Minter, William Robert | Day 6
Witness Type: Briber, Publican, Beerhouse Keeper
Party: Liberal
Witness Testimony:
- 5858.
How many do you think he called upon altogether, besides the two or three who worked at the castle ? — He might have canvassed 20, but I did not have an account of what he did canvass.
- 5859.
Do you think he canvassed 10 ? — Yes, I think he did more than that.
- 5860.
You gave him 4L ? — Yes.
- 5861.
He did not stop away from his work at the castle ? — No, he did not stop away from his work at the castle.
- 5862.
Whatever he did was in the evening after his work was over ? — Just so.
- 5863.
How many days did he come to you ? — I should think about five or six.
- 5864.
He used to come in the evening, after his work was over, for five or six days canvassing the people in Upper Walmer, and he canvassed the two or three people at the castle ? — Yes.
- 5865.
He would see them about the grounds of the castle ? — They do not all work at the castle. Lord Granville has property widely scattered, and he is a man who knows where they are.
- 5866.
That is all he did ? — That is all he did.
- 5867.
What did Joseph Henry Flower, George Woodcock, and Edward Curling do ? — They helped me canvass the voters. Lots of the Upper Walmer voters work away, and you cannot catch them at home. I am a man of business myself, and I cannot always be at a certain house at a certain hour, so I got these to assist me, and solicit them for me.
- 5868.
Flower ; what is he ? —A bootmaker at a shop close by.
- 5869.
He did not stop away from his business, did he ? — I think he did. He gave a good portion of his time to it.
- 5870.
Did he stop away two hours, or how long ? — I could not tell you to an hour, but I know he was about several hours when he might have been at work ; several days.
- 5871.
You gave him 4L. ? — Yes.
- 5872.
Woodcock ; what is he ? — Woodcock is a grocer.
- 5873.
He did not leave his business altogether ? — Not altogether.
- 5874.
He occasionally left it for an hour or two in the day, just to canvass ? — Just so; and bring me reports occasionally.
- 5875.
How many people do you think he canvassed, and how often ? — He was the same as me. Many a time he went to a house and did not find them at home. He often canvassed a house two or three times, and gave a great portion of his time during the week.
- 5876.
He got 4L. ? — Yes.
- 5877.
Curling ; what is he ? — He is a servant of mine. He was at all calls, whenever I wanted him.
- 5878.
You paid him his wages for this week as usual ? — Yes ; I paid him his wages.
- 5879.
He got 4L. in addition ? — He did.
- 5880.
For the week ? — For the whole time.
- 5881.
For seven or eight days, or whatever it was ? — Yes.
- 5882.
He got that in addition to his regular wages ? — Yes. They all spent something out of that.
- 5883.
Your brother ; what is he, and what did he do ? — He is a single man, staying with me. He was about in the same capacity as the last man. Curling. He superintended all the FLAGS, and done a lot in that way, as well as canvass ; in fact, he was at all calls at any time.
- 5884.
They are all voters except your brother, John Minter ? — My brother is not a voter.
- 5885.
Now there is night watchmen. I see you employed five : — Charles Pratt, Thomas Goodbourne, Morris Holtum, Stephen Greenstreet, and William Makey, and paid them 2L. each. What was that for. ? — Some of them got cutting the lines of the flagfstaffs, and different things ; and a little printing we had done got tarred over.
- 5886.
Did they apply to you for this employment ? — Yes. I had lots of applications. They are the only parties I employed.
- 5887.
You had lots of applications, and you employed these five ? — Yes.