Terry, Edward | Day 12

Discussed with Richard Gillow assisting in finding voters and the amounts that might be needed as the other side were paying put money. Offered to get his man Joseph Nowers to help. Thought he could engage 12 voters for £60 which Gillow arranged for him to have. More names mentioned. Testimony says he resides in London with office in London. Census shows his address as being in Margate.

Witness Type: Other

Party: Liberal

Witness Testimony:

  • 14460.

    You do not know of any at all ? — No, I do not know of any. 

  • 14461.

    I am not speaking in any technical sense of its being within your own knowledge, or what you yourself saw, but do you know of any other money being spent in bribery beyond this 60L. ? — I know of nothing personally. Of course I have heard several spoken of in the town as the people who have bribed, but it would be a very unfair thing to give their names, because I do not know it of my own personal knowledge, and I might bring somebody in who had not bribed. I would not mention a man’s name unless I was quite certain, because there are heaps of people who talk about bribery, and of people being bribed, but I do not know whether it may be true or not. 

  • 14462.

    We will find out whether it is true or not ? — Of course you will. I do not think you have had anybody before you who has had a 6d from me, and I do not think you will, because you cannot. 

  • 14463.

    Who are the people who you have heard as having bribed at the election at Sandwich ? — I do not go out in Sandwich at all. I always stay at home and never mix with the people. All that I have heard is simply among my own friends in my own private house. 

  • 14464.

    You had better tell us because it will save time ? — I cannot tell you. 

  • 14465.

    Yes you can, pardon me ? — I tell you that I cannot. 

  • 14466.

    You have already given several evasive answers ? — No, I have told you the truth, but you lead me into giving evasive answers. You ask me whether I know anything else, and I say no, and you cannot prove to the contrary. 

  • 14467.

    Do you know of anybody who spent any money for the purposes of this election besides Mr. Gillow ? —No, I do not, because I never took any interest in it. Of course I have heard it talked about. 

  • 14468.

    Have you heard any names mentioned of persons who gave money at the election ? — No. 

  • 14469.

    Are you sure ? — Quite certain. 

  • 14470.

    Why did you say just now that if you mentioned names you might mention them unjustly ? — I might mention names that I heard rumoured about in the town, but of which I know nothing personally. 

  • 14471.

    Mention those names ? — I heard that there was bribery upon the Conservative side. 

  • 14472.

    Tell me what names you heard mentioned in connexion with bribery on either side ? — I heard of Mr. Olds of Deal having bribed a few. 

  • 14473.

    Anybody else ? — I heard of Hughes, of Sandwich having bribed a few. 

  • 14474.

    Anybody else ? — Hooper, of Sandwich, having bribed a few. 

  • 14475.

    Go on ? — That is about all. 

  • 14476.

    No, pardon me, that cannot be so, because you told me just now that the people whose names you mention might be unjustly mentioned, and the names that you have given me now are those of persons every one of whom have been examined ? — That is all that I know. 

  • 14477.

    Yes. I think you do know some more. I think you have heard other names mentioned ? — I have not.

  • 14478.

    Then what did you mean just now by saying that there were persons against whom you might make unjust accusations ? — I might mention the names. 

  • 14479.

    If you might mention the names, do it ? — No, I cannot mention any names. 

  • 14480.

    I have asked you several times what you meant just now by saying that if you mentioned names you might make unjust accusations ? — I meant that I might mention names of people in the town, but I know nothing about whether they have bribed, or not.

  • 14481.

    Then mention those names ? — I do not know any names. 

  • 14482.

    Again I ask you, what did you mean by saying that if you mentioned names you might mention them unjustly ? — I might mention them unjustly. I have heard rumours in the town of different people bribing; Olds, Hughes, Hooper, whose names I have mentioned and I really do not like to mention others, because I do not know, and I cannot tell you what I do not know. 

  • 14483.

    You can tell me what you do know. I think amongst the things you do know are rumours of persons having bribed whose names you have not given ? — I do not know any. 

  • 14484.

    I mean besides the names that you have given of Olds, Hooper, and Hughes ? — I think those bribed. 

  • 14485.

    But besides those ? — No, I know of nothing. 

  • 14486.

    You have heard ? — No, I have not heard. 

  • 14487.

    Upon your oath do you mean to say that you have not heard that anybody has bribed in Sandwich besides Hughes, Hooper, Olds, and Mr. Gillow ? — No, none. 

  • 14488.

    You swear that ? — Yes. 

  • 14489.

    You swear that you do not know, either by report or rumour, or in any other way that you have heard, that anybody in Sandwich has bribed, besides the four persons whose names I have mentioned ? — No ; of course I have heard of them, but I have heard of nobody else, and I do not know of anybody else.