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:

  • 1625.

    Was it 30, 40, or 50 ? — I should think about 20 or 30 a day. The second day I paid as I went, and that occupied more time.

  • 1626.

    You think 30 upon the 5th and 30 upon the 6th ? — I should say the average would be about 20 a day.

  • 1627.

    Did you engage them in Walmer ? — Yes, Deal and Walmer.

  • 1628.

    There were 71 in Deal and Walmer ? — That would bring it to about 30 the second day perhaps and 20 the third.

  • 1629.

    Was it 30 upon the 5th, 30 upon the 6th, and 10 the next day ? — No, only about 20 the first day.

  • 1630.

    Including those you had spoken to upon the 4th, how many did you actually engage and pay for upon the 5th, should you think ? — I should say from 30 to 40.

  • 1631.

    The 20 you bad spoken to the night before, and 20 more ? — Yes.

  • 1632.

    The others you would engage upon the following day, the 6th ? — Yes.

  • 1633.

    They were all engaged upon either the 4th, 5th, or 6th ? — Yes, upon those three days with one or two exceptions ; there were some that sent in to know why their house had been missed.

  • 1634.

    They were all engaged either upon the day Mr. Roberts came down or upon the two following days ? — Yes, quite so.

  • 1635.

    You say there were some who sent in afterwards to know why their houses had not been taken ? — Yes, several ; and I referred them to Mr. Hughes, and he said we had got quite sufficient already.

  • 1636.

    But you did take some of those who sent in in that way ? — Yes, we took some of them.

  • 1637.

    I think the receipts you gave for them were all in the same form ? — Yes, all in the same form.

  • 1638.

    That receipt, I may take it, was drawn up by Mr. Hughes’s clerk ? — No, it was drawn up by Mr. Spofforth’s clerk, Simmons drew them up and I paid the money.

  • 1639.

    Is that one of them [handing a document to the witness] ? — Yes, this is one of them. I think this is for the last one engaged.

  • 1640.

    They were all in that form ? — Yes.

  • 1641.

    All written out by Simmons for you to take to the different parties to sign ? — No, many of them were written as we went to the different houses.

  • 1642.

    Simmons went round with you ? — Yes, he went round with me. He wrote the receipt, and I paid the money.

  • 1643.

    Here is another (handing a document to the witness) ; that is in the same form ? — Yes.

  • 1644.

    In whose handwriting is that ? — In Simmons’ handwriting. I do not think the other is in Simmons’ handwriting.

  • 1645.

    You made no distinction in the amount you paid for the rooms, whether it was a beer-house or a large house ? — No, none whatever.

  • 1646.

    Can you give me the names of any of the houses where you say you bargained ? — Do you mean the night previous ?

  • 1647.

    Yes, or afterwards ? — The “Deal Castle ” was one that came in afterwards to know why they had been left out.

  • 1648.

    I want to know whether you can tell me at which house you say you entered into any bargain; that is to say, at which of the houses you had any discussion as to the amount which they would accept. Did you not at the majority of the houses go round and offer them 5L. for the house without any question at all ? —Yes, I asked them whether they would accept that.

  • 1649.

    You asked them whether they would accept 5L. ? — Yes.

  • 1650.

    For a room ? — Yes, for a committee room when required, and for posting bills during the election, however long it may last, and that we should also be able to post our bills upon the outside of the house.

  • 1651.

    You did not make any bargain, did you, with all of them that you should be allowed to post bills outside the houses ? — Yes, at most of them. I asked the question, if I wanted to stick a bill or two outside I suppose I could do it, and they said, yes, certainly.

  • 1652.

    With the majority of them you asked them if they would take 5L. for the use of the room, and the right to stick up your bills ? — Yes, if they would accept it.

  • 1653.

    Who do you say are the people who asked 20L. and 10L. ? — The “Lord Warden,” at Walmer. She wanted 20L. She said she had been in the habit of having 20 guineas for a room, and a guinea a day for the use of it afterwards ; in fact, she said, at Swindon, where they came from, her bill came to 200L.

  • 1654.

    The “Lord Warden” is a larger hotel than most of them ? — No, it is not a very large hotel, and very little trade to it.