Bushell, James | Day 11

Received £7 10s for treating and a further £10 from Frederick Cloke for helping out after the election. In his testimony, Frederick Cloke described him as ‘one of their prominent workers’.

Witness Type: Treater

Party: Conservative

Witness Testimony:

  • 13397.

    But you took it ? — It was put down, and I thought I had as much right to it as anybody else, and I took it. 

  • 13398.

    (Mr. Holl.) Did you canvass ? — I was about getting all the information I could, and treating more than canvassing. 

  • 13399.

    Then you did not canvass ? — No. 

  • 13400.

    And you took this 10L. when it was given to you ? — Yes. 

  • 13401.

    (Mr. Jeune.) Who did you say told you before the election to work for him ? — Mr. Hooper. 

  • 13402.

    What is Mr. Hooper ? — A corn factor at Sandwich. 

  • 13403.

    What did he tell you you were to do ? — He asked me if I would go about among the voters to hear all I could, and to let him know what they were doing. 

  • 13404.

    Did you have any canvass book ?  — No. 

  • 13405.

    Did you make any return to him of the results of your operations ? — No; at least I told him at the time. I merely pencilled down what I had spent for him to go and see himself whether it was spent or not. 

  • 13406.

    You thought, I suppose, that you would get something for all your trouble, did you not ? — No, I did not think that ; leastways I thought if they liked to pay me for my time, but I did not expect anything as far as that goes. 

  • 13407.

    (Mr. Turner.) But you were not surprised when you got the money ?  — No.