Olds, Samuel | Day 14

In total Olds received £2,500, purely for bribing Publicans and voters.
He secured and paid for committee rooms in 88 public houses – 71 in Deal & Walmer, according to testimony by Daniel George Frederick Simmons, plus 17 in Sandwich. Each was paid £5 a-piece. Well over the odds when their annual rent was on average £12.

In November 1881 he was found guilty and sentenced to six months hard labour. Released in May 1882.

Witness Type: Briber, Councillor / Alderman, No Indemnity

Party: Conservative

Other Days The Witness Was Called On: Day 2 | Day 3

Witness Testimony:

  • 17137.

    That is true ? — I had no time to check the amounts.

  • 17138.

    Do you mean to tell us you really received this bag of money, and did not ascertain within 700L. how much you had received ? — I could not : it went in lots.

  • 17139.

    When you say you could not, you had nothing to do except either to count it, or keep some kind of record of how you distributed it Surely you do not mean to tell ns you distributed all this 1,700L. and kept no account whatever either on paper or in your own mind, as to how much you had given away ? — I had not the time ; before one was gone another was there waiting, and sometimes five or six at a time.

  • 17140.

    That may be, but do you mean seriously to tell us you paid away 1,700L. without keeping any record at all as to how much you had given to each person ? — I do.

  • 17141.

    Do you really mean that you adhere to your first statement that you do not know, beyond what I have told you, whether it was 1,000L. or 1,700L. that you had ? — I really do not, or whether it was 2,000L. All I know is it was a bag of money. I did not count it, and had no means of counting it afterwards.

  • 17142.

    We cannot help thinking you must know more about this money, and the amount of it, than you have told us ? — I really do not. I have tried to assist you all I can by getting the people to come forward, as I recollected them one by one, and state the amounts that they received.

  • 17143.

    Do you not know more than you have told us already, if so tell us now, as to how and from whom this money came ? — I do not.

  • 17144.

    Have you no idea ? — I have no idea, not the remotest.

  • 17145.

    (Mr. Turner.) Who was the little man who brought it ? — I do not know, he was a perfect stranger to me.

  • 17146.

    (Mr. Holl.) Do I understand you to say still that you have not any idea of who he was ? — No, I have not.

  • 17147.

    Or who he came from ? — I have not.

  • 17148.

    You have no idea at all ? — None whatever.

  • 17149.

    Tell us candidly at once if you really do know ? — I do not, he was a perfect stranger to me.

  • 17150.

    (Mr. Turner.) Have you heard anybody else express an opinion as to who he was ? — No.

  • 17151.

    (Mr. Holl.) Or speak about him in any way ? — Not at all.