Testimonies

Testimonies

• 465.

  Then, Cork’s public-house, that is the name of the party who keeps it, I suppose ? – Yes.

• 466.

  At these public-houses he went round from day to day and made certain payments on account of bills that had been incurred by different voters or their friends for refreshments supplied at these houses ? – Yes.

• 467.

  To what extent do you know that he expended money in that way – paying scores run up by voters at these houses ? – I should say between 22L and 23L.

• 468.

  (Mr. Turner.) That is out of the 40L ? – Yes, there were 22L., and the object was to prevent the bills running up.

• 469.

  (Mr. Holl.) The balance was spent in rosettes ? – Yes.

• 470.

  I do not quite follow you ; how would that prevent bills running up ? – If we had not paid the small items, and let them go on for 7 or 8 or 10 days, we should have had an enormous sum delivered, and we should not be able to control it.

• 471.

  But supposing you intimated to each of the landlords of these houses that you would not pay anything ? – That might have been done, of course.

• 472.

  (Mr. Turner.) On whose account was it paid ? – It was paid on Sir Julian’s account.

• 473.

  For the election ? – Yes. All these public-houses, no doubt, had their little coteries during the evening previous to the election, and the publicans themselves necessarily had very great influence over those that frequented the house, and, no doubt, were generally appointed canvassers, and have their committee meetings at a certain number of these houses which are known to be friendly.

• 474.

  You say Coleman was instructed every morning to go round and pay these bills ? – I gave him those instructions.

• 475.

  It was a direction to pay for refreshments supplied by these houses to different voters ? – Yes, and it was to prevent having bills that would afterwards come in.

• 476.

  At the time Mr. Coleman was making these daily payments, were the publicans running this other charge of 89L ? – No, I think the large items were incurred upon the night of the election, that is my own impression. Some portion upon the day of the election and the other upon me evening of the election.

• 477.

  The direction given to Mr. Coleman to pay these scores off was given with a view of not afterwards having bills delivered ? – Yes. The large item were incurred during the excitement of the election, and upon the evening of the election. We have made no enquiry whether those bills are proper bills or not, simply because Sir Julian immediately afterwards paid, “You must not pay anything,” and I have not had any letter from him since.

• 478.

  I need hardly ask you whether you are aware that paying these scores at these different public-houses on account of voters in this way was altogether illegal ? – I am quite aware of it, and I am very sorry to be placed in this position, but I come here to tell you everything I know in relation to it, and I can do no more.

• 479.

  I suppose it is the same thing that has been done at all previous elections ? – Yes, it is. I do not know that I have had anything to do with that portion of it before, because it does not often fall to the legal adviser to interfere with what I call money not in the expenditure. I have had money to pay afterwards, but not directly, and there is no doubt upon this occasion I did give this direction to Coleman.

• 480.

  (Mr. Holl.) I ought to ask you this question, and I am sure you will answer me quite fairly, as you have done everything else so far as I can see, was this done with a view of preventing the presentation of bills that could not be properly returned amongst the election expenses ? – To a certain extent I think very likely it was.

• 481.

  You say the details of what Mr. Coleman paid from time to time, he will furnish us with ? – Yes.

• 482.

  Are these the same public-houses that he went round to ? – Yes, some of them are.

• 483.

  Most of them are, are they not ? – Yes.

• 484.

  How many public-houses did you engage at Sandwich ? – Seven, I think, they are also passed in the account, and have been paid since the election.

• 485.

  Can you give me the names of those seven houses ; first of all was a room taken at each house ? – Yes, they had 4L. a-piece.

• 486.

  What was the arrangement with them ? – Simply that they should canvass the voters who were in the habit of frequenting their houses, and that we should be permitted to meet there in the room as a committee room whenever we chose.

• 487.

  You say they were paid 4L. each ? – Yes.

• 488.

  I have only two houses here, the “Bell” Hotel and Mrs. Hunter ; can you give me the names of the different houses ? – You will find them mentioned in the voucher handed in by Mr. Coleman.

• 489.

  Yes, it is so : the “Cinque Ports,” the “Three Colts,” the “Salutation,” the “George and Dragon,” the “Bricklayer’s Arms,” the “Green Posts,” and the “Forester’s Arms” ? – Yes.

• 490.

  What is the name of the landlord of the “Cinque Ports” ? – Robert Pierce.

• 491.

  The “Three Colts” ? – Edward Henry Cork.

• 492.

  The “Salutation” ? – John Hogben.

• 493.

  The “George and Dragon” ? – John Burchett

• 494.

  The “Bricklayer’s Arms” ? – George Bailey.