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:

  • 2474.

    When you told him people were expecting money down ? — Yes; many of them said it was a very hard winter ; they were very near starving at the time, and they asked me, “Is not there something coming.”

  • 2475.

    And you say you told him that ? — Yes.

  • 2476.

    And he said he thought you could not get on without it ? — Yes.

  • 2477.

    Did he say anything more ; did he say or intimate to you whether it would come ? — Well, he might have said, “ No doubt there will be money down,” but I cannot recollect what he said now,

  • 2478.

    Now one other question upon a small matter comparatively. I think you went to engage a house called the “Lord Warden.” kept by a man named Long ? — I did.

  • 2479.

    I think you saw his wife, did you not ? — I did.

  • 2480.

    And engaged the house for 5L. ? — I offered her 5L ; she refused it.

  • 2481.

    Did you not engage it for 5L. ? — No, she wanted 20L I did not engage it at the time.

  • 2482.

    Did you engage it afterwards ? — Yes.

  • 2483.

    When you paid the other people you did not pay her ? — No, she refused at first 5L ; she wanted 20L.

  • 2484.

    That is before you engaged it ? — Yes.

  • 2485.

    When you went to engage it she wanted 20L ? — Yes.

  • 2486.

    Afterwards you engaged it ? — Yes.

  • 2487.

    And when you paid the other people you did not pay her ? — No ; she was paid some days afterwards. We left the house out. Mr. Hughes went and paid it.

  • 2488.

    I know he did. Did not she come to you and ask you why you had not paid her ? — Yes, and I told her it was because she refused.

  • 2489.

    Did not you tell her it was because her husband had no vote ? — I did not ; I did not know whether he had a vote or not.

  • 2490.

    Are you quite certain ? — I am quite certain of that

  • 2491.

    You know what she has sworn ? — I do, and I know it is false.

  • 2492.

    Did not you tell her the reason you had not come to pay her along with the rest was because her husband had no vote ? — I did nothing of the kind. I left word with her for her husband to come and see me in the morning. Her husband was out at the time attending some meeting. I left word, if he felt disposed or inclined to let the house for 5L. he was to come and see me before 10 o’clock the following morning. That was on the 3rd I called upon her, and she refused. They did not come to me until the following Saturday, and then she came to know why I had not paid her. I told her, for the very reason that she wanted 20L., and I reported it to Mr. Hughes, and he pooh-poohed the idea, and struck the name out.

  • 2493.

    Did not you tell her that the name of the hotel had been scratched out, because her husband had no vote ? — No, it was on account of her wanting 20L.

  • 2494.

    Did not she say to you, “A contract is a contract ” ?

  • 2495.

    — Yes.

  • 2496.

    And did not you and Mr. Hughes afterwards go and pay her ? — Mr. Hughes said…

  • 2497.

    She did say, “A contract is a contract” ? — Yes, she might have done, but there was no contract, though she said so. Mr. Hughes said, if she was willing to accept the 5L. he would go and look at the house, and pay her, and on the Saturday night I went with Mr. Hughes and paid her the 5L. She at the same time told me that her bill was something like 270L. for Leamington.

  • 2498.

    You told us yesterday that you changed some cheques ? — Yes.

  • 2499.

    Do you remember what amount they were for, and for whom ? — I changed two or three cheques for Mr. Hughes.

  • 2500.

    Can you give the amounts ? — I cannot

  • 2501.

    About 50L or 100L., or what ? — I should say it would be about 70L., or something like that. I think it was two cheques I changed, one for 40L and one for 50L., or something like that ; it may be 90L. I cannot say the amounts now.

  • 2502.

    Two cheques you mean ? — Yes, Mr. Hughes wanted cash, and I gave him the cash, and paid those cheques in.

  • 2503.

    He gave you the cheques, and did you draw the amounts out of your bank, or where ? — Out of my bank.