doubt about it.
- 1430.
Is that the same with all of them ? — Yes.
- 1431.
Then William Deverson, 4L. ; what is he ? — A painter.
- 1432.
Where does he live ? — At Eastry, near Sandwich.
- 1433.
When did you arrange with him ? — The day previous, I think.
- 1434.
What arrangement did you make ? — That I would give him that amount.
- 1435.
That you would give him 4L. if he would come and vote for you ? — He would not come without, he said he could not walk in, and he should have that.
- 1436.
And you agreed to give him that ? — Yes.
- 1437.
How far is where he lives from Sandwich ? — About three miles or thereabouts.
- 1438.
You agreed to give him 4L. if he would come in and vote ? — Yes.
- 1439.
You paid him ? — I paid him.
- 1440.
Thomas Mannings ; what is he ? — I suppose you call him a carriage painter or builder, or wheelwright, or something of that sort.
- 1441.
Where does he live — Millwall Place.
- 1442.
When did you arrange with him ? — I think I made no arrangement with him ; he came and asked me for a sovereign, and I gave it to him.
- 1443.
(Mr. Turner.) After he voted ? — No.
- 1444.
Before he voted ? — Before he voted, and he had half a sovereign afterwards. I paid him twice the money.
- 1445.
(Mr. Holl.) When did you pay him the first, before he voted ? — Yes.
- 1446.
How much was that ? — I cannot recollect now ; it might have been a sovereign.
- 1447.
You gave him one sovereign and a half sovereign, but whether you paid him a sovereign or half a sovereign before he voted you do not know ? — No.
- 1448.
The balance you paid him afterwards ? — Yes ; there was no bargain with him, he asked me for that amount, and I gave it to him on each occasion.
- 1449.
You paid him one sovereign or half a sovereign before he voted ? — Yes, one or the other, I do not know which.