Testimonies

Hoare, James Rolls | Day 20

Witness Type: Other

Party: Conservative

Witness Testimony:

• 20265.

  Was that in an envelope ? — Yes, in an envelope.

• 20266.

  Did you tell him what was in the envelope ? — No, I presumed he knew.

• 20267.

  Upon what bank was that cheque drawn ? — Upon the Union Bank of London.

• 20268.

  Upon what branch ? — Princess Street branch.

• 20269.

  Beyond that do you know at all what was done with that £1400 ? — No, I have not the slightest idea.

• 20270.

  Had you any intimation given to you by the note which you received from Mr. Crompton Roberts or Mr. Hughes, for what purpose it was required ? — No, none whatever.

• 20271.

  When did you first become aware of what had been done with the money ? — I gathered it from reading the papers, that was all.

• 20272.

  You had not heard before ? — No. In fact, I have not seen Mr. Crompton Roberts till to-day; he has been away for quite two months.

• 20273.

  (Mr. Turner.) You mean reading the evidence upon this Commission ? — Yes.

• 20274.

  (Mr. Holl.) When did Mr. Crompton Roberts, as far as you know, become aware of that £1400 having been advanced by you ? — I do not even know that he was aware of it at all. No, I am wrong there; he came back afterwards, and he may have looked into the ledger and seen the entry, but I did not inform him of the amount.

• 20275.

  Do you know whether after the election you had any partnership drawings ? — Yes.

• 20276.

  When was the first partnership drawing after the election ? — I should say the first partnership drawing was some six weeks after the election.

• 20277.

  Some time in July ? — Yes, it would be the very beginning of July.

• 20278.

  At the time of that drawing would Mr. Crompton Roberts then see that this sum was debited to him ? — Yes.

• 20279.

  As far as you know, had he any intimation of it prior to that time ? — None whatever that I know of. I cannot fix the exact date of the drawing, but it would be the first week in July, because I left for my holiday the second week.

• 20280.

  I understand you to say that you have no reason to suppose that he had any knowledge of it prior to that date ? — No, I do not think in the slightest that he knew of it

• 20281.

  Was any observation made about it then ? — No, none whatever. In fact, Mr. Roberts may not have known of it till later; he may not have seen the difference between the cheque drawn for him and the cheque which he otherwise would have had had there not been this debit against him.

• 20282.

  You do not know whether his attention was, as a matter of fact, drawn to his being debited at the time of the drawing with this amount ? — I did not draw his attention to it, and I do not think anybody else would. In fact, nobody else has access to the ledger except Mr. Roberts and myself.

• 20283.

  Would Mr. Crompton Roberts, at the time of the drawing, look at the amount of the cheque ? — Yes, he would naturally look at the amount entered in the ledger.

• 20284.

  Would he look at the ledger itself, or would he merely see it from the cheque he received ? — I should think Mr. Crompton Roberts would only see it from the cheque he received.

• 20285.

  Whether upon receiving the cheque he referred to the ledger in any way, you cannot say ? — No.

• 20286.

  I understand from what you say you do not remember any observation being made, or any conversation in respect to the cheque at all ? — No, none whatever.