Foord, Charles Ross | Day 16
He took £1500 in gold to Deal on 14th May. Commenting that he knew there were a large number of payments to be made in advance and while it was unusual to ask a candidate for payment in advance, they did it when necessary. Very surprised that any agent should want money in advance. He preferred to take it in gold because he had a great hatred of Bank of England notes.
Witness Type: Other
Party: Liberal
Witness Testimony:
- 17941.
When I say “Instruct you,” always understand I do not mean ‘Instruct’ in any other sense than asking you to do it. I understand that you got the request from Mr. Belsey ? — Yes, to take down 1,500L.
- 17942.
Did Mr. Belsey say anything to you about sending it down in gold ? — No, I have no recollection of it ; but I should not have thought of sending it down in notes, because personally I have a great objection to Bank of England notes, and I would not carry 1,500L. worth of notes to please anybody ; I would sooner carry 1,500L. in gold than in notes, because I do not like Bank of England notes at all.
- 17943.
It is not so convenient to carry ? — No doubt that is so, but I have a great objection to Bank of England notes. There were no instructions to take it down in either notes or gold or anything else, but from my own notion I thought it the best thing to do.
- 17944.
You will forgive me for pressing it ; but are you quite sure there was no request to send it down in gold ? — No, there was not.
- 17945.
It was your own idea ? — Yes, my own idea.
- 17946.
There was no suggestion from Mr. Belsey that it would be more convenient to have it in gold ? — No, certainly not.
- 17947.
Did it surprise you at all that you should be asked to send down this money ? — I had no concern with the Sandwich election ; but if Sir Julian wished me to do it of course I should do it. What did surprise me was, that any agent should require money in advance, because I do not think they ought to require it. I do not think any money should be paid by a candidate beforehand.
- 17948.
Did the agent require money in advance ? — I understood so.
- 17949.
Who told you that ? – Mr. Belsey said that Mr. Emmerson, the agent to whom I was to take the money, had been asking Sir Julian for money, and he had decided to ask us to send down 1,500L. I understood that his agents had been asking Sir Julian for money.
- 17950.
I should like you to tell me if you can as made to you; that is, what he said to you ?—I think I have told you as much as I can recollect, that Sir Julian Goldsmid wanted 1,500L. sent down to Mr. Emmerson. I had not much time to settle the matter, because I had to go home and get my luncheon, and then I had to go off by the train, so that there was not much conversation about it.
- 17951.
(Mr. Turner.) Was your brother present, and did he have any share in this conversation with Ml Belsey ? — My brother was present during a portion of the conversation.
- 17952.
(Mr. Holl.) Mr. Belsey first made the request to you, and then your brother came ? — I sent for my brother.
- 17953.
Did he see Mr. Belsey ? — Yes.
- 17954.
And talk the matter over with him ? — Yes ; he drew this cheque (producing the same) for 1,200L, upon the London Joint Stock bank.
- 17955.
Have you a bank at Rochester ? — Yes ; two banks in Rochester, and two or three in London.
- 17956.
How was it that the cheque was drawn upon the bank in London ? — Because our balance stood better there, and it was more convenient to do it.
- 17957.
Could you have drawn as much as 1,500L. at Rochester ? — If you want to know anything about our banking accounts you must ask my brother ; all I know is we have always got plenty of money.
- 17958.
Have you got your bank book for the Rochester bank ? — No ; the Rochester bank has nothing to do with it.
- 17959.
What I want to know is whether you could have drawn as much as 1,500L. upon the Rochester bank ? — If you wish to know so much of my private affairs you must go to my brother John. I was never asked such a question in my life.
- 17960.
(Mr. Jeune.) But you are a member of the firm ? — Yes, but I do not trouble myself with money matters.
- 17961.
Do not you know the credit of the firm ? — Credit ! we never borrow anything.
- 17962.
That is not the question; what you are asked is, could not your firm have drawn a cheque for 1,200L. upon the bank at Rochester with a certainty of its being honoured ? — The answer I must give you is that if you want to know whether we could or could not, you must ask my brother, because I do not know.
- 17963.
Did any conversation pass between you and your brother upon the subject ? — Yes; he said it would be more convenient to draw the money from the London Joint Stock bank.
- 17964.
(Mr. Holl.) You do not know what your balance was at the Rochester bank at that time ? — No.
- 17965.
Your bank book would show of course ? — I daresay it would.
- 17966.
(Mr. Jeune.) Did you send round to inquire at the Rochester bank what your balance was ? – No, I should not think of doing it, knowing that we had got plenty of money up in London. I thought the best thing to do was to go up to London, where there could not be any question about it. The fact is this; ever since that the London Joint Stock bank started we have always banked there; it is our principal bank, and we merely make our branch bank, the London and County bank, and as we want money for the purpose of wages at Rochester and Sheerness, we draw from there; that is the way I believe my brother arranges the matter, but we look upon the London Joint Stock bank as our principal bank. Our late father banked there for a number ol years, and we have continued to do so. The only object of going to the London Joint Stock bank was because it was more convenient.
- 17967.
Do you have your princpal investments and banking account at the London Joint Stock bank ? — Yes ; and at times we have had very large deposits there you will find if you inquire, though they are not so large now because a good deal of it is invested.
- 17968.
When you draw for wages, where do you draw from ? — When it is for wages for Rochester we draw upon the London and County at Rochester, and upon the London and County for Sheerness wages ; but in connexion with London transactions we draw upon the West End branch of the London Joint Stock bank.
- 17969.
Do you feed your accounts at Sheerness and Rochester ? — We do not keep an account at Sheerness ; we draw at Sheerness upon an authority for what money we want at Sheerness not exceeding 800L., a week.
- 17970.
Do you feed the bank at Rochester from the London Joint Stock bank ? — Yes ; I have understood that my brother generally does that. Of course, we keep a respectable balance there.