Brown, John Marsh | Day 6

Invoiced £4 for preparing canvass books etc. A letter shown to the court showed that the bill was subsequently changed by Mr Edwards to £14 on account of the amount of work involved in preparing the books. His son, Walter Penfield Brown who prepared the invoice was called to testify as to the amount on the bill.

Witness Type: Other

Party: Liberal

Other Days The Witness Was Called On: Day 9 | Day 10

Witness Testimony:

  • 6394.

    “To arranging names of voters from parliamentary register” ; that you did, I suppose, in order to make out the canvassing books ? — Yes, we arranged them in sheets first.

  • 6395.

    That would be preliminary to making out the canvass books ? — It was a separate affair ; we did them on sheets first in order to make six corrected canvassing books.

  • 6396.

    Did you make any separate charge for that ? — No.

  • 6397.

    Was that included in the charge of 41. for making out the canvassing books ? — Yes, making out the canvassing books, and making a fair copy of the register of voters.

  • 6398.

    What you did with the sheets was included in the charge of 4L. for making canvassing books ? — Yes.

  • 6399.

    I cannot tell, but if this bill was made out by your son the fault does not seem to lie with Mr. Edwards. Is your son here ? — No.

  • 6400.

    This is his writing ? — It looks to be his writing.

  • 6401.

    (Mr. Holl.) Was the bill that you sent in made out by your son; look at it carefully, and tell me whether that may be the bill you sent in ? — No, because there can be no mistake about my handwriting ; everybody knows it, and it is nothing like mine.

  • 6402.

    Was the bill that you sent in in your own handwriting, or was it made out by your son in his handwriting ? — I do not know anything about this. I went down, and told young Mr. Hammond that my account would be 4L.

  • 6403.

    Who is he ? — A clerk at Mr. Edwards’s office.

  • 6404.

    Did you send in any bill yourself ? —I will not swear that I did make it out on paper, but I told him what it would be, 4L. I am not quite certain, but I think I left a bill for 4L.

  • 6405.

    I want you to think carefully, and see whether you can remember that you ever left any bill, or whether you sent in your own handwriting any bill ? — I would not swear I did, but I told them it would be 4L.

  • 6406.

    What is your son ? — He is at Sutton, in Surrey, a schoolmaster.

  • 6407.

    Try again and remember ? — I know nothing about that account.

  • 6408.

    I want you to try and remember whether you ever yourself sent in any bill in writing ? — I would not swear I sent a bill in, but I know that I told Mr. Hammond that this must be rather more than the other, because there was more work, and that it would be 4L., but whether I left a bill in my own handwriting I would not say.

  • 6409.

    May your son have sent in the bill on your account afterwards ? — He would not have done that, I should think, without saying so to me.

  • 6410.

    You do not remember whether he ever told you ? — Before he left he said there would be 4L. to come from the committee of Sir Julian Goldsmid.

  • 6411.

    Look at that bill again carefully ? —I have looked at it, and I know nothing about it.

  • 6412.

    You say your son told you before he left that there was 4L. to come ? — Yes.

  • 6413.

    Not 14 ? — No.

  • 6414.

    That you are certain of ? — Yes ; I may say, if you do not object to the statement, that Mr. Cottew gave me instructions to make six canvass books, and I said, “Well, I am very busy just now, and I can hardly afford the time, but as my son is at home he can assist me ; I will prepare them.” I prepared the North ward, and took the three books so prepared down to the office, and when I got there I saw that Mr. Edwards’s clerks were preparing the South ward, and I said, “Are you preparing the canvass books ?” and they said, “Yes, we are in a great hurry for them, and Mr. Edwards thought you would not get them done soon enough, and we have been up all the night.” I said, “I think you had better leave them with me ; I shall do them quicker ; your time is precious ; I think you had better let me make the books out.” Mr. Edwards came in at the time, and he said, “I think so too; take the books away.” The young men were grumbling about being up all night, and it bothered them, as they did not know where the people lived so well as I did. What has annoyed me is that a report should go forward that I had an account of 14L.

  • 6415.

    14L. is the bill in respect of the canvass books and fair copy of the register, and then there is making out the strike lists, 10L. I do not know whose mistake it was, but it was supposed that that was also a charge of yours ; did you make out the strike lists ? — No, only the large book and the six canvass books. I am told that Mr. Goymer made out the strike lists.

  • 6416.

    (Mr. Jeune.) You say you ware employed before to make out the canvassing books ? — Yes.

  • 6417.

    In 1874 were you so employed ? — About that time.

  • 6418.

    What did you get for it then ? — Was that after the extension of the franchise ?

  • 6419.

    Yes ? — It would be about 4L. I used to get 2L before.

  • 6420.

    Is that your bill for 1874 (handing a paper) ? — Yes, that is my handwriting.

  • 6421.

    5L. You got then ? — Yes, but there was something else done.

  • 6422.

    Be so good as to write to your son by this evening’s post, and ask him whether he sent any bill to Sir Julian Goldsmid’s committee for making out canvassing books and fair copy of register of voters, and whether he charged for that 4L. or 14L., and let us know the answer ? — Yes, you shall see his letter.

  • 6423.

    I think it right to say that, as far as we are concerned, we think, at any rate, you have entirely exonerated yourself from any suggestion that you charged 14L. ? — I could not make those books for less than 4L.