Bent, Thomas | Day 5

Posted bills for both sides equally although stated he was a Liberal voter. Received £20 from Mr Hughes and £14 from Mr Edwards. Not listed as a bribee.

Witness Type: Other

Party: Liberal

Witness Testimony:

  • 4264.

    Or 50L. ? — No, or 50L. ; 20L is what I had.

  • 4265.

    Are your stations pretty well scattered over Deal and Walmer ? — Yes.

  • 4266.

    Have you ever posted BILLS at a previous election ? — Yes, I have been posting the last 15 years, and I think I have done it three times before.

  • 4267.

    Then you posted in 1874 ? — Yes.

  • 4268.

    Did you post for both sides in the same way ? — Yes, and I had the same terms as to the hire of the station I had 7L. 10s. for the use of part of the stations, and I was to do the posting, but if they wanted their own men to go and post upon the stations they were at liberty to do so.

  • 4269.

    You asked the same terms for this election as you had claimed and got before ? — Yes, just the same.

  • 4270.

    In 1874, did each side pay you the same amount ? — One side would have more BILLS than another.

  • 4271.

    It was according to the number of their BILLS ? — Yes.

  • 4272.

    You were to have so much a 100 for posting ? — Yes.

  • 4273.

    At this election you posted for both sides ? — Yes.

  • 4274.

    Did you get the same sum from each side ? — I did not have so much from Sir Julian Goldsmid as from the other side.

  • 4275.

    What did he give you ? — I have not had any yet.

  • 4276.

    What is your claim ? — Only 14L.

  • 4277.

    Who engaged you to do the bill posting on Sir Julian’s side ? — Mr. Edwards ; he called in, and said he would send the bills down, and that we would go on the same as before.

  • 4278.

    I must say it seems to me a very legitimate expenditure, and I hope you will be paid ? — I hope so ; people have money for doing nothing, and those who do the work get nothing sometimes.

  • 4279.

    At this election there were a large number of bills posted, were there not, in and upon public-houses ? —Yes, PUBLIC-HOUSES.

  • 4280.

    Mr. Edwin Hughes has put it forward that he was obliged to take all these PUBLIC-HOUSES because he could not get his BILLS posted elsewhere ? — That is false ; the first BILLS the Conservatives had were sent to me, and no question was asked as to whether I would post them or not, and I did post them, and so I should if they had gone on till now.

  • 4281.

    There were a considerable number of bills posted in the windows of PUBLIC-HOUSES ? — Yes, and there always is.

  • 4282.

    And outside PUBLIC-HOUSES as well ? — Yes, outside as well.

  • 4283.

    Was it the same in 1874 ? — Yes, just about the same ; but I do not know that they hired PUBLIC-HOUSES then ; I do not think they did.

  • 4284.

    Were there as many BILLS in 1874, do you think, posted in the windows of PUBLIC-HOUSES as there were at this last election ? — There were more in 1874 than there were at this election, because it lasted longer.

  • 4285.

    You are right ; were the BILLS on your stations torn down and disfigured ? — Once.

  • 4286.

    Only once ? — Yes, and only just one or two ; nothing worth speaking of.

  • 4287.

    Did you employ anybody to watch them ? — No, myself and my man were out pretty well all night sometimes at work.

  • 4288.

    Posting ? — Yes, I have been out till 12 o’clock on Saturday night.

  • 4289.

    You did not employ anybody specially to watch your stations ? — No.

  • 4290.

    I suppose you thought it was not absolutely necessary to employ anybody ? — No, not for that purpose.

  • 4290.

    I suppose you thought it was not absolutely necessary to employ anybody ? — No, not for that purpose.